Enrollment
333
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · La Crosse, WI
Southern Bluffs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Southern Bluffs Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550753000195
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Bluffs Elementary earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #6 of 14
- schools in La Crosse · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 28.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern Bluffs Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Bluffs Elementary ranks #6 of 14 schools in La Crosse, WI.
School address
District: La Crosse School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550753000195 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.4%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southern Bluffs Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southern Bluffs Elementary
Southern Bluffs Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in La Crosse, Wisconsin, enrolling 333 students.
At 13.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Wisconsin median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 333 students, its enrollment sits close to the Wisconsin median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 549 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #81.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 333 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among La Crosse's public schools, it stands alongside Spence Elementary (329 students): Southern Bluffs Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.9:1 vs 11.3:1).
La Crosse School District also operates Central High (969 students) and Logan High (729 students) alongside Southern Bluffs Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Southern Bluffs Elementary compares
Southern Bluffs Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.9:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.4% | ▼ 26% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 333 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
333
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% below the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 59% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,778
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 333 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 86.8%
Two or More 5.7%
Asian 3.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2.7%
African American 0.9%
Largest group: White at 86.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.1, Southern Bluffs Elementary is less mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Crosse School District, which includes Southern Bluffs Elementary.
$15,778
Per student
+6%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.4%
State 37.8%
Federal 11.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Southern Bluffs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Logan High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Logan Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spence Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Bluffs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 969
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 329
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in La Crosse
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Spence Elementary
Standard public school
329 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Emerson Elementary
Standard public school
317 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Summit Environmental School
Standard public school
295 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
State Road Elementary
Standard public school
284 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
North Woods International School
Standard public school
255 students 8.8:1 students per teacher
Northside Elementary
Standard public school
237 students 7.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wisconsin, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~333 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southern Bluffs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Southern Bluffs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- La Crosse School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Southern Bluffs Elementary
How many students attend Southern Bluffs Elementary?
Southern Bluffs Elementary has 333 students enrolled. It is a public school in La Crosse, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Bluffs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Bluffs Elementary is 13.9:1, which is 3% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southern Bluffs Elementary?
28.4% of students at Southern Bluffs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Bluffs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Southern Bluffs Elementary is White at 86.8% of enrollment, in La Crosse, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Bluffs Elementary?
Southern Bluffs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Southern Bluffs Elementary rank among schools in La Crosse?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Bluffs Elementary ranks #6 of 14 schools in La Crosse, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in La Crosse on the city page.
Is Southern Bluffs Elementary a good school?
Southern Bluffs Elementary earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in La Crosse School District?
Besides Southern Bluffs Elementary, La Crosse School District also operates Central High (969 students), Logan High (729 students), and Longfellow Middle (631 students). See the La Crosse School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.