Enrollment
161
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sparta, WI
Sparta Montessori School
Federal NCES profile for Sparta Montessori School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 551416003358Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 69
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sparta Montessori School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Wisconsin schools.
- #3 of 3
- schools in Sparta · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 27.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sparta Montessori School has class sizes larger than 93% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sparta Montessori School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Sparta, WI.
School address
District: Sparta Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551416003358 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.1%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sparta Montessori School compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sparta Montessori School
Sparta Montessori School is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Sparta, Wisconsin, enrolling 161 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.1:1 is larger than about 93% of Wisconsin schools and 40% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 161 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Among 258 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #216, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 460 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Sparta's public schools, it stands alongside Southside Early Learning Center (268 students): Sparta Montessori School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.1:1 vs 10.7:1).
Sparta Area School District also operates Sparta High (871 students) and Sparta Meadowview Middle (687 students) alongside Sparta Montessori School.
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 Sparta Montessori School compares
Sparta Montessori School on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.1:1 | ▲ 40% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.1% | ▼ 30% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 161 | top 75% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
161
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 40% above state mean
Top 93% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
12.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$14,626
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.3 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 73.3%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
Two or More 8.7%
African American 2.5%
Asian 2.5%
Largest group: White at 73.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.7, Sparta Montessori School is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sparta Area School District, which includes Sparta Montessori School.
$14,626
Per student
-2%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.6%
State 59.0%
Federal 13.4%
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 Sparta Montessori School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparta High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sparta Meadowview Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Herrman Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southside Early Learning Center | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Innovations Stem Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sparta Montessori School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 871
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 9.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 616
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 268
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 90
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Sparta
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~161 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sparta Montessori School's federal record.
- Compare Sparta Montessori School against another school. Compare schools
- Sparta Area 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 Sparta Montessori School
How many students attend Sparta Montessori School?
Sparta Montessori School has 161 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sparta, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sparta Montessori School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sparta Montessori School is 20.1:1, which is 40% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sparta Montessori School?
27.1% of students at Sparta Montessori School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sparta Montessori School?
The largest demographic group at Sparta Montessori School is White at 73.3% of enrollment, in Sparta, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sparta Montessori School?
Sparta Montessori School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical 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 Sparta Montessori School rank among schools in Sparta?
By Resource Investment Index, Sparta Montessori School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Sparta, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sparta on the city page.
Is Sparta Montessori School a good school?
Sparta Montessori School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Wisconsin schools. 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 Sparta Area School District?
Besides Sparta Montessori School, Sparta Area School District also operates Sparta High (871 students), Sparta Meadowview Middle (687 students), and Herrman Elementary (616 students). See the Sparta Area 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.