Enrollment
179
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Neenah, WI
Taft Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Taft Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 551032002995
👥 S:T ratio 64
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Taft Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Wisconsin schools.
- #3 of 9
- elementary schools in Neenah · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.9:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 56.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Taft Elementary has class sizes smaller than 94% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Taft Elementary ranks #3 of 9 elementary schools in Neenah, WI.
School address
District: Neenah Joint School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551032002995 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-38% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.3%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Taft Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Taft Elementary
Taft Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Neenah, Wisconsin, enrolling 179 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.9:1, Taft Elementary is leaner than roughly 94% of Wisconsin schools and 38% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 56.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 179 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 144 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #54.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 179 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Neenah's elementary schools, it stands alongside Horace Mann Middle (519 students): Taft Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.9:1 vs 15.7:1).
Neenah Joint School District also operates Neenah High (2,013 students) and Shattuck Middle (1,913 students) alongside Taft 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 Taft Elementary compares
Taft 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 | 8.9:1 | ▼ 38% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.3% | ▲ 46% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 179 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.9:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
179
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.9:1
students per teacher
- 38% below state mean
Top 6% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,247
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 179 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.3 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 64.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.8%
Two or More 11.7%
African American 6.1%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Largest group: White at 64.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.5, Taft Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Neenah Joint School District, which includes Taft Elementary.
$12,247
Per student
-18%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 46.2%
Federal 9.3%
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 Taft Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neenah High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shattuck Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horace Mann Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wilson Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Tullar Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Taft Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,013
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,913
- Students per teacher
- 29.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 519
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 401
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 343
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Neenah
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Horace Mann Middle
Standard public school
519 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Tullar Elementary
Standard public school
343 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Coolidge Elementary
Standard public school
329 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Lakeview Elementary
Standard public school
317 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Spring Road Elementary
Standard public school
299 students 12:1 students per teacher
Ace Alliance Charter Elementary
Standard public school
225 students 37.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~179 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Taft Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Taft Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Neenah Joint 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 Taft Elementary
How many students attend Taft Elementary?
Taft Elementary has 179 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Neenah, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Taft Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Taft Elementary is 8.9:1, which is 38% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 43% 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 Taft Elementary?
56.3% of students at Taft Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Taft Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Taft Elementary is White at 64.8% of enrollment, in Neenah, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Taft Elementary?
Taft Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Taft Elementary rank among elementary schools in Neenah?
By Resource Investment Index, Taft Elementary ranks #3 of 9 elementary schools in Neenah, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Neenah on the city page.
Is Taft Elementary a good school?
Taft Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% 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 Neenah Joint School District?
Besides Taft Elementary, Neenah Joint School District also operates Neenah High (2,013 students), Shattuck Middle (1,913 students), and Horace Mann Middle (519 students). See the Neenah Joint 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.