Enrollment
403
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Madison, WI
Thoreau Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Thoreau Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550852000964
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thoreau Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #20 of 33
- schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.5:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 38.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Thoreau Elementary has class sizes smaller than 74% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thoreau Elementary ranks #20 of 33 schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852000964 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.5:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.8%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thoreau Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thoreau Elementary
Thoreau Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 403 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 38.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 403 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 493 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #272.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Madison's public schools, it stands alongside Cesar Chavez Elementary (631 students): Thoreau Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.5:1 vs 13.4:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students) and Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) alongside Thoreau 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 Thoreau Elementary compares
Thoreau 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 | 11.5:1 | ▼ 20% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.8% | ▲ 1% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 403 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.5:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
403
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.5:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 26% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.7%
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
$17,181
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 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 51.4%
Hispanic or Latino 25.7%
African American 14.0%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, Thoreau Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison Metropolitan School District, which includes Thoreau Elementary.
$17,181
Per student
+15%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.6%
State 18.4%
Federal 9.0%
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 Thoreau Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vel Phillips Memorial High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafollette High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thoreau Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,222
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,541
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Madison
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cesar Chavez Elementary
Standard public school
631 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Leopold Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
4k Pk Off Site
Standard public school
619 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Kennedy Elementary
Standard public school
582 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary School
Standard public school
462 students 10.5:1 students per teacher
Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 13:1 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 (~403 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thoreau Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Thoreau Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Madison Metropolitan 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 Thoreau Elementary
How many students attend Thoreau Elementary?
Thoreau Elementary has 403 students enrolled. It is a public school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thoreau Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Thoreau Elementary is 11.5:1, which is 20% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 27% 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 Thoreau Elementary?
38.8% of students at Thoreau Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thoreau Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Thoreau Elementary is White at 51.4% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thoreau Elementary?
Thoreau Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thoreau Elementary rank among schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Thoreau Elementary ranks #20 of 33 schools in Madison, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Madison on the city page.
Is Thoreau Elementary a good school?
Thoreau Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Madison Metropolitan School District?
Besides Thoreau Elementary, Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students), Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students), and East High (1,643 students). See the Madison Metropolitan 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.