Enrollment
353
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Milwaukee, WI
Thoreau Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Thoreau Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550960001255
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thoreau Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Wisconsin schools.
- #60 of 135
- schools in Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 99.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Thoreau Elementary has class sizes larger than 80% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thoreau Elementary ranks #60 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550960001255 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.4%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+158% 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 high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 353 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 99.4% of students qualify for free meals, 158% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 353 students, its enrollment sits close to the Wisconsin median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 71 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #37.
Its student body is predominantly African American (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 353 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 79.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Milwaukee School District spends $17,847 per pupil, 20% above the Wisconsin average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Milwaukee's public schools, it stands alongside Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students): Thoreau Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16:1 vs 30.8:1).
Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students) and Hamilton High (1,472 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 11% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.4% | ▲ 158% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 353 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
353
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 158% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 80% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
79.3%
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
$17,847
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 353 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 54 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.9 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
African American 85.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 2.5%
White 2.3%
Largest group: African American at 85.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.8, Thoreau Elementary is less mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Milwaukee School District, which includes Thoreau Elementary.
$17,847
Per student
+20%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 57.7%
Federal 15.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reagan College Preparatory High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| King International | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Obama School of Career and Technical Education | 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
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,372
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools in Milwaukee
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12
Standard public school
1,974 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee Academy of Science
Standard public school
1,711 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Bruce Guadalupe
Standard public school
1,364 students 15:1 students per teacher
Obama School of Career and Technical Education
Standard public school
1,294 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
Golda Meir School
Standard public school
1,192 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee School of Languages
Standard public school
964 students 14.2:1 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 (~353 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thoreau Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Thoreau Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Milwaukee 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 353 students enrolled. It is a public school in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thoreau Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Thoreau Elementary is 16:1, which is 11% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thoreau Elementary?
99.4% 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 African American at 85.8% of enrollment, in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thoreau Elementary?
Thoreau Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Thoreau Elementary rank among schools in Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, Thoreau Elementary ranks #60 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Milwaukee on the city page.
Is Thoreau Elementary a good school?
Thoreau Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% 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 Milwaukee School District?
Besides Thoreau Elementary, Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students), Hamilton High (1,472 students), and Reagan College Preparatory High (1,372 students). See the Milwaukee 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.