Enrollment
396
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Madison, WI
Van Hise Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Van Hise Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 550852000965
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Van Hise Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 15.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Van Hise Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Van Hise Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852000965 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.1%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Van Hise Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Van Hise Elementary
Van Hise Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 396 students.
At 13.7:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.1% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the Wisconsin average.
Enrollment of 396 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,202 Wisconsin schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 434 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #44, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and Asian (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
15.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Madison's elementary schools, it stands alongside Schenk Elementary (394 students): Van Hise Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.7:1 vs 10.1:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students) and Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) alongside Van Hise 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 Van Hise Elementary compares
Van Hise 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.1% | ▼ 61% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 396 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
396
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% below the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 56% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 59.1%
Asian 12.6%
Two or More 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
African American 5.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 59.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.6, Van Hise 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 Van Hise 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 Van Hise Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vel Phillips Memorial High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafollette High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Van Hise 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 elementary schools in Madison
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Schenk Elementary
Standard public school
394 students 10.1:1 students per teacher
Randall Elementary School
Standard public school
320 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Lake View Elementary
Standard public school
292 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Marquette Elementary
Standard public school
169 students 13:1 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 (~396 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Van Hise Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Van Hise 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 Van Hise Elementary
How many students attend Van Hise Elementary?
Van Hise Elementary has 396 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Van Hise Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Van Hise Elementary is 13.7:1, which is 5% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 13% 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 Van Hise Elementary?
15.1% of students at Van Hise Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Van Hise Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Van Hise Elementary is White at 59.1% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Van Hise Elementary?
Van Hise Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher 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 Van Hise Elementary rank among elementary schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Van Hise Elementary ranks #1 of 5 elementary 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 elementary schools in Madison on the city page.
Is Van Hise Elementary a good school?
Van Hise Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. 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 Van Hise 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.