Enrollment
534
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Salem, WI
West Salem Middle
Federal NCES profile for West Salem Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 551635002324
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 87
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Salem Middle earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in West Salem · Resource Index
- 63
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.7:1
- students per teacher
- 22.7%
- free-lunch eligible
West Salem Middle has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Salem Middle ranks #1 of 3 public schools in West Salem, WI.
School address
District: West Salem School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551635002324 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.7%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Salem Middle compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Salem Middle
West Salem Middle is a mid-sized elementary school in West Salem, Wisconsin, enrolling 534 students.
At 12.7:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 534 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 2,202 Wisconsin schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 452 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #15, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 267 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
West Salem School District also operates West Salem Elementary (677 students) and West Salem High (603 students) alongside West Salem Middle.
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 West Salem Middle compares
West Salem Middle on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.7:1 | ▼ 12% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.7% | ▼ 41% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 534 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
534
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 42% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
5.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,029
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 267 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 91.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 91.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.0, West Salem Middle is less mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Salem School District, which includes West Salem Middle.
$13,029
Per student
-13%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 47.0%
Federal 8.5%
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 West Salem Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Salem Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Salem High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Salem Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 677
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 603
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
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 (~534 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Salem Middle's federal record.
- Compare West Salem Middle against another school. Compare schools
- West Salem 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 West Salem Middle
How many students attend West Salem Middle?
West Salem Middle has 534 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Salem, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Salem Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at West Salem Middle is 12.7:1, which is 12% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 19% 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 West Salem Middle?
22.7% of students at West Salem Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Salem Middle?
The largest demographic group at West Salem Middle is White at 91.0% of enrollment, in West Salem, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Salem Middle?
West Salem Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (higher 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 West Salem Middle rank among public schools in West Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, West Salem Middle ranks #1 of 3 public schools in West Salem, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in West Salem on the city page.
Is West Salem Middle a good school?
West Salem Middle earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. 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 West Salem School District?
Besides West Salem Middle, West Salem School District also operates West Salem Elementary (677 students) and West Salem High (603 students). See the West Salem 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.