Enrollment
403
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · River Falls, WI
Westside Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Westside Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 551305001725
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Westside Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #2 of 5
- schools in River Falls · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 15.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Westside Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Westside Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in River Falls, WI.
School address
District: River Falls School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551305001725 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.9%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Westside Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Westside Elementary
Westside Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in River Falls, Wisconsin, enrolling 403 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 15.9% 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 447 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #231.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 403 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding River Falls School District spends $11,839 per pupil, 21% below the Wisconsin average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among River Falls's public schools, it stands alongside Rocky Branch Elementary (441 students): Westside Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.4:1 vs 14.2:1).
River Falls School District also operates River Falls High (1,062 students) and Meyer Middle (725 students) alongside Westside 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 Westside Elementary compares
Westside 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.9% | ▼ 59% | 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
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
403
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 65% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,839
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 403 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 88.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%
Two or More 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 88.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.7, Westside Elementary is less mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for River Falls School District, which includes Westside Elementary.
$11,839
Per student
-21%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.9%
State 44.8%
Federal 9.4%
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 Westside Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Falls High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Meyer Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rocky Branch Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| River Falls Public Montessori Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Westside Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,062
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 725
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 441
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 409
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 189
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in River Falls
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Rocky Branch Elementary
Standard public school
441 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
River Falls Public Montessori Academy
Standard public school
189 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
River Falls 4 Children
Standard public school
164 students 41:1 students per teacher
River Falls Eschool
Standard public school
9 students 9:1 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 (~14.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Westside Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Westside Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- River Falls 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 Westside Elementary
How many students attend Westside Elementary?
Westside Elementary has 403 students enrolled. It is a public school in River Falls, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Westside Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Westside Elementary is 14.4:1, which is 0% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Westside Elementary?
15.9% of students at Westside Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Westside Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Westside Elementary is White at 88.8% of enrollment, in River Falls, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Westside Elementary?
Westside Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Westside Elementary rank among schools in River Falls?
By Resource Investment Index, Westside Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in River Falls, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in River Falls on the city page.
Is Westside Elementary a good school?
Westside Elementary earns 46/100 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 River Falls School District?
Besides Westside Elementary, River Falls School District also operates River Falls High (1,062 students), Meyer Middle (725 students), and Rocky Branch Elementary (441 students). See the River Falls 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.