Enrollment
146
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Milwaukee, WI
Whittier Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Whittier Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550960001271Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Whittier Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #13 of 135
- schools in Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 59.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Whittier Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary ranks #13 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550960001271 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
10.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.4%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Whittier Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Whittier Elementary
Whittier Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 146 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 146 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 110 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #28.
Its student body is led by White (34%) and Hispanic or Latino (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights 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): Whittier Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 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 Whittier 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 Whittier Elementary compares
Whittier 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 | 14.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.4% | ▲ 54% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 146 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
146
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 67% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.7%
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
$17,847
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
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 33.6%
Hispanic or Latino 26.7%
African American 22.6%
Two or More 8.9%
Asian 8.2%
Largest group: White at 33.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.0, Whittier Elementary is more 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 Whittier 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 Whittier Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reagan College Preparatory High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| King International | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Obama School of Career and Technical Education | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Whittier 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 (~146 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Whittier Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Whittier 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 Whittier Elementary
How many students attend Whittier Elementary?
Whittier Elementary has 146 students enrolled. It is a public school in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Whittier Elementary is 14.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Whittier Elementary?
59.4% of students at Whittier Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Whittier Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Whittier Elementary is White at 33.6% of enrollment, in Milwaukee, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Whittier Elementary?
Whittier Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Whittier Elementary rank among schools in Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, Whittier Elementary ranks #13 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 Whittier Elementary a good school?
Whittier Elementary earns 50/100 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 Milwaukee School District?
Besides Whittier 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.