Enrollment
743
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Appleton, WI
Wisconsin Connections Academy
Federal NCES profile for Wisconsin Connections Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550039002825Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wisconsin Connections Academy earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Wisconsin schools.
- #20 of 20
- schools in Appleton · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 35.4:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 36.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Wisconsin Connections Academy has class sizes larger than 98% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wisconsin Connections Academy ranks #20 of 20 schools in Appleton, WI.
School address
District: Appleton Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550039002825 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
35.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+146% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.1%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wisconsin Connections Academy compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wisconsin Connections Academy
Wisconsin Connections Academy is a large charter combined-grade school in Appleton, Wisconsin, enrolling 743 students.
Class loads run heavy: 35.4:1 is larger than about 98% of Wisconsin schools and 146% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 36.1% lands close to the Wisconsin typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 91% of state schools at 743 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 2,202 Wisconsin schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 242 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #241, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 743 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Among Appleton's public schools, it stands alongside Appleton Community 4k (672 students): Wisconsin Connections Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (35.4:1 vs 21.7:1).
Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students) and East High (1,238 students) alongside Wisconsin Connections Academy.
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 Wisconsin Connections Academy compares
Wisconsin Connections Academy on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 35.4:1 | ▲ 146% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.1% | ▼ 6% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 743 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
35.4:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
743
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% 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
35.4:1
students per teacher
- 146% above state mean
Top 98% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$13,545
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 743 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 68.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.7%
Two or More 8.0%
African American 7.8%
Asian 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 68.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.2, Wisconsin Connections Academy is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Appleton Area School District, which includes Wisconsin Connections Academy.
$13,545
Per student
-9%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 48.8%
Federal 11.4%
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 Wisconsin Connections Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Einstein Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wisconsin Connections Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,635
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Appleton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Appleton Community 4k
Standard public school
672 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Huntley Elementary
Standard public school
570 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Houdini Elementary
Standard public school
501 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Ferber Elementary
Standard public school
499 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Highlands Elementary
Standard public school
417 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
Mckinley Elementary
Standard public school
380 students 10.3:1 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 (~743 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~35.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wisconsin Connections Academy's federal record.
- Compare Wisconsin Connections Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Appleton Area 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 Wisconsin Connections Academy
How many students attend Wisconsin Connections Academy?
Wisconsin Connections Academy has 743 students enrolled. It is a public school in Appleton, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wisconsin Connections Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Wisconsin Connections Academy is 35.4:1, which is 146% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 125% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Wisconsin Connections Academy?
36.1% of students at Wisconsin Connections Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wisconsin Connections Academy?
The largest demographic group at Wisconsin Connections Academy is White at 68.6% of enrollment, in Appleton, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wisconsin Connections Academy?
Wisconsin Connections Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Wisconsin Connections Academy rank among schools in Appleton?
By Resource Investment Index, Wisconsin Connections Academy ranks #20 of 20 schools in Appleton, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Appleton on the city page.
Is Wisconsin Connections Academy a good school?
Wisconsin Connections Academy earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Appleton Area School District?
Besides Wisconsin Connections Academy, Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students), East High (1,238 students), and West High (1,024 students). See the Appleton Area 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.