Appleton Area School District

131 E Washington St, Ste 1a
Appleton, WI 54911
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Appleton Area School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Wisconsin for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 19 public preschools serving 6,714 students in Appleton Area School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 4/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Wisconsin.
Public Preschools in Appleton Area School District have an average math proficiency score of 43% (versus the Wisconsin public pre school average of 42%), and reading proficiency score of 37% (versus the 36% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 41% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Asian), which is more than the Wisconsin public preschool average of 39% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (WI)
# Schools
38 Schools
1,008 Schools
# Students
14,994 Students
332,371 Students
# Teachers
1,066 Teachers
24,437 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Appleton Area School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 442 school districts in Wisconsin (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 86% has decreased from 89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (WI)
#239 out of 447 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
40%
40%
37%
38%
43%
44%
86%
90%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.59
0.59
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
12%
5%
% Hispanic
14%
16%
% Black
5%
11%
% White
61%
61%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,365 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,189. The school district revenue/student has grown by 12% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $14,206 is less than the state median of $17,161. The school district spending/student has grown by 13% over four school years.
This School District
This State (WI)
Total Revenue
$230 MM
$13,869 MM
Spending
$213 MM
$13,846 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,365
$17,189
Spending / Student
$14,206
$17,161

Best Appleton Area School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Appleton Public Montessori
Charter School
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 60-69%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
1545 E Broadway Dr
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 852-5515
Gr: PK-6 | 149 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #22.
Berry Elementary School
(Math: 61% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
3601 S Telulah Ave
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 852-5445
Gr: PK-5 | 368 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #33.
Huntley Elementary School
(Math: 60% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
2224 N Ullman St
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 852-5495
Gr: PK-5 | 570 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #44.
Houdini Elementary School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
2305 W Capitol Dr
Appleton, WI 54914
(920) 852-5490
Gr: PK-5 | 501 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #55.
Ferber Elementary School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
515 E Capitol Dr
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 852-5465
Gr: PK-5 | 499 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #66.
Richmond Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
1441 E John St
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 852-5520
Gr: PK-5 | 245 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: #7 - 87. - 8.
Edison Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
412 N Meade St
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 852-5460
Gr: PK-5 | 242 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 32%
Rank: #7 - 87. - 8.
Horizons Elementary School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
2101 Schaefer Cir
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 852-5485
Gr: PK-5 | 264 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 51%
Rank: #99.
Mckinley Elementary School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1125 E Taft Ave
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 852-5510
Gr: PK-5 | 380 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #1010.
Stephen Foster Elementary Charter
Charter School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
305 W Foster St
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 852-5470
Gr: PK-5 | 200 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #1111.
Badger Elementary School
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
501 S Bluemound Dr
Appleton, WI 54914
(920) 852-5440
Gr: PK-5 | 258 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #1212.
Jefferson Elementary School
(Math: 30-34% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1000 S Mason St
Appleton, WI 54914
(920) 852-5500
Gr: PK-5 | 212 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #1313.
Johnston Elementary School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 28%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
2725 E Forest St
Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 852-5505
Gr: PK-5 | 286 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 54%
Rank: #1414.
Ronald C Dunlap Elementary School
(Math: 36% | Reading: 24%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1000 N Mason St
Appleton, WI 54914
(920) 852-5455
Gr: PK-5 | 314 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 58%
Rank: #1515.
Franklin Elementary School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
2212 N Jarchow St
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 852-5475
Gr: PK-5 | 277 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 50%
Rank: #1616.
Highlands Elementary School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 23%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
2037 N Elinor St
Appleton, WI 54914
(920) 852-5480
Gr: PK-5 | 417 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 59%
Rank: #1717.
Columbus Elementary School
(Math: 20-29% | Reading: 20-29%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
913 N Oneida St
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 852-5450
Gr: PK-5 | 88 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 51%
Rank: n/an/a
Appleton Community 4k
2701 N Oneida St, Suite C2
Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 852-5600
Gr: PK | 672 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 40%
Rank: n/an/a
Appleview
Special Education School
120 E Harris St
Appleton, WI 54912
(920) 933-7062
Gr: PK-12 | 29 students Minority enrollment: 21%

Recent Articles

When “Free Public School” Still Isn’t Free
When “Free Public School” Still Isn’t Free
Discover the hidden costs of public school in 2026, from supplies and fees to transportation, technology, and extracurricular expenses.
What a District Budget Cut Means for Your Child's School Experience
What a District Budget Cut Means for Your Child's School Experience
Learn how district budget cuts can affect class sizes, programs, staffing, transportation, and your child's daily school experience in 2026.
School Closure Risk: What Parents Should Check Before Moving
School Closure Risk: What Parents Should Check Before Moving
Learn how parents can assess school closure risk before buying or renting in a district, using enrollment, funding, and boundary data.

Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 38 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 14,994 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 39%
  • : 86% (Top 50% in WI)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 40% (Btm 50%)
  • : 37% (Btm 50%)
  • : 43% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), WI Dept. of Education

Quick Links