Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 12 schools in district

Sunset Ridge Elementary

8686 Airport Rd, Middleton, WI 53562Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK04Non-Charter
317
Students
Total enrolled
$19,902
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
39% vs nat'l
13.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
12% vs nat'l
Mid-sized public school
Serves 317 students in grades PK–04 in Middleton, Wisconsin.
39% above average funding
District spends $19,902 per pupil, 39% more than the national average of $14,347.
13.6 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Sunset Ridge Elementary is a mid-sized elementary in Middleton, Wisconsin, serving grades PK–04 with 317 students. The district invests $19,902 per student — 39% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 10% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Sunset Ridge Elementary

317
Total Students
13.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
10%
Free Lunch
23
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK04) are served by this school
Gender Distribution181 male · 136 female
57%
43%
Male 57%Female 43%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility10%
National avg 52% · 31 students
Student Composition
15%
70%
9%
Asian15%
White70%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black1%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 550951000755

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,902Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$19,902
State avg
$18,944
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,757
Student Support$3,781
Administration$2,388
Operations$2,985
Other$1,990
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $19,902 spent per student, an estimated $8,817 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
25%
69%
State government
24.9%
Local (property tax)
68.9%
Federal programs
6.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $19,902/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 10% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 04
Location
CountyDane County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (608)829-9300
NCES ID: 550951000755
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Middleton seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
8686 Airport Rd, Middleton, WI 53562
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.