Student-Staff Ratios at Elmbrook and How They Compare

One thing that always comes up when districts talk about laying off staff, is the student-staff ratio. In general, according to the non-profit group Class Size Matters, a lower ratio is considered good, providing for smaller class sizes and giving students more opportunity for attention from teachers. 

There were 870,470 students enrolled in Wisconsin public and charter schools in the 2011-12 school year. The districts employed 3,497 administrators, 31,532 aides and support staff, and 65,446 licensed staff members. (All employment numbers are full-time equivalents, meaning two half-time staff members would count as one.)

Average staff-student ratios are as follows: 249 students per administrator, 28 students per aide/support staff, and 13 students per licensed staff member. 

The lowest student-licensed staff ratio in the state is in the tiny Norris School District, which has a ratio of 3.61 for its 52 students and 14.4 licensed staff FTEs. The highest student-licensed staff ratio at a public school district is 18, for the Paris J1 district in Kenosha County, which has 252 students and 13.85 licensed staff FTEs. There were two Milwaukee charter schools with ratios of 19 students to licensed staff FTE.

Here's how Elmbrook School District stacks up, according to information from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. All numbers are for the 2011-12 school year.

Elmbrook has a student-licensed staff ratio of 13.6, slightly above the state average, and a student-support staff ratio of 27.1, slightly below the state average. The district has one administrator for every 311 students, which is greater than the state average. 

Nearby districts have lower student-administrator ratios (251 students per administrator in Wauwatosa and 261 in New Berlin), higher student-support staff ratios (34 students per support staff in Wauwatosa and 30 in New Berlin), and similar student-licensed staff ratios (13.3 in Wauwatosa and 14.5 in New Berlin).

Are you happy with the ratios at your district?