The number of students in Wisconsin’s public elementary and secondary schools declined by 9.2% over the past 16 years, even as the number of public schools decreased by 3.2%, and staff employed in public schools increased 7.0%.
Data for this report come from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, including its enrollment files and the Public All Staff Report.
Enrollment in K-12 schools is important to districts because it directly influences the amount of revenue they receive. While the state’s funding formula includes hold-harmless provisions that can cushion the initial blow for districts losing students, long-term enrollment loss puts substantial pressure on district budgets. Analyzing enrollment alongside staffing and school counts provides insight into the challenges that districts face funding their largest expenditures – personnel and operations – with fewer dollars for fewer students. These challenges compound when the remaining students may have greater needs and when school finances are already strained by lagging state revenue caps.
Analysis of these figures should also take into account the barriers districts confront when attempting to reduce costs. While the decline in students may be incremental, staffing and physical buildings cannot change as easily. Student losses are typically spread across grade levels and buildings, making it difficult to cut teaching positions and shut down entire classrooms or schools. Staffing cuts and school closures are also unpopular and painful for districts and communities, leaving leaders with difficult decisions and tradeoffs.
Where Have all the Students Gone? 1995 – 2019 Madison and nearby School Districts
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May 2026 Madison School District Presentation: 7,095 adults for 25,003 students (3.52 students per adult!)