Best Elementary Schools in Appleton, WI

Summary:

The city of Appleton, Wisconsin is home to 22 elementary schools, a mix of public and public charter schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 6th or 8th grade. While the Appleton Area School District as a whole is rated 2 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger, there is a wide range in performance among the individual schools.

Several schools stand out as top performers, including Classical School, which ranks among the top 113 elementary schools in Wisconsin, and Woodland School and Sunrise Elementary, which rank 39th and 103rd respectively out of 1,044 Wisconsin elementary schools. Within the Appleton Area School District, Berry Elementary also stands out as a top performer, ranking 193rd in the state and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

However, the data also reveals significant disparities in performance and resources across the Appleton elementary schools. Schools with the highest poverty levels, such as Columbus Elementary and Jefferson Elementary, have the lowest proficiency rates. This suggests the importance of addressing educational equity and ensuring all students in the Appleton Area School District have access to a consistently high-quality education, regardless of their background or the school they attend.

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2025)						Forward Exam Mathematics (2025)						Forward Exam Social Studies (2025)		Forward Exam Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Forward Exam English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 4th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 5th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 3rd Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 4th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 4th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Science 4th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Badger Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	501 S Bluemound Dr	Appleton	54914	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5440	258	27	9.6	69.4%	110 (42.6%)	28 (10.9%)	51 (19.8%)	25 (9.7%)	5 (1.9%)	13 (5.0%)	26 (10.1%)	36.5	754^th of 1044 public elementary schools	27.8%		41.5	714^th of 1061 public elementary schools	32.7%	40	41.2	39.0	59.0				44.1	46.3	47.4				46.3		31.7		$11,127	$911	$10,216
Columbus Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	913 N Oneida St	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5450	88	8	10.7	70.5%	43 (48.9%)	12 (13.6%)	18 (20.5%)	6 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.3%)	7 (8.0%)	24.3	844^th of 1044 public elementary schools	19.2%		18.3	899^th of 1061 public elementary schools	15.3%	55	7.7	37.5	0.0				15.4	62.5	0.0				75.0		62.5		$12,460	$911	$11,549
Edison Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	412 N Meade St	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5460	242	24	10.0	50.4%	165 (68.2%)	13 (5.4%)	29 (12.0%)	12 (5.0%)	6 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.0%)	41.4	708^th of 1044 public elementary schools	32.2%		38.2	750^th of 1061 public elementary schools	29.3%	42	53.9	45.7	38.9				57.7	39.1	30.6				58.7		54.4		$11,834	$911	$10,923
Franklin Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2212 N Jarchow St	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5475	277	25	11.1	52.7%	137 (49.5%)	24 (8.7%)	49 (17.7%)	39 (14.1%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	26 (9.4%)	43	681^st of 1044 public elementary schools	34.8%		46.9	655^th of 1061 public elementary schools	38.3%	26	47.9	45.0	41.5				50.0	46.3	47.6				56.1		51.2		$11,597	$911	$10,686
Highlands Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2037 N Elinor St	Appleton	54914	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5480	417	42	10.0	60.4%	171 (41.0%)	21 (5.0%)	67 (16.1%)	120 (28.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	34 (8.2%)	15.3	903^rd of 1044 public elementary schools	13.5%		22.4	868^th of 1061 public elementary schools	18.2%	35	31.9	23.0	22.4				33.3	29.5	28.4				39.3		29.5		$11,283	$911	$10,372
Huntley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2224 N Ullman St	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 852-5495	570	45	12.7	33.2%	401 (70.4%)	9 (1.6%)	51 (8.9%)	63 (11.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (7.7%)	69	334^th of 1044 public elementary schools	68.0%		72.3	282^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	73.4%	52	45.2	65.6	60.7				54.8	64.4	68.8				77.8		65.6		$11,103	$911	$10,192
Jefferson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 S Mason St	Appleton	54914	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5500	212	23	9.3	65.6%	98 (46.2%)	24 (11.3%)	35 (16.5%)	16 (7.5%)	5 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (16.0%)	37.5	752^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	28.0%		37.1	761^st of 1061 public elementary schools	28.3%	9	50.0	53.3	36.7				40.0	40.0	23.3				63.3		46.7		$11,574	$911	$10,663
Johnston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2725 E Forest St	Appleton	54915	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5505	286	26	11.0	57.7%	133 (46.5%)	22 (7.7%)	28 (9.8%)	70 (24.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.8%)	43.8	670^th of 1044 public elementary schools	35.8%		35.9	773^rd of 1061 public elementary schools	27.1%	103	51.0	44.4	50.0				57.1	40.0	52.2				53.3		40.0		$11,410	$911	$10,499
Ronald C Dunlap Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 N Mason St	Appleton	54914	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5455	314	31	10.0	65.6%	131 (41.7%)	33 (10.5%)	46 (14.6%)	58 (18.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (14.0%)	35.4	768^th of 1044 public elementary schools	26.4%		33	795^th of 1061 public elementary schools	25.1%	27	45.8	37.7	39.6				40.7	47.2	37.5				60.4		41.5		$11,409	$911	$10,498
McKinley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1125 E Taft Ave	Appleton	54915	Calumet County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5510	380	32	11.9	49.5%	189 (49.7%)	17 (4.5%)	80 (21.1%)	70 (18.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (5.8%)	32.1	794^th of 1044 public elementary schools	23.9%		38.5	744^th of 1061 public elementary schools	29.9%	50	30.0	49.1	35.6				39.2	55.6	35.6				47.3		41.8		$11,246	$911	$10,335
Richmond Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1441 E John St	Appleton	54915	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5520	245	20	12.3	46.9%	147 (60.0%)	10 (4.1%)	44 (18.0%)	14 (5.7%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.6%)	40.6	721^st of 1044 public elementary schools	30.9%		61.1	464^th of 1061 public elementary schools	56.3%	257	40.4	41.0	53.1				52.2	41.0	53.1				59.0		38.5		$11,485	$911	$10,574
Classical School	Public, Charter	K-8	3310 N Durkee St	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	Yes	No	No	No	(920) 852-5525	487	27	18.3	16.2%	279 (57.3%)	20 (4.1%)	34 (7.0%)	119 (24.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.8%)	83.5	113^th of 1044 public elementary schools	89.2%		78.9	174^th of 1061 public elementary schools	83.6%	61	70.6	81.5	64.3	69.5	63.3	78.0	76.5	81.5	67.9	69.5	70.0	84.0	88.9	92.0	68.5	86.0	$11,399	$911	$10,488
Horizons Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2101 Schaefer Cir	Appleton	54915	Calumet County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5485	264	27	9.6	55.7%	129 (48.9%)	18 (6.8%)	59 (22.3%)	34 (12.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.1%)	52.5	557^th of 1044 public elementary schools	46.6%		47.5	645^th of 1061 public elementary schools	39.2%	88	50.0	62.2	51.0				50.0	54.1	46.9				64.9		51.4		$11,556	$911	$10,645
Houdini Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2305 W Capitol Dr	Appleton	54914	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 852-5490	501	36	13.8	34.1%	323 (64.5%)	14 (2.8%)	58 (11.6%)	58 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	44 (8.8%)	51.6	569^th of 1044 public elementary schools	45.5%		59.1	500^th of 1061 public elementary schools	52.9%	69	44.6	47.5	58.7				48.7	59.5	61.3				60.0		45.6		$11,085	$911	$10,174
Ferber Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	515 E Capitol Dr	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 852-5465	499	37	13.5	32.3%	347 (69.5%)	12 (2.4%)	39 (7.8%)	64 (12.8%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.0%)	48.6	606^th of 1044 public elementary schools	42.0%		64.2	416^th of 1061 public elementary schools	60.8%	190	53.3	35.4	67.1				65.2	40.2	86.3				39.0		36.6		$11,019	$911	$10,108
Berry Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3601 S Telulah Ave	Appleton	54915	Calumet County	Appleton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 852-5445	368	30	12.4	22.6%	264 (71.7%)	10 (2.7%)	46 (12.5%)	17 (4.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	29 (7.9%)	68.4	340^th of 1044 public elementary schools	67.4%		77.8	193^rd of 1061 public elementary schools	81.8%	147	55.6	56.7	67.7				64.8	60.0	72.3				68.3		56.7		$11,189	$911	$10,278
Fox River Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	1000 S Mason St	Appleton	54914	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	Yes	No	No	No	(920) 852-5500	150	8	17.8	23.3%	119 (79.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (12.7%)	80.8	148^th of 1044 public elementary schools	85.8%		84.4	96^th of 1061 public elementary schools	91.0%	52	79.2	60.9	85.7	76.9		60.0	91.7	65.2	85.7	61.5		90.0	73.9	80.0	60.9	90.0	$11,105	$911	$10,194
Stephen Foster Elementary Charter	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	305 W Foster St	Appleton	54915	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5470	200	21	9.5	64.5%	123 (61.5%)	8 (4.0%)	17 (8.5%)	35 (17.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (8.0%)	43	682^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	34.7%		47.1	652^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	38.5%	30	50.0	41.0	61.8				41.7	38.5	61.8				46.2		46.2		$11,309	$911	$10,398
Appleton Bilingual School	Public, Charter	K-5	912 N Oneida St	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(920) 852-5535	139	8	16.4	39.6%	37 (26.6%)	2 (1.4%)	94 (67.6%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.9%)	42.3	694^th of 1044 public elementary schools	33.5%		29.8	814^th of 1061 public elementary schools	23.3%	120	55.6	42.1	40.9				66.7	57.9	22.7				52.6		31.6		$11,427	$911	$10,516
The Omolade Academy	Public, Charter	K-3	2224 N Ullman St	Appleton	54911	Outagamie County	Appleton Area School District	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(920) 852-5329	23	4	6.5	73.9%	1 (4.3%)	9 (39.1%)	2 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (47.8%)								(n/a)
Sunrise Elementary	Public	K-4	N9363 Exploration Dr	Appleton	54915	Calumet County	Kimberly Area School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 954-1822	456	29	15.5	14.9%	394 (86.4%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.2%)	15 (3.3%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.0%)	81.7	136^th of 1044 public elementary schools	87.0%		84	103^rd of 1061 public elementary schools	90.3%	33	66.7	66.0					75.0	75.5					82.7		70.4		$10,082	$527	$9,555
Woodland School	Public	K-4	N9085 N Coop Rd	Appleton	54915	Calumet County	Kimberly Area School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 730-0924	478	31	15.1	5.6%	401 (83.9%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (6.5%)	30 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.1%)	89	39^th of 1044 public elementary schools	96.3%		88.7	48^th of 1061 public elementary schools	95.5%	9	86.4	79.8					87.4	83.0					79.8		68.1		$11,329	$539	$10,790

Cities Near Appleton

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Kimberly	2.57 mi	6	56^th
Menasha	3.19 mi	7	405^th
Grand Chute	3.57 mi	1	92^nd
Little Chute	3.97 mi	6	94^th
Combined Locks	4.43 mi	1	106^th

See the top WI Wisconsin cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.