Best Public Schools in Appleton, WI

The city of Appleton, Wisconsin is home to 39 schools, including 22 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 9 high schools, and 2 alternative schools, all part of the Appleton Area School District. While the district is ranked 264 out of 426 in Wisconsin and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, there is significant variation in performance among the individual schools.

Some standout schools include Classical School, a public charter elementary/middle school that ranks 113 out of 1,044 Wisconsin elementary schools and has a 4-star rating, as well as Woodland School and Sunrise Elementary, which are part of the higher-ranked Kimberly Area School District and have exceptional test scores. On the other hand, the district's high schools have an average 4-year graduation rate of 91.0% and a dropout rate of 1.3%, indicating room for improvement in student outcomes.

The data reveals a significant performance gap between the top-performing and lower-performing schools, with the highest-scoring schools having 50-90% of students proficient or better in various subjects, while the lower-performing schools have 20-40% proficiency. This suggests that while the district has some exemplary schools, there are opportunities to enhance educational quality and equity across the entire system.