Best Public Schools in La Crosse, WI

Summary:

The city of La Crosse, Wisconsin is home to 19 schools, including 12 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools, and 1 alternative school, all part of the La Crosse School District. The district is ranked 320 out of 426 districts in Wisconsin and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Among the standout schools in the district are School of Technology and Arts I (SOTA I), a public charter elementary school that consistently ranks among the top in the state, and La Crosse Polytechnic School, a public charter high school that also performs well. Additionally, Emerson Elementary and Southern Bluffs Elementary have consistently higher test scores than the district and state averages.

The data also reveals that the high schools in the district all have a 91% four-year graduation rate, and the dropout rates for the high schools and middle schools are all 1.3%, lower than the state average. However, the chronic absenteeism rate across all schools is 17.7%, higher than the state average. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch ranges from 20% at La Crosse Offsite Preschool to 84.25% at Hamilton Elementary School, indicating a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds among the schools.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ACT English Language Arts (2025)	ACT Mathematics (2025)	ACT Science (2025)	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	ACT English Language Arts 10th Grade	ACT Mathematics 10th Grade	ACT Science 10th Grade	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 Social Studies 10th 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
Southern Bluffs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4010 Sunnyside Dr	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7020	333	26	12.7	35.7%	289 (86.8%)	3 (0.9%)	9 (2.7%)	13 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.7%)	66.4	368^th of 1044 public elementary schools	64.8%		60.7	476^th of 1061 public elementary schools	55.1%	108				61.7	51.9	48.6				61.7	64.8	60.0				77.8			63.0		$15,454	$446	$15,008
North Woods International School	Public	PK, KG-5	2541 Sablewood Rd	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7000	255	28	9.2	58.8%	134 (52.5%)	26 (10.2%)	36 (14.1%)	29 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (11.8%)	39.6	733^rd of 1044 public elementary schools	29.8%		38.2	748^th of 1061 public elementary schools	29.5%	15				46.2	38.1	54.3				43.6	36.6	45.7				64.3			41.5		$15,647	$762	$14,885
School of Technology and Arts I	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1111 7th St S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 789-7695	104	7	15.6	23.1%	84 (80.8%)	2 (1.9%)	8 (7.7%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.7%)	73.4	262^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	74.9%		87.9	58^th of 1061 public elementary schools	94.5%	204				70.6	70.6	81.0				58.8	47.1	57.1				94.1			58.8		$14,007	$395	$13,612
Central High	Public	9-12	1801 Losey Blvd S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7900	969	75	12.9	39.1%	659 (68.0%)	48 (5.0%)	50 (5.2%)	83 (8.6%)	7 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	118 (12.2%)	47.6	241^st of 431 public high schools	44.1%		62	151^st of 431 public high schools	65.0%	90	46.9	40.6	43.7															51.5			$14,463	$424	$14,039
Emerson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2101 Campbell Rd	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7990	317	25	12.4	26.8%	247 (77.9%)	11 (3.5%)	23 (7.3%)	16 (5.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.0%)	55.5	518^th of 1044 public elementary schools	50.4%		65.3	402^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	62.1%	116				50.0	55.3	60.9				47.4	50.0	47.8				71.1			63.2		$15,197	$718	$14,478
Northside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1611 Kane St	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7970	237	33	7.2	84.8%	97 (40.9%)	22 (9.3%)	19 (8.0%)	54 (22.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (18.6%)	17.6	890^th of 1044 public elementary schools	14.8%		8.9	957^th of 1061 public elementary schools	9.8%	67				35.7	23.7	16.2				34.5	36.8	27.0				50.0			26.3		$18,343	$1,594	$16,749
Hamilton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1111 7th St S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7695	151	20	7.5	80.1%	53 (35.1%)	35 (23.2%)	17 (11.3%)	10 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (23.8%)	7.2	955^th of 1044 public elementary schools	8.5%		12.8	934^th of 1061 public elementary schools	12.0%	21				33.3	19.1	11.8				23.8	4.8	11.8				19.1			19.1		$18,366	$1,208	$17,158
Spence Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2150 Bennett St	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7773	329	28	11.6	54.7%	201 (61.1%)	14 (4.3%)	21 (6.4%)	54 (16.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.6%)	65.4	375^th of 1044 public elementary schools	64.1%		60.5	482^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	54.6%	107				64.3	65.9	26.5				71.4	79.6	32.0				84.1			86.4		$15,467	$1,099	$14,368
Hintgen Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3505 28th St S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7767	210	28	7.6	79.0%	102 (48.6%)	25 (11.9%)	11 (5.2%)	31 (14.8%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (18.1%)	12.3	928^th of 1044 public elementary schools	11.1%		21.5	872^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	17.8%	56				21.9	21.9	29.0				25.0	25.0	9.7				43.8			31.3		$16,684	$1,623	$15,061
Logan Middle	Public	6-8	1450 Avon St	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7740	424	47	8.9	53.3%	245 (57.8%)	31 (7.3%)	28 (6.6%)	57 (13.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (13.9%)	43.9	401^st of 628 public middle schools	36.1%		44	400^th of 641 public middle schools	37.6%	1							52.8	55.7	43.4				53.1	49.6	34.9		55.0			44.2	$17,762	$630	$17,132
Logan High	Public	9-12	1500 Ranger Dr	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7700	729	64	11.4	49.5%	453 (62.1%)	55 (7.5%)	46 (6.3%)	85 (11.7%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	74 (10.2%)	49.3	224^th of 431 public high schools	48.0%		44.6	255^th of 431 public high schools	40.8%	31	51.8	33.6	50.4															47.4			$16,323	$429	$15,894
Longfellow Middle	Public	6-8	1900 Denton St	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7670	631	61	10.3	46.9%	420 (66.6%)	32 (5.1%)	30 (4.8%)	65 (10.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (12.7%)	42.4	420^th of 628 public middle schools	33.1%		40.3	423^rd of 641 public middle schools	34.0%	3							52.4	58.2	46.0				43.4	49.0	31.5		59.7			40.5	$14,356	$425	$13,931
State Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3900 Pammel Creek Rd	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7690	284	23	12.1	38.0%	222 (78.2%)	9 (3.2%)	19 (6.7%)	6 (2.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.8%)	49.8	589^th of 1044 public elementary schools	43.6%		49	634^th of 1061 public elementary schools	40.2%	45				41.7	56.8	45.8				56.3	48.7	50.0				67.6			51.4		$13,254	$634	$12,620
Summit Environmental School	Public	PK, KG-5	1800 Lakeshore Dr	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7980	295	26	11.3	51.5%	220 (74.6%)	7 (2.4%)	14 (4.7%)	17 (5.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (12.2%)	34.8	770^th of 1044 public elementary schools	26.2%		31.5	802^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	24.4%	32				33.3	32.4	56.4				35.9	38.2	43.6				64.7			38.2		$16,179	$1,108	$15,071
School of Technology and Arts II	Public, Charter	6-8	1450 Avon St	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 789-7740	39	2	17.0	30.8%	31 (79.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.7%)	55.5	301^st of 628 public middle schools	52.1%		56.8	289^th of 641 public middle schools	54.9%	12							81.8	54.6	53.3				45.5	63.6	40.0		66.7			46.7	$14,448	$489	$13,959
Coulee Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	1611 Kane St	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7970	118	9	13.8	66.1%	85 (72.0%)	5 (4.2%)	8 (6.8%)	7 (5.9%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (10.2%)	17.9	886^th of 1044 public elementary schools	15.1%		16	914^th of 1061 public elementary schools	13.9%	28				56.3	26.7	13.3				18.8	26.7	26.7				40.0			26.7		$11,844	$482	$11,362
La Crosse Polytechnic School	Public, Charter	6-12	228 5th Avenue South	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 789-5900	86	5	17.2	31.4%	72 (83.7%)	2 (2.3%)	4 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.7%)	46.2	247^th of 431 public high schools	42.7%		47.8	233^rd of 431 public high schools	45.9%	14	45.5		45.5				66.7	81.0	50.0				83.3	81.0	37.5		68.8			50.0	$15,240	$479	$14,761
Coulee Region Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	228 5th Ave S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	Yes	No	(608) 789-7664	102	6	16.8	20.6%	80 (78.4%)	4 (3.9%)	4 (3.9%)	2 (2.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (10.8%)								(n/a)							33.3		57.1				0.0		14.3		71.4	25.0		14.3

Cities Near La Crosse

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Onalaska	5.57 mi	7	155^th
Stoddard	9 mi	1	186^th
Holmen	9.19 mi	7	113^th
West Salem	10.3 mi	3	135^th
Coon Valley	12.27 mi	1	337^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.