Summary:
Merrill, Wisconsin is home to six schools in the Merrill Area School District, serving about 2,562 students across grades K–2, 3–4, 5–8, 9–12, an alternative PK–12 virtual program, and an adult diploma academy for grades 11–12. The district overall ranks 213 of 432 in Wisconsin, at the 51st percentile with 3 stars.
Two high-school settings stand out for very different reasons. Bridges Virtual Academy, an alternative PK–12 virtual school with 674 students, posts a 97.9% graduation rate, a 0.6% dropout rate, and just 1.2% chronic absenteeism — all better than district and state. Its ELA and social studies scores are exceptionally high (4th grade ELA 86.36%, 10th grade social studies 76.92%), though math is mixed and ACT Math sits near the state average. It also has the lowest per-student spending ($6,124). Merrill High (756 students) has climbed from 1 star to 3 stars and 52nd percentile, with a 95.4% graduation rate and 0.5% dropout rate, but chronic absenteeism is high at 22.6% and 10th grade social studies is below state.
Prairie River Middle (507 students) is the clearest academic challenge: it has held 1 star for three years, slipping from the 29th to 23rd percentile, with math scores uniformly below state and 8th grade ELA and math both at 36.89%. Merrill Adult Diploma Academy, with only 31 students, has a 43.4% graduation rate, 9.6% dropout rate, and 30.0% chronic absenteeism, so its numbers should be read with its small, at-risk population in mind. Among elementaries, Washington Elementary has improved to 3 stars with strong 3rd grade ELA (62.5%) and math (59.82%) and the lowest absenteeism of the brick-and-mortar schools at 11.8%, while 4th grade math dips below state. Kate Goodrich Elementary serves K–2, so it has no state test scores, but it has the highest per-student spending ($18,481), the lowest student-teacher ratio (12.5), and the highest free/reduced lunch rate (55.79%).
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