Summary:
Onalaska, Wisconsin has five public schools serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade, all within the Onalaska School District: three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school, with a combined enrollment of 2,852 students. The district overall ranks in the 69th percentile statewide with 3 stars, but performance varies widely from school to school, ranging from a 2-star elementary to two 4-star schools.
The strongest performers are Eagle Bluff Elementary and Onalaska High, both earning 4 stars and 84th–85th percentile ranks. Eagle Bluff posts the best elementary results in the group, with 4th grade math at 82.67% proficient and 5th grade math at 81.18%, well above state averages, plus the lowest free/reduced lunch rate at 23.99%. Onalaska High graduates 96.1% of students with a 0.3% dropout rate, and its ACT proficiency beats the state in English language arts, math, and science. Onalaska Middle (3 stars) shines in 8th grade, with social studies at 78.24% and math at 67.19%. Pertzsch Elementary (3 stars) spends the most per student at $16,544 and still posts strong 5th grade math and 4th grade social studies results.
Northern Hills Elementary is the outlier, rated 2 stars with a 33rd percentile rank, and its 3rd and 5th grade reading and math scores fall below state averages. Notably, Northern Hills has the highest free/reduced lunch rate at 47.08%, yet it also has the lowest chronic absenteeism in the group at 6.8% — tied with Pertzsch — showing that its lower achievement is not explained by attendance alone. Chronic absenteeism is low at all five schools compared with the state's 17.3%, even at Onalaska High, where the 11.6% rate is the group's highest. For parents, the takeaway is a district with strong elementary and high school options, a solid middle school, and one elementary school working to close a clear achievement gap.
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