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Best Public Schools in Columbia County, WI

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

Schools

8,369

Students

Districts

5-star school

Top rankedFall River High32^nd of 431 Wisconsin high schools

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Biggest riser

Poynette Elementary up 230 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Rio Middle/High 9.2 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

4★

3★

2★

5 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

See the top-ranked Wisconsin schools →

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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 (2025)
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
DOC: Columbia Correctional Institution	Public	11-12	2925 Columbia Dr	Portage	53901	Columbia County	Wisconsin Department of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(608) 742-9100	6	3	2.0		1 (16.7%)	5 (83.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Cambria Friesland Middle/High	Public	6-12	410 E Edgewater St	Cambria	53923	Columbia County	Cambria-Friesland School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 348-5548	163	16	10.3	33.1%	128 (78.5%)	6 (3.7%)	26 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.8%)	57.5	183^rd of 431 public high schools	57.5%		39.3	282^nd of 431 public high schools	34.6%	99		41.7					35.3	57.1	46.7				47.1	57.1	53.3		60.0	61.1		46.7	$20,724	$579	$20,145
Cambria Friesland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	410 E Edgewater St	Cambria	53923	Columbia County	Cambria-Friesland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 348-5548	165	14	12.2	25.5%	123 (74.5%)	3 (1.8%)	34 (20.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.4%)	64.7	390^th of 1044 public elementary schools	62.6%		65.6	396^th of 1061 public elementary schools	62.7%	6				76.9	57.7	54.2				84.6	44.4	54.2				81.5			55.6		$19,498	$1,051	$18,446
Columbus High	Public	9-12	1164 Farnham St	Columbus	53925	Columbia County	Columbus School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 623-5950	383	30	12.6	21.4%	329 (85.9%)	6 (1.6%)	34 (8.9%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	66.3	127^th of 431 public high schools	70.5%		66.4	120^th of 431 public high schools	72.2%	7	61.3	48.8	57.5															45.9			$16,589	$378	$16,210
Columbus Middle	Public	6-8	400 S Dickason Blvd	Columbus	53925	Columbia County	Columbus School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 623-5950	241	18	13.1	32.8%	193 (80.1%)	4 (1.7%)	29 (12.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.8%)	72.2	153^rd of 628 public middle schools	75.6%		66	210^th of 641 public middle schools	67.2%	57							72.3	55.9	53.9				73.5	75.0	62.8		69.2			61.5	$15,023	$437	$14,586
Columbus Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Fuller St	Columbus	53925	Columbia County	Columbus School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 623-5950	425	34	12.3	34.8%	348 (81.9%)	8 (1.9%)	43 (10.1%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.2%)	52.8	555^th of 1044 public elementary schools	46.8%		63	440^th of 1061 public elementary schools	58.5%	115				27.5	43.2	49.3				39.2	58.1	68.0				71.6			59.5		$14,390	$504	$13,886
Discovery Charter School	Public, Charter	K-3	200 Fuller St	Columbus	53925	Columbia County	Columbus School District	Yes	No	No	No	(920) 623-5950	71	6	12.0	23.9%	58 (81.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (12.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (5.6%)								(n/a)				70.6						82.4											$15,263	$331	$14,931
Fall River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	150 Bradley St	Fall River	53932	Columbia County	Fall River School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 484-3333	231	19	12.0	29.4%	195 (84.4%)	3 (1.3%)	17 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.1%)	79	177^th of 1044 public elementary schools	83.0%		70.2	320^th of 1061 public elementary schools	69.8%	143				70.4	64.9	63.2				85.2	70.3	68.4				83.8			59.5		$16,583	$857	$15,726
Fall River High	Public	6-12	150 Bradley St	Fall River	53932	Columbia County	Fall River School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 484-3333	253	20	12.4	27.3%	216 (85.4%)	3 (1.2%)	21 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.0%)	88.9	32^nd of 431 public high schools	92.6%		51.1	216^th of 431 public high schools	49.9%	184	66.7		69.7				58.3	63.9	39.1				50.0	50.0	30.4		78.3	65.9		60.9	$17,460	$204	$17,256
Lodi Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	1307 Sauk St	Lodi	53555	Columbia County	Lodi School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 592-3855	385	22	17.7	10.1%	357 (92.7%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.4%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)								(n/a)																					$13,326	$422	$12,904
Lodi Elementary	Public	3-5	101 School St	Lodi	53555	Columbia County	Lodi School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 592-3842	234	18	12.8	12.8%	219 (93.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.0%)	7 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	69.3	330^th of 1044 public elementary schools	68.4%		62	457^th of 1061 public elementary schools	56.9%	127				58.3	60.9	61.0				64.3	66.7	64.9				78.3			52.2		$17,147	$1,151	$15,996
Lodi High	Public	9-12	1100 Sauk St	Lodi	53555	Columbia County	Lodi School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 592-3853	444	37	12.1	14.9%	400 (90.1%)	2 (0.5%)	28 (6.3%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.8%)	81.8	53^rd of 431 public high schools	87.7%		76.7	73^rd of 431 public high schools	83.1%	20	58.1	71.4	52.4															69.7			$18,276	$224	$18,052
Lodi Middle	Public	6-8	900 Sauk St	Lodi	53555	Columbia County	Lodi School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 592-3854	324	28	11.6	17.9%	288 (88.9%)	4 (1.2%)	11 (3.4%)	7 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.3%)	78.4	100^th of 628 public middle schools	84.1%		74.5	134^th of 641 public middle schools	79.1%	34							68.3	59.6	69.7				68.9	78.6	72.5		75.2			63.3	$16,426	$341	$16,085
Ouisconsing School of Collaboration	Public, Charter	3-5	101 School St	Lodi	53555	Columbia County	Lodi School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 592-3842	74	6	12.5	27.0%	62 (83.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	5 (6.8%)	62.3	426^th of 1044 public elementary schools	59.2%		55.2	566^th of 1061 public elementary schools	46.7%	140				50.0	62.5	53.6				60.0	62.5	46.4				75.0			62.5		$10,182	$171	$10,011
Pardeeville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	503 E Chestnut St	Pardeeville	53954	Columbia County	Pardeeville Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 429-2151	331	25	13.2	39.6%	305 (92.1%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.9%)	57.2	497^th of 1044 public elementary schools	52.4%		56.2	549^th of 1061 public elementary schools	48.3%	52				44.8	62.1					47.8	60.6					66.7			60.6		$15,032	$1,042	$13,990
Pardeeville High	Public	9-12	120 Oak St	Pardeeville	53954	Columbia County	Pardeeville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 429-2153	284	21	13.7	32.7%	266 (93.7%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	39.2	290^th of 431 public high schools	32.7%		51.1	217^th of 431 public high schools	49.7%	73	47.9	42.3	40.9															34.9			$15,431	$232	$15,199
Pardeeville Middle	Public	5-8	120 Oak St	Pardeeville	53954	Columbia County	Pardeeville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 429-2153	248	14	17.2	35.5%	235 (94.8%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	58.4	275^th of 628 public middle schools	56.2%		52.5	338^th of 641 public middle schools	47.3%	63						41.7	58.0	42.9	55.7			47.9	49.4	36.7	65.6		78.7			63.9	$12,649	$236	$12,413
Portage Academy of Achievement	Public	9-12	2505 New Pinery Rd	Portage	53901	Columbia County	Portage Community School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 742-2165	24	1	24.0	12.5%	21 (87.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.2%)								(n/a)																					$13,005	$383	$12,622
Lewiston Elementary	Public	K-5	W11195 State Road 127	Portage	53901	Columbia County	Portage Community School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 742-2524	84	7	12.6	26.2%	78 (92.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.6%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.4%)	55.1	528^th of 1044 public elementary schools	49.4%		54.2	577^th of 1061 public elementary schools	45.6%	49				37.5	69.2	35.3				68.8	69.2	41.2				69.2			61.5		$13,706	$383	$13,324
Wayne Bartels Middle	Public	6-8	2505 New Pinery Rd	Portage	53901	Columbia County	Portage Community School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 742-2165	422	32	13.3	40.0%	329 (78.0%)	6 (1.4%)	54 (12.8%)	4 (0.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.4%)	47.1	370^th of 628 public middle schools	41.1%		43.1	410^th of 641 public middle schools	36.0%	40							38.3	51.7	47.6				41.4	55.2	53.1		60.0			55.2	$15,813	$383	$15,431
Portage High	Public	9-12	301 E Collins St	Portage	53901	Columbia County	Portage Community School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 742-8545	600	44	13.5	30.5%	496 (82.7%)	7 (1.2%)	60 (10.0%)	8 (1.3%)	6 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.8%)	49.2	226^th of 431 public high schools	47.6%		39.7	278^th of 431 public high schools	35.5%	52	59.6	39.7	45.3															36.2			$16,973	$1,140	$15,833
Muir Elementary	Public	2-5	2600 Woodcrest Dr	Portage	53901	Columbia County	Portage Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 742-5531	439	41	10.6	47.6%	338 (77.0%)	12 (2.7%)	56 (12.8%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.2%)	36.3	757^th of 1044 public elementary schools	27.5%		30.7	807^th of 1061 public elementary schools	23.9%	50				32.2	46.6	37.7				43.5	49.5	41.5				60.8			43.7		$17,074	$383	$16,691
Woodridge Elementary	Public	K-1	333 E Slifer St	Portage	53901	Columbia County	Portage Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 742-3494	201	17	11.9	46.8%	144 (71.6%)	7 (3.5%)	34 (16.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.5%)								(n/a)																					$18,476	$383	$18,094
Poynette Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	225 W North St	Poynette	53955	Columbia County	Poynette School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 635-4347	416	33	12.8	22.6%	384 (92.3%)	2 (0.5%)	11 (2.6%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.4%)	81.2	141^st of 1044 public elementary schools	86.5%		67.2	371^st of 1061 public elementary schools	65.0%	230				66.2	71.8					72.3	77.5					77.5			69.0		$14,697	$417	$14,280
Poynette High	Public	9-12	108 N Cleveland St	Poynette	53955	Columbia County	Poynette School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 635-4347	296	23	12.6	19.9%	271 (91.6%)	2 (0.7%)	11 (3.7%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	81.9	52^nd of 431 public high schools	87.9%		79	64^th of 431 public high schools	85.2%	12	60.5	61.8	56.6															64.9			$17,157	$665	$16,492
Poynette Middle	Public	5-8	108 N Cleveland St	Poynette	53955	Columbia County	Poynette School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 635-4347	271	26	10.3	21.4%	245 (90.4%)	3 (1.1%)	12 (4.4%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	76.6	115^th of 628 public middle schools	81.7%		74.8	131^st of 641 public middle schools	79.6%	16						64.2	64.5	66.7	68.8			92.5	66.1	68.1	70.3		78.1			59.4	$16,507	$74	$16,434
Rio Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	355 Lowville Rd	Rio	53960	Columbia County	Rio Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(920) 992-3143	169	14	11.7	37.3%	159 (94.1%)	1 (0.6%)	7 (4.1%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	64.9	389^th of 1044 public elementary schools	62.7%		68.3	352^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	66.8%	37				57.9	68.0	51.9				63.2	40.0	51.9				84.0			72.0		$19,354	$1,186	$18,168
Rio Middle/High	Public	6-12	411 Church St	Rio	53960	Columbia County	Rio Community School District	No	No	No	No	(920) 992-3141	183	20	9.2	37.2%	167 (91.3%)	1 (0.5%)	6 (3.3%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.4%)	65.5	130^th of 431 public high schools	69.8%		51.9	208^th of 431 public high schools	51.7%	78	54.2	54.2	50.0				56.0	58.6	82.6				52.0	55.2	69.6		91.3	52.0		91.3	$20,482	$766	$19,716
Spring Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 Vine St	Wisconsin Dells	53965	Columbia County	Wisconsin Dells School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 253-2468	628	53	11.8	60.2%	418 (66.6%)	8 (1.3%)	130 (20.7%)	9 (1.4%)	20 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (6.8%)	45.6	648^th of 1044 public elementary schools	37.9%		58	520^th of 1061 public elementary schools	51.0%	128				48.5	50.6	39.8				59.2	59.8	44.9				54.4			41.3		$15,300	$00	$15,300
Wisconsin Dells Middle School	Public	6-8	520 Race St	Wisconsin Dells	53965	Columbia County	Wisconsin Dells School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 253-2467	374	25	14.7	58.3%	250 (66.8%)	15 (4.0%)	82 (21.9%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.9%)	61.1	252^nd of 628 public middle schools	59.9%		55.1	303^rd of 641 public middle schools	52.7%	51							58.5	60.9	57.3				50.8	67.2	60.9		65.5			46.4	$15,148	$00	$15,148

SchoolDigger rankings lists for Wisconsin:

Elementary Schools Middle Schools High Schools Districts 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.