Algoma School District

Algoma School District in Wisconsin serves about 623 students across three schools: Algoma Elementary (PK–6, 301 students), Algoma High (7–12, 287 students), and Algoma Venture Academy (7–12, 35 students). There is no separate middle school; grades 7 and 8 are served within the high school configuration. The district overall ranks 378 of 432 in Wisconsin, placing it in the 12th percentile with 1 star — but the three schools look quite different from one another.

The elementary school is the clear standout. It is rated 2 stars and sits near the state median at the 49th percentile, up from the 32nd percentile two years earlier. Chronic absenteeism is just 7.7%, well below the district's 11.4% and the state's 17.3%, and 4th grade social studies (79.55%) and science (63.64%) are well above state averages, as are 3rd and 4th grade ELA. Math is its weak spot: every elementary math grade tested in 2025–2026 fell below the state, including 5th grade math at 37.14% versus 51.81% statewide. Algoma High is mixed — graduation is a strong 94.0% with a 0.0% dropout rate, but it ranks in the 20th percentile with 1 star, and 8th grade math (20.45% vs. 53.67% statewide) and all ACT subjects trail the state. Venture Academy faces the hardest profile: 1 star, 17th percentile, 24.2% chronic absenteeism, an 85.7% graduation rate, and 28.57% proficiency in each of its four reported areas. With only 35 students, its year-to-year swings should be read with caution.

Three patterns stand out for families. First, math is a district-wide weakness at every grade and school, while social studies and science are relative strengths at certain grades. Second, attendance tracks closely with results — the school with the lowest absenteeism has the strongest outcomes. Third, spending and class size alone do not explain the differences: Venture has the highest per-student spending ($17,319) but the weakest results, while the elementary school has the smallest classes (9.1 students per teacher).