Summary:
Bayfield School District is a small Wisconsin district serving about 415 students across four schools — two elementaries, one middle school, and one high school — with no alternative schools. It ranks 419 of 432 districts statewide (3rd percentile, 0 stars), so families should expect wide differences between individual schools. Enrollment is concentrated at Bayfield Elementary (189 students) and Bayfield High (119), followed by Bayfield Middle (96) and the very small La Pointe Elementary (11).
Outcomes vary a lot by school. Bayfield High posts a 96.5% graduation rate and 0.8% dropout rate, both better than Wisconsin's 92.0% and 1.1%, yet its 2025–2026 test results trail the state in every reported area — ACT Math is 12.5% proficient versus 42.93% statewide. Bayfield Middle has the district's strongest proficiency, including 40.91% in 8th grade math and 45.45% in 8th grade social studies, and improved in most areas from the prior year, though 8th grade science slipped from 44.83% to 36.36%. Bayfield Elementary, the largest school, shows the deepest gaps: 4th grade math is 0% proficient versus 52.87% statewide, 4th grade ELA is 3.85% versus 53.87%, and 4th grade science is 3.85% versus 53.46%. La Pointe Elementary reports no test scores or rank history, which should be read as unknown rather than as a low score.
The shared challenge is attendance: every school exceeds Wisconsin's 17.3% chronic absenteeism rate, with the district at 45.9% and Bayfield High highest at 58.0%. Spending is high ($27,364 to $46,384 per student) and student-teacher ratios are low (6.8 to 11.0), yet reported proficiency stays below state everywhere. La Pointe Elementary stands out for the lowest absenteeism (27.3%), lowest free/reduced lunch share (27.27%), smallest student-teacher ratio (6.8), and highest per-student spending ($46,384).
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