Middle Schools in Cornell School District

Cornell Middle is the only middle school in Cornell School District in Wisconsin, serving grades 6–8 with 83 students, and it operates in a relatively high-need context: 63.86% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, per-student spending is $15,201, and the student–teacher ratio is 16.9.

The school’s clearest strengths are attendance and engagement. Chronic absenteeism is just 2.5%, far below Wisconsin’s 17.3%, and the dropout rate is 0.0% compared with 1.1% statewide. Academically, 6th- and 7th-grade ELA are standout areas in 2025–2026: 6th-grade ELA reached 75% proficient versus 54.95% statewide, and 7th-grade ELA hit 64.52% versus 55.33%. 7th-grade math also edged above the state at 58.06% versus 55.67%. ELA improved in all three grades year over year, with 7th-grade ELA making the largest jump, from 35.71% to 64.52%. The school’s rank is also trending upward, from 442/641 (31st percentile) in 2023–2024 to 405/643 (37th percentile) in 2025–2026, though it remains a 2-star school.

Those bright spots sit alongside significant weaknesses. In 2025–2026, 8th-grade math was only 13.04% proficient versus 53.67% statewide—a gap of more than 40 percentage points—and it fell from 33.33% the prior year. 8th-grade science was 26.09% versus 51.86%, 8th-grade social studies 43.48% versus 64.63%, and 8th-grade ELA 43.48% versus 54.38%. 6th-grade math also declined, from 63.64% to 46.43%, dropping below the state’s 53.60%. Across the eight reported tests, the school averaged about 46.26% proficient versus roughly 55.51% statewide, leaving it about 9 percentage points behind, though that gap narrowed slightly from 2024–2025. Notably, the district overall is rated higher—172/432 (60th percentile, 3 stars)—than the middle school’s own rank. With only 83 students, grade-level percentages can swing sharply from small cohort changes, so year-to-year shifts should be read with caution. The highest-leverage priorities appear to be targeted support in 8th-grade math and science, while sustaining the strong ELA gains and excellent attendance record.