Howards Grove School District

Howards Grove School District in Wisconsin serves 874 students across three schools — one elementary, one middle and one high school — and has no alternative school. Northview Elementary covers PK–4 with 336 students, Howards Grove Middle covers grades 5–8 with 256 students, and Howards Grove High covers grades 9–12 with 282 students. The district ranks 78th of 432 Wisconsin districts, in the 82nd percentile with 4 stars — a strong position carried largely by its middle and high schools.

Howards Grove Middle is the clear standout: it ranks 55th of 643 middle schools, in the 91st percentile with 5 stars, up from the 63rd percentile and 3 stars three years ago. Its proficiency far exceeds state averages — 5th grade math at 92.42% versus 51.81% statewide, and 8th grade social studies at 92.16% versus 64.63%. It also has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at 7.0%, a 0.0% dropout rate, and the lowest per-student spending at $11,543. Howards Grove High rebounded to the 84th percentile with 4 stars, posts a 96.0% graduation rate versus 92.0% statewide, and ACT ELA of 75.0% versus 48.47%. Its main watch item is chronic absenteeism at 10.4%, still below the state's 17.3% but the highest in the district.

Northview Elementary is the district's main pressure point, sliding from the 88th percentile with 4 stars to the 59th percentile with 3 stars over three years. Its 2025–2026 results fell broadly, with 4th grade math dropping from 88.52% to 58.21%. It still beats state averages in most subjects; 3rd grade ELA at 49.21% versus 52.08% is the exception. Absenteeism there is low at 8.8%. Notably, the high school spends $14,804 per student while the middle school spends $11,543, yet the middle school posts the stronger results — suggesting higher spending alone does not explain performance.