Summary:
Elementary schools in the Shell Lake School District consist of two schools serving 284 students: Shell Lake Primary (K-2) for grades PK–2 (131 students) and Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) for grades 3–6 (153 students). The two share an address, so families can expect a split-campus setup, with younger children in one building and older elementary students in the other. The district as a whole ranks 88th of 432 Wisconsin districts, at the 80th percentile with 4 stars.
Academics at Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) are the standout story. In 2025-2026, all 10 listed Forward Exam results beat the state average, by margins ranging from about 6 to nearly 33 points. Math is a particular strength, averaging 74.05% proficient versus 53.26% statewide, and the highest single scores were grade 4 math at 85.71% and grade 6 English language arts at 86.21%. Grade 5 was the relative soft spot — 60.00% in ELA and 57.50% in math — still above state, but with the smallest margins and declines from the prior year. Grade 4 science and social studies improved sharply year over year, and the school's rank rebounded from the 71st percentile in 2024-2025 to the 83rd in 2025-2026, holding 4 stars throughout.
Families should also note the non-testing measures. Chronic absenteeism is low at both schools — 7.2% at the primary and 8.4% at the upper school, compared with 10.6% for the district and 17.3% for the state. Class sizes are small, with student-teacher ratios of 9.4 and 9.6, and free/reduced lunch rates are nearly identical (53.44% and 52.94%), so the two schools serve similar communities. Shell Lake Primary (K-2) has no Forward Exam results because state testing begins in grade 3, which is expected for a PK–2 school. Per-pupil spending is $15,891 at the primary and $16,784 at the upper school.
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