Summary:
Elementary schools in the Wisconsin Rapids School District number eight and enroll about 2,013 students, most serving PK/K–5, with Central Oaks Academy standing out as a PK–8 school whose middle-grade results aren't directly comparable to the others. Enrollment ranges from 88 students at Central Oaks to 354 at Woodside Elementary. The district overall is ranked 316 of 432 districts, at the 27th percentile with 1 star — but that figure masks a wide spread between its individual schools.
Grant Elementary is the clear standout: 195 of 1,039, 81st percentile, 4 stars, the highest average proficiency at 71.5%, and the lowest free/reduced lunch rate at 26.59%. Washington Elementary (66th percentile, 3 stars) has the group's lowest chronic absenteeism at 6.4%, while THINK Academy-Together Helping INspire Kids (63rd percentile, 3 stars) is academically balanced but has absenteeism of 18.1%. Howe Elementary (56th percentile, 3 stars) earns its rating despite high poverty, with science at 72.22% and social studies at 74.07%.
At the other end, Mead Elementary and Grove Elementary rank at the 29th and 26th percentile even though they have the highest per-student spending in the group, at $19,658 and $19,866, along with absenteeism near 18%. Woodside (34th percentile) is notable for low absenteeism at 7.1%. The takeaway for families: higher spending doesn't guarantee higher results, but strong outcomes are clearly possible within this district.
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