Summary
North Crawford High in Soldiers Grove, WI, is a small rural public high school serving grades 9–12 with 123 students in the North Crawford School District. More than half its students are economically disadvantaged (54.5% free/reduced lunch), and it ranks in the bottom third of Wisconsin high schools—31st percentile in 2025–2026, with a one-year spike to 59th in 2023–2024. Its strongest outcomes are process measures: 100% graduation, 0.7% dropout, 6.5% chronic absenteeism (vs. 17.3% statewide), a 9.3 student–teacher ratio, and $20,247 per-student spending. Nearby Wauzeka High and Boscobel High have even lower absenteeism, while La Farge High is much higher.
Test scores split sharply by subject. Social studies is the standout: 68% proficient, nearly 20 points above Wisconsin’s 48.3% and ahead of Viroqua High (61.0%), Kickapoo High (56.7%), Wauzeka High (53.3%), and Boscobel High (34.1%). But English language arts (34.4%), math (21.9%), and science (25.0%) lag well below state norms. Math is the lowest among comparison schools and below state every year on record. Similar-poverty Wauzeka High and La Farge High still outscore North Crawford High in math, and Viroqua High spends about $4,600 less per student yet posts substantially higher ELA, math, and science proficiency. Small cohorts likely drive big swings. Low-income students hit the 94th percentile in 2023–2024 but fell to the 34th in 2025–2026; special education students were at the 12th percentile in 2025–2026.
For parents, this is a school that keeps students enrolled, attending, and graduating, but has persistent core-academic gaps—especially math. The North Crawford School District ranks at the 40th percentile while the high school ranks at the 31st, suggesting earlier grades may be performing better than grades 9–12. Bright spots include the big drop in chronic absenteeism, the perfect graduation rate, small classes, and demonstrated capacity for strong results, such as the 2025–2026 social studies score and the 2023–2024 low-income subgroup result. The open question is whether those strengths can become consistent rather than cohort-specific spikes. Families comparing options may note that Seneca High, Laurel High, and Wauzeka High show different subject profiles, so asking about math and ELA supports is worthwhile.
Thank you for your feedback!