Summary
South Elementary is a 332-student public school serving grades 3–5 in Hartland, Wisconsin, part of the Hartland-Lakeside J3 School District and paired with North Elementary for PK–2 about 1.35 miles away. It sits in an unusually competitive high-performing area, and while South Elementary remains above state average, its 2025–2026 rank is 160th of 1,039 elementary schools (85th percentile, 4 stars), down from 97th percentile in 2022–2023; the district is ranked 28th of 432 statewide (94th percentile, 5 stars).
Achievement is above state average in every tested subject and grade. Fifth grade is the strongest, with ELA and math both 76.27, while 4th grade social studies was 81.9 and science rebounded to 75.86. Third grade is the clear weak point: ELA 60 and math 58.18, only slightly above state and lower than nearby tested schools including North Lake Elementary, Richmond Elementary, Meadowbrook Elementary, Horizon School, Merton Primary, Cushing Elementary, Lake Country School, and Swallow Elementary. Fourth grade generally trails those peers, and 5th grade, while competitive, still sits below top local performers like Swallow Elementary and Lake Country School.
Chronic absenteeism was 7.2% in 2024–2025, much better than Wisconsin’s 17.3% but above the district’s 5.4% and North Elementary’s 3.7%; many nearby schools are also under 5%. South serves a higher low-income share (15.36% free/reduced lunch) than most nearby high performers, with modest per-student spending ($12,977) and a favorable student-teacher ratio (13.9). Subgroup rankings are a bright spot, with strong relative outcomes for several student groups, including Hispanic students, low-income students, and students with disabilities. Bottom line: strengths are 5th grade, science/social studies, resource efficiency, and subgroup results; watch 3rd grade achievement and absenteeism.
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