Hayward Middle

Hayward Middle is a public school in Hayward, Wisconsin serving about 340 students in grades 6 through 8, in a rural part of northern Wisconsin where no other schools are located within 20 miles. For 2025–2026 the school ranks 205th of 643 Wisconsin middle schools — the 68th percentile with 3 stars — while its district, Hayward Community School District, sits at the 42nd percentile with 2 stars. That 26-point gap is one of the clearest findings in the data: the middle school is a relative bright spot within its district. Its ranking has climbed sharply from the 38th percentile in 2021–2022 and has held steady in the 60s–70s since, close to its earlier high.

Academically, test results are above district and state averages in most subjects. Averaged across the eight reported Forward Exam tests in 2025–2026, about 62.3% of students were proficient, compared with roughly 60.3% in the district and 55.5% statewide. Math is the signature strength, averaging about 63.5% proficient versus 54.3% statewide; grade 6 math reached 78.57%, nearly 25 points above the state. Grade 8 science (61.54%) and social studies (68.57%) also beat state averages. English language arts is solid but less even — grade 7 ELA came in 2.5 points below the state, and grade 8 math slipped slightly below state, breaking from earlier strength.

The main operational challenge is attendance. Chronic absenteeism was 21.8% in 2024–2025, down substantially from 35.1% in 2020–2021 but still above the district's 18.3% and the state's 17.3%. Dropout rates are low, and resources look favorable: a 10.2:1 student-teacher ratio and $19,061 in per-student spending, with about half of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Families may note that students from lower-income backgrounds have performed well here, with the school ranking in the 70th–82nd percentile for that group for three straight years. Continued attendance improvement is the most direct way to protect the school's recent academic gains.