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Spence Elementary

Q: Is Spence Elementary a good school?

Spence Elementary ranks 375 th of 1044 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

375^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,044 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Better than 64% of Wisconsin elementary schools

Summary

Spence Elementary is a public elementary school in La Crosse, Wisconsin, serving 315 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the La Crosse School District, which is ranked 320 out of 426 districts in the state.

Spence Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic proficiency, particularly in core subjects like Mathematics and English Language Arts. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 71.43% of 3rd graders and 79.55% of 4th graders were proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly higher than the district and state. The school also excels in Social Studies and Science, with over 84% of 4th graders proficient or better. Spence Elementary's performance is strong across different student subgroups, including English Language Learners and students with special needs.

While Spence Elementary faces challenges with chronic absenteeism, it generally outperforms nearby schools in the district, such as Northside Elementary and Hintgen Elementary. However, the School of Technology and Arts I, a public charter school within the district, also demonstrates strong academic performance, often matching or exceeding Spence Elementary's results.

329

Students ?

11.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,467

Per pupil spending ?

54.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2150 Bennett St
La Crosse, WI 54601-6673

(608) 789-7773

District: La Crosse School District

Students who attend Spence Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Longfellow Middle
High:	Central High

Racial breakdown:

White:

61.1%

Asian:

16.4%

Two or more races:

11.6%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare Spence Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 52nd percentile in 2015 → 64th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (63% vs 54% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 12 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Wisconsin median (64th percentile)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school63%

District avg47%

Wisconsin avg54%

375^th of 1,044

Wisconsin public elementary schools ?

Top 36%▲ up 12 pts since 2015

From top 48% (2015) to top 36% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 11Elementary Schools in the La Crosse School District

320^th of 426La Crosse School District among Wisconsin districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	65.4	375 of 1044	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.5	482 of 1061	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	55.0	536 of 1067	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	61.5	429 of 1067	59.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	47.7	618 of 1050	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	54.7	505 of 1037	51.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.5	538 of 1025	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	50.3	584 of 1071	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2016	55.2	510 of 1075	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2015	58.2	515 of 1076	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2014	57.0	487 of 1061	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	48.8	630 of 1053	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	44.9	755 of 1045	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	30.3	880 of 1046	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	43.5	745 of 1045	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	38.9	789 of 1030	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	34.3	816 of 1021	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	51.1	426 of 689	38.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	52.8	436 of 712	38.8%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	46.4	57 of 116	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	56.1	49 of 123	60.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.1	68 of 116	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	74.6	31 of 110	71.8%	★★★★☆
2019	43.7	57 of 122	53.3%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2024	92.2	10 of 269	96.3%	★★★★★
2019	68.1	54 of 275	80.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	67.9	321 of 1001	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.3	353 of 1011	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	60.0	424 of 1010	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	68.6	296 of 1017	70.9%	★★★★☆
2021	60.8	403 of 1004	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.1	536 of 1002	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.6	497 of 997	50.2%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	64.0	250 of 870	71.3%	★★★★☆
2024	58.9	332 of 866	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.7	438 of 871	49.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	61.2	287 of 859	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.9	508 of 847	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	59.7	292 of 874	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.0	251 of 854	70.6%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	61.3	400 of 1000	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.7	563 of 1012	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	47.8	599 of 1011	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.9	549 of 1017	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	34.4	726 of 1003	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	57.2	441 of 1002	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.1	520 of 997	47.8%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2021	31.0	62 of 85	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.7	44 of 76	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	23.7	56 of 67	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	75.1	125 of 802	84.4%	★★★★☆
2024	57.2	283 of 790	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	48.4	353 of 746	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.6	227 of 742	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.2	207 of 721	71.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	65.9	239 of 718	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.6	383 of 727	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.9	373 of 715	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	59.1	279 of 704	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.2	390 of 699	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.4	378 of 718	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	46.3	396 of 686	42.3%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2024)96th percentile+42 vs school

Special Education (2025)84th percentile+20 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)71st percentile+7 vs school

Female (2025)68th percentile+4 vs school

White (2025)67th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2025)60th percentile-4 vs school

Asian (2025)51st percentile-13 vs school

Multi-racial (2021)27th percentile-14 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2024-2025) ?

Science86%+36 vs state

Social Studies84%+20 vs state

Mathematics60%+6 vs state

English Language Arts51%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Spence Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2025)			Forward Exam Mathematics (2025)			Forward Exam Social Studies (2025)	Forward Exam Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Forward Exam English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 4th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 3rd Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 4th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 4th Grade	Forward Exam Science 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Spence Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2150 Bennett St	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7773	329	28	11.6	54.7%	201 (61.1%)	14 (4.3%)	21 (6.4%)	54 (16.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.6%)	65.4	375^th of 1044 public elementary schools	64.1%		60.5	482^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	54.6%	107	64.3	65.9	26.5	71.4	79.6	32.0	84.1	86.4	$15,467	$1,099	$14,368
State Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3900 Pammel Creek Rd	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7690	284	23	12.1	38.0%	222 (78.2%)	9 (3.2%)	19 (6.7%)	6 (2.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.8%)	49.8	589^th of 1044 public elementary schools	43.6%		49	634^th of 1061 public elementary schools	40.2%	45	41.7	56.8	45.8	56.3	48.7	50.0	67.6	51.4	$13,254	$634	$12,620
Hintgen Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3505 28th St S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7767	210	28	7.6	79.0%	102 (48.6%)	25 (11.9%)	11 (5.2%)	31 (14.8%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (18.1%)	12.3	928^th of 1044 public elementary schools	11.1%		21.5	872^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	17.8%	56	21.9	21.9	29.0	25.0	25.0	9.7	43.8	31.3	$16,684	$1,623	$15,061
School of Technology and Arts I	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1111 7th St S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 789-7695	104	7	15.6	23.1%	84 (80.8%)	2 (1.9%)	8 (7.7%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.7%)	73.4	262^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	74.9%		87.9	58^th of 1061 public elementary schools	94.5%	204	70.6	70.6	81.0	58.8	47.1	57.1	94.1	58.8	$14,007	$395	$13,612
Hamilton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1111 7th St S	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7695	151	20	7.5	80.1%	53 (35.1%)	35 (23.2%)	17 (11.3%)	10 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (23.8%)	7.2	955^th of 1044 public elementary schools	8.5%		12.8	934^th of 1061 public elementary schools	12.0%	21	33.3	19.1	11.8	23.8	4.8	11.8	19.1	19.1	$18,366	$1,208	$17,158
Emerson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2101 Campbell Rd	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7990	317	25	12.4	26.8%	247 (77.9%)	11 (3.5%)	23 (7.3%)	16 (5.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.0%)	55.5	518^th of 1044 public elementary schools	50.4%		65.3	402^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	62.1%	116	50.0	55.3	60.9	47.4	50.0	47.8	71.1	63.2	$15,197	$718	$14,478
Southern Bluffs Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4010 Sunnyside Dr	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7020	333	26	12.7	35.7%	289 (86.8%)	3 (0.9%)	9 (2.7%)	13 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.7%)	66.4	368^th of 1044 public elementary schools	64.8%		60.7	476^th of 1061 public elementary schools	55.1%	108	61.7	51.9	48.6	61.7	64.8	60.0	77.8	63.0	$15,454	$446	$15,008
Northside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1611 Kane St	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7970	237	33	7.2	84.8%	97 (40.9%)	22 (9.3%)	19 (8.0%)	54 (22.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (18.6%)	17.6	890^th of 1044 public elementary schools	14.8%		8.9	957^th of 1061 public elementary schools	9.8%	67	35.7	23.7	16.2	34.5	36.8	27.0	50.0	26.3	$18,343	$1,594	$16,749
Coulee Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	1611 Kane St	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7970	118	9	13.8	66.1%	85 (72.0%)	5 (4.2%)	8 (6.8%)	7 (5.9%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (10.2%)	17.9	886^th of 1044 public elementary schools	15.1%		16	914^th of 1061 public elementary schools	13.9%	28	56.3	26.7	13.3	18.8	26.7	26.7	40.0	26.7	$11,844	$482	$11,362
Summit Environmental School	Public	PK, KG-5	1800 Lakeshore Dr	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7980	295	26	11.3	51.5%	220 (74.6%)	7 (2.4%)	14 (4.7%)	17 (5.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (12.2%)	34.8	770^th of 1044 public elementary schools	26.2%		31.5	802^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	24.4%	32	33.3	32.4	56.4	35.9	38.2	43.6	64.7	38.2	$16,179	$1,108	$15,071

Frequently Asked Questions about Spence Elementary

What district is Spence Elementary in?

La Crosse School District

What is the racial makeup of Spence Elementary?

Students at Spence Elementary are 61% White, 16% Asian, 12% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 4% African American.

How many students attend Spence Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 329 students attended Spence Elementary.

Is Spence Elementary a good school?

Spence Elementary ranks 375^th of 1044 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Spence Elementary attend?

Students who attend Spence Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Longfellow Middle
High : Central High

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Schools in La Crosse, WI

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.