Summary
Franklin Elementary is a K–5 school at 800 S 35th St in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, serving 356 students as part of the Manitowoc School District, which ranks 385th of 432 districts in Wisconsin. Franklin itself ranks 756th of 1,039 Wisconsin elementary schools in 2025–26 (27th percentile, 1 star). It serves a high-poverty population, with 64.61% of students receiving free or reduced lunch in 2024–25, and it spends $18,347 per student with a student-teacher ratio of 10.5. Its rank history shows a long slide from the 40th percentile in 2015–16 to the 11th percentile in 2018–19, followed by a partial recovery to 27th percentile in 2025–26.
In 2025–26, Franklin's average proficiency across its reported Forward Exam results was 43.2% — above the district average of about 40.7% but below the state average of about 54.7%. Among nearby schools, it trailed Jackson Elementary (46.9%), Madison Elementary (45.1%), and Riverview Elementary (57.2%), while outperforming Monroe Elementary (28.2%) and Jefferson Elementary (28.3%), two schools serving similarly high-poverty populations. Chronic absenteeism was 16.4% in 2024–25, better than the district's 20.8% and slightly better than the state's 17.3%, though higher than Jackson's 7.4%.
Results vary sharply by grade. Franklin's 5th grade was a clear strength, with ELA and Math both at 59.18% — above district and state and the highest among nearby schools reporting grade 5. The 4th grade was the opposite: ELA 29.41%, Math 33.33%, Social Studies 39.22%, and Science 27.45%, all below district averages, with Science more than 25 points below the state. Effectiveness also differs across student groups: English Language Learner students ranked 71st percentile and Asian students 64th percentile, and special education results improved to the 38th percentile. Since spending and staffing are more favorable than at many peers, the school's path forward likely lies in targeted instruction and attendance work rather than added resources.
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