Menominee Nation High School

Menominee Nation High School in Keshena, WI, is the only high school in the Menominee Indian School District, serving grades 9–12 with 364 students in a rural, high-poverty community where 86.3% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Families should know the school faces steep challenges. Its test scores are among Wisconsin’s lowest: 10th graders scored 8.82% proficient in Social Studies, 9.46% in English Language Arts, 4.05% in Math, and 4.11% in Science, roughly 39 points below state averages in every subject. Chronic absenteeism is the standout concern: 59.2% in 2024–2025, more than three times Wisconsin’s 17.3% rate and nearly double the next-worst nearby school, Bowler High (34.3%). At the same time, the school graduates 99.1% of students—the best rate in the region and above Wisconsin’s 92.0%—with a low 0.7% dropout rate. That combination of high completion and very low measured proficiency is the school’s defining paradox. Per-student spending is $23,204, second-highest in the comparison group, yet the student–teacher ratio is 14:1, the second-highest locally.

Nearby schools show what is achievable in the same region. Gresham High, about 7.6 miles away, posts 61.11% Social Studies proficiency and 46.67% ACT Science; Marion High posts 53.33% ACT ELA and 43.33% ACT Math; and Bonduel High combines 97.3% graduation, 12.5% chronic absenteeism, and near-state proficiency at $17,599 per student. Menominee Nation’s long rank history has stayed in the bottom decile for roughly two decades, and some older data points look unreliable—such as a 2022–23 graduation rate of 1.1% and a 2023–24 dropout spike of 19.8%. The clearest actionable priority is attendance; the clearest strength is completion. Every reported student subgroup still ranks near the bottom of the state, so both facts matter for families weighing this school.