Prairie River Middle

Public 5-8

 106 N Polk St
       Merrill, WI  54452-2344


(715) 536-9593

District: Merrill Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
335th of 640 Wisconsin Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,474 Help


Students who attend Prairie River Middle usually attend:

High:    Merrill High

Feeder schools for Prairie River Middle:

Elementary:    Kate Goodrich Elementary
    Washington Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  13.2 Help
Number of students:  593

Racial breakdown:

White:
89.5%
Two or more races:
5.2%
Hispanic:
3.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  41.7% Help


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 Compare Prairie River Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Prairie River Middle ranks worse than 52.3% of middle schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.77. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (89.5%), two or more races (5.2%), Hispanic (3.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 41.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Prairie River Middle is 13.2. (See more...)
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Compare Prairie River Middle employs 44.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Prairie River Middle is $12,474.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Prairie River Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Prairie River Middle 335th of 640 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See Prairie River Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Merrill Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill Area School District 187th of 424 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Prairie River Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Prairie River Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 54.22 202nd 324 37.7%
2005 56.58 197th 332 40.7%
2006 57.35 228th 382 40.3%
2007 59.91 198th 366 45.9%
2008 49.83 353rd 519 32.0%
2009 56.54 283rd 521 45.7%
2010 60.06 250th 539 53.6%
2011 60.18 258th 549 53.0%
2012 57.57 304th 559 45.6%
2013 54.41 295th 569 48.2%
2014 54.65 309th 585 47.2%
2015 57.32 282nd 612 53.9%
2016 47.08 345th 609 43.3%
2017 37.82 419th 612 31.5%
2018 34.52 435th 579 24.9%
2019 24.36 495th 594 16.7%
2021 40.79 402nd 613 34.4%
2022 60.82 217th 617 64.8%
2023 48.77 335th 640 47.7%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Prairie River Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.79 17th 96 82.3%
2021 29.30 100th 129 22.5%
2022 59.20 36th 126 71.4%
2023 26.62 109th 132 17.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Prairie River Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.98 305th 417 26.9%
2019 33.18 300th 414 27.5%
2021 55.12 141st 437 67.7%
2022 54.63 154th 421 63.4%
2023 36.96 284th 439 35.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Prairie River Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.18 400th 489 18.2%
2019 26.34 405th 487 16.8%
2021 39.37 322nd 499 35.5%
2022 64.14 133rd 522 74.5%
2023 43.39 295th 525 43.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Prairie River Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.88 383rd 551 30.5%
2019 23.96 463rd 557 16.9%
2021 42.84 361st 574 37.1%
2022 64.05 171st 576 70.3%
2023 55.11 253rd 579 56.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Prairie River Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.19 426th 551 22.7%
2019 27.77 448th 557 19.6%
2021 41.34 362nd 572 36.7%
2022 58.20 230th 577 60.1%
2023 43.02 349th 591 40.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Prairie River Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.17 339th 375 9.6%
2019 9.29 368th 382 3.7%
2021 27.41 312th 393 20.6%
2022 47.27 212th 397 46.6%
2023 32.87 296th 412 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Prairie River Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, January 6, 2011

Open Quote PRMS loves kids and have a fantastic teachers. Three of my children have attended and another one will next year. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Prairie River Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 787 1 8 6 1 n/a n/a 0 803
2000 705 1 4 6 0 n/a n/a 0 716
2001 719 0 8 4 2 n/a n/a 0 733
2002 733 0 11 8 3 n/a n/a 0 755
2003 733 0 11 8 3 n/a n/a 0 755
2004 720 1 8 8 2 n/a n/a 0 739
2005 711 1 9 8 2 n/a n/a 0 731
2006 704 0 8 7 2 n/a n/a 0 721
2007 693 2 9 4 2 n/a n/a 0 710
2008 676 4 6 8 2 n/a n/a 0 696
2009 661 8 8 11 0 n/a n/a 0 688
2010 658 7 6 11 1 n/a n/a 0 683
2011 635 6 1 6 4 5 0 0 657
2012 572 9 1 7 6 5 1 0 601
2013 530 9 0 11 5 4 1 0 560
2014 530 10 0 5 3 1 3 0 552
2015 538 7 3 11 5 1 3 0 568
2016 553 9 3 11 5 2 6 0 589
2017 515 8 3 9 4 1 10 0 550
2018 521 7 1 6 4 2 19 0 560
2019 514 6 1 13 2 0 21 0 557
2020 523 10 4 21 1 2 15 0 576
2021 465 4 4 20 1 0 19 0 513
2022 588 7 0 22 5 0 34 0 656
2023 531 3 1 22 5 0 31 0 593

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Prairie River Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 803 54.4 14.8 27.8
2000 716 51.5 13.9 29.5
2001 733 50.3 14.6 28.9
2002 755 49.6 15.2 29.4
2003 755 49.6 15.2 29.4
2004 739 50.8 14.5 26.1
2005 731 47.2 15.5 n/a
2006 721 47.9 15.1 n/a
2007 710 44.6 15.9 33.2
2008 696 44.3 15.7 32
2009 688 42.7 16.1 34.6
2010 683 42.8 15.9 44.8
2011 657 41.8 15.7 46.1
2012 601 39.3 15.2 44.4
2013 560 38.3 14.6 47
2014 552 40.5 13.6 48.2
2015 568 n/a n/a 48.4
2016 589 40.0 14.7 46.7
2017 550 38.6 14.2 40.7
2018 560 38.6 14.4 37.5
2019 557 38.7 14.3 44.9
2020 576 38.3 15.0 41.1
2021 513 40.6 12.6 44.1
2022 656 43.7 14.9 45.3
2023 593 44.8 13.2 41.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Prairie River Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 803 54.4 14.8 27.8
2000 716 51.5 13.9 29.5
2001 733 50.3 14.6 28.9
2002 755 49.6 15.2 29.4
2003 755 49.6 15.2 29.4
2004 739 50.8 14.5 26.1
2005 731 47.2 15.5 n/a
2006 721 47.9 15.1 n/a
2007 710 44.6 15.9 33.2
2008 696 44.3 15.7 32
2009 688 42.7 16.1 34.6
2010 683 42.8 15.9 44.8
2011 657 41.8 15.7 46.1
2012 601 39.3 15.2 44.4
2013 560 38.3 14.6 47
2014 552 40.5 13.6 48.2
2015 568 n/a n/a 48.4
2016 589 40.0 14.7 46.7
2017 550 38.6 14.2 40.7
2018 560 38.6 14.4 37.5
2019 557 38.7 14.3 44.9
2020 576 38.3 15.0 41.1
2021 513 40.6 12.6 44.1
2022 656 43.7 14.9 45.3
2023 593 44.8 13.2 41.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Prairie River Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $292 (2.4%) $11,711 (97.6%) $12,003
2020 $303 (2.6%) $11,363 (97.4%) $11,666
2021 $272 (2.2%) $12,202 (97.8%) $12,474

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Prairie River Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 495th of 594 Middle schoolsRanks 335th of 640 Middle schools
 31%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie River Middle)24.436.8
 12.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)25.340.5
 15.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)41.740.6
 1.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Prairie River Middle)29.838.5
 8.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)28.438.5
 10.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)43.542.6
 0.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie River Middle)2642.1
 16%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)32.347.5
 15.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)45.541.1
 4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Prairie River Middle)32.332.3
 0%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)34.535
 0.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)39.735.7
 4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie River Middle)18.637.7
 19.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)25.643.2
 17.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)37.337.8
 0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Prairie River Middle)2629.6
 3.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)26.431.3
 4.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)36.531.8
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Prairie River Middle)34.354.7
 20.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Merrill Area School District)38.957.4
 18.5%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)52.159.2
 7.1%
8th Grade Science (Prairie River Middle)42.446
 3.5%
   8th Grade Science (Merrill Area School District)46.950
 3.1%
   8th Grade Science (Wisconsin)54.649.4
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students557593
 6.5%
African American63
 50%
American Indian25
 150%
Asian11
Hispanic1322
 69.2%
Pacific Islander00
White514531
 3.3%
Two or More Races2131
 47.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients44.9%41.7%
 3.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Prairie River Middle

Students who attend Prairie River Middle usually go on to attend Merrill High

In the 2022-23 school year, 593 students attended Prairie River Middle.

Prairie River Middle ranks 335th of 640 Wisconsin middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Prairie River Middle are 90% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.


Rate Prairie River Middle!



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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. Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

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.





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