Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Hilltop Elementary

Q: Is Hilltop Elementary a good school?

Hilltop Elementary ranks 413 th of 1039 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

413^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,039 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Better than 60% of Wisconsin elementary schools

Summary

Hilltop Elementary is a public PK–4 school serving 251 students in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, part of the Rice Lake Area School District. In 2025–2026, Hilltop ranked 413th of 1,039 Wisconsin elementary schools — the 60th percentile, with 3 stars — while its district sits at the 46th percentile with 2 stars, so the school is currently performing above its district's overall standing. Hilltop also beat both its district and the state in all six reported Forward Exam areas, averaging roughly 60.7% proficient across those tests compared with about 53.0% for the district and 55.4% for the state. Its largest margins came in 4th-grade mathematics and 3rd-grade English language arts.

Attendance is one of Hilltop's most distinctive strengths. Chronic absenteeism was 6.8% in 2024–2025, less than half the state rate of 17.3% and well below the district's 13.4%. That marks a dramatic improvement from 23.2% in 2020–2021, and it is better than most nearby schools, including Tainter Elementary (12.5%), Cameron Elementary (11.4%), Birchwood Elementary (17.7%) and Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Roselawn Elementary (23.0%). Only Cumberland Elementary (3.5%) and Barron Area Montessori School (2.3%) had notably lower rates.

Compared with Tainter Elementary, the other large Rice Lake elementary just 1.95 miles away, Hilltop is decisively ahead — scoring higher in every reported subject, with lower absenteeism and a lower free/reduced-lunch rate (41.43% versus 56.40%). Haugen Elementary ranked higher (69th percentile) but enrolls only 83 students, and Cameron Elementary and Cumberland Elementary posted higher scores in some subjects. Hilltop's English Language Learner students perform especially well (81st percentile, 4 stars in 2025–2026), while special education results are closer to the middle (47th percentile, 2 stars). Per-pupil spending is $16,100 with a 10.5 student-teacher ratio — solid results without the highest spending nearby.

251

Students ?

10.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,100

Per pupil spending ?

41.4%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

76%

Kindergartners meeting all minimum immunization requirements (2025-26)

202 Cameron Rd
Rice Lake, WI 54868-1899

(715) 234-4998

District: Rice Lake Area School District

Students who attend Hilltop Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Rice Lake Middle
High:	Rice Lake High

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.5%

Hispanic:

14.3%

Two or more races:

5.2%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare Hilltop Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 68th percentile in 2016 → 60th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (61% vs 55% meeting standards)

✓Above the Wisconsin median (60th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school61%

District avg53%

Wisconsin avg55%

413^th of 1,039

Wisconsin public elementary schools ?

Top 40%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From top 32% (2016) to top 40% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3Elementary Schools in the Rice Lake Area School District

235^th of 432Rice Lake Area 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
2026	62.3	413 of 1039	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	64.5	392 of 1044	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.2	640 of 1061	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	66.7	347 of 1067	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.6	612 of 1067	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.9	510 of 1050	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.9	416 of 1037	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.8	352 of 1025	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	61.5	416 of 1071	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2016	66.3	347 of 1075	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	68.5	310 of 1076	71.2%	★★★★☆
2014	62.7	388 of 1061	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2013	38.5	775 of 1053	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	42.6	784 of 1045	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	57.1	537 of 1046	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	64.0	399 of 1045	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2009	69.1	292 of 1030	71.7%	★★★★☆
2008	65.9	370 of 1021	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2005	72.2	187 of 632	70.4%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	68.2	47 of 245	80.8%	★★★★☆
2025	79.7	31 of 255	87.8%	★★★★☆
2018	67.5	60 of 287	79.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	62.6	380 of 986	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	53.0	529 of 1001	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.9	596 of 1011	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	70.6	271 of 1010	73.2%	★★★★☆
2022	40.8	671 of 1017	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	43.0	630 of 1004	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	63.6	363 of 1002	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.1	509 of 997	48.9%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2018	52.9	108 of 271	60.1%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	52.4	402 of 848	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.2	259 of 870	70.2%	★★★★☆
2024	49.6	453 of 866	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	60.5	294 of 871	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	46.5	480 of 859	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.0	650 of 847	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	68.2	200 of 874	77.1%	★★★★☆
2018	73.4	130 of 854	84.8%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	59.3	439 of 989	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	72.5	256 of 1000	74.4%	★★★★☆
2024	46.6	621 of 1012	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	63.0	384 of 1011	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.8	489 of 1017	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	64.6	341 of 1003	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.5	437 of 1002	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	74.3	197 of 997	80.2%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	45.0	417 of 791	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.7	618 of 802	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	52.8	324 of 790	59.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.9	272 of 770	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	12.3	746 of 748	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	42.1	425 of 746	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	60.3	232 of 742	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	76.7	91 of 721	87.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	51.1	357 of 697	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	50.5	372 of 718	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	30.1	556 of 727	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	48.9	401 of 715	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.9	383 of 699	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	45.1	422 of 718	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	53.2	336 of 686	51.0%	★★★☆☆

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 (2026)81st percentile+21 vs school

Female (2026)61st percentile~ school

Hispanic (2018)60th percentile-6 vs school

Male (2026)56th percentile-5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)53rd percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)49th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2026)47th percentile-13 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies68%~ state avg

English Language Arts62%+9 vs state

Mathematics58%+4 vs state

Science57%+3 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Hilltop Elementary and help other families decide.

Rate Hilltop Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Hilltop Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2026)			Forward Exam Mathematics (2026)			Forward Exam Social Studies (2026)	Forward Exam Science (2026)	Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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	Vaccination: Kindergartners meeting all minimum immunization requirements	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hilltop Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	202 Cameron Rd	Rice Lake	54868	Barron County	Rice Lake Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 234-4998	251	24	10.5	41.4%	192 (76.5%)	2 (0.8%)	36 (14.3%)	8 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.2%)	62.3	413^th of 1039 public elementary schools	60.3%		64.5	392^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	62.5%	21	66.0	58.5		58.5	56.6		67.9	56.6	76%		$16,100	$1,307	$14,794
Tainter Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	2201 Carrie Ave	Rice Lake	54868	Barron County	Rice Lake Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 234-8065	445	41	10.8	56.4%	384 (86.3%)	4 (0.9%)	19 (4.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.9%)	32.7	778^th of 1039 public elementary schools	25.1%		43.6	672^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	35.6%	106	45.9	38.0		44.3	35.2		54.9	45.1	84%		$18,116	$1,247	$16,869
Cameron Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	919 N 2nd St	Cameron	54822	Barron County	Cameron School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 458-4560	432	34	12.7	36.3%	401 (92.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.2%)	66.6	363^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	65.1%		70.6	305^th of 1044 public elementary schools	70.8%	58	70.4	63.9		57.8	55.7		68.9	62.3	79%		$14,110	$515	$13,595
Haugen Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	615 5th St W	Haugen	54841	Barron County	Rice Lake Area School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 234-7341	83	9	9.6	45.8%	79 (95.2%)	1 (1.2%)	3 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	69	327^th of 1039 public elementary schools	68.5%		59.6	468^th of 1044 public elementary schools	55.2%	141	66.7	80.0		100.0	53.3		73.3	46.7	92%		$17,645	$273	$17,371
Woodland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	808 E Woodland Ave	Barron	54812	Barron County	Barron Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 537-5621	324	30	10.8	64.8%	189 (58.3%)	60 (18.5%)	53 (16.4%)	8 (2.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.0%)	53.3	553^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	46.8%		27.9	822^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	21.3%	269	63.8	47.1		70.7	47.1		52.9	51.0	78%		$18,763	$1,565	$17,198
Cumberland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1530 2nd Ave	Cumberland	54829	Barron County	Cumberland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 822-5123	334	31	10.7	49.4%	262 (78.4%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (10.2%)	4 (1.2%)	24 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.0%)	69.4	323^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	68.9%		47.3	625^th of 1044 public elementary schools	40.1%	302	63.8	56.9		68.1	69.4		74.5	58.8	79%		$18,069	$673	$17,396
Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Roselawn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 6th St	Chetek	54728	Barron County	Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 924-2244	429	32	13.4	45.0%	396 (92.3%)	4 (0.9%)	11 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.0%)	53	561^st of 1039 public elementary schools	46.0%		62.4	425^th of 1044 public elementary schools	59.3%	136	51.0	61.0	45.1	49.0	48.8	41.2	72.0	57.3	82%		$17,253	$778	$16,475
Birchwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 S Wilson St	Birchwood	54817	Washburn County	Birchwood School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 354-3471	86	11	7.8	43.0%	78 (90.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.7%)	35.4	760^th of 1039 public elementary schools	26.9%		32.3	792^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	24.1%	32	33.3	54.6	52.9	16.7	36.4	29.4	63.6	54.6			$24,740	$1,452	$23,289
Birchwood Public Montessori	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	201 E Birch St	Birchwood	54817	Washburn County	Birchwood School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(715) 354-3471	25	4	6.4	48.0%	23 (92.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (8.0%)								(n/a)			62.5			12.5					$24,843	$903	$23,940
Barron Area Montessori School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	230 Lulu Avenue	Almena	54805	Barron County	Barron Area School District	Yes	No	No	No	(715) 357-3263	59	3	19.6	57.6%	51 (86.4%)	1 (1.7%)	3 (5.1%)	1 (1.7%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.4%)								(n/a)	66.7			50.0					82%		$11,650	$1,273	$10,377

Frequently Asked Questions about Hilltop Elementary

Is Hilltop Elementary a good school?

Hilltop Elementary ranks 413^th of 1039 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Hilltop Elementary attend?

Students who attend Hilltop Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Rice Lake Middle
High : Rice Lake High

What district is Hilltop Elementary in?

Rice Lake Area School District

What is the racial makeup of Hilltop Elementary?

Students at Hilltop Elementary are 76% White, 14% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

How many students attend Hilltop Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 251 students attended Hilltop Elementary.

Rate Hilltop Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

WIWisconsin Elementary School Rankings

WIWisconsin District Rankings

Schools in Rice Lake, WI

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Hilltop Elementary!

Latest Wisconsin data All new data »

2018–19 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 20, 2026

2016–17 through 2017–18 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2025–26 ACT & Forward Exam scoresOct 1, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 school spending dataJul 16, 2026

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.