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West Salem Elementary

Q: Is West Salem Elementary a good school?

West Salem Elementary ranks 218 th of 1044 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

218^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,044 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Better than 79% of Wisconsin elementary schools

Summary

West Salem Elementary is a public elementary school serving 686 students in grades PK-4 in West Salem, Wisconsin, which is part of the West Salem School District. The school consistently performs above the state average in academic proficiency, with strong results across all grade levels and subjects.

Compared to nearby schools, West Salem Elementary generally outperforms its peers. For example, in 2024-2025, the school's 4th-grade proficiency rates were significantly higher than those at Emerson Elementary, Northside Elementary, and Coulee Montessori Charter School. However, the school's performance for students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds has declined in recent years, indicating a need to address the achievement gap for this subgroup.

While West Salem Elementary has consistently delivered strong academic results, the school has also seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 5.3% in 2023-2024 to 19.5% in 2022-2023. This is an area of concern that the school should investigate and address to ensure all students are receiving the support they need to succeed.

677

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,523

Per pupil spending ?

24.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

475 N Mark St
West Salem, WI 54669-1224

(608) 786-1662

District: West Salem School District

Students who attend West Salem Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	West Salem Middle
High:	West Salem High

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.5%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Two or more races:

1.5%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare West Salem Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 87th percentile in 2015 → 79th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (69% vs 55% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 21% of Wisconsin elementary schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school69%

District avg69%

Wisconsin avg55%

218^th of 1,044

Wisconsin public elementary schools ?

Top 21%▼ down 7 pts since 2015

From top 13% (2015) to top 21% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

116^th of 426West Salem 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	76.0	218 of 1044	79.1%	★★★★☆
2024	72.4	281 of 1061	73.5%	★★★★☆
2023	69.2	314 of 1067	70.6%	★★★★☆
2022	74.4	226 of 1067	78.8%	★★★★☆
2021	59.3	438 of 1050	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	75.6	202 of 1037	80.5%	★★★★☆
2018	65.4	339 of 1025	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2017	69.4	305 of 1071	71.5%	★★★★☆
2016	80.9	145 of 1075	86.5%	★★★★☆
2015	78.3	145 of 1076	86.5%	★★★★☆
2014	65.9	332 of 1061	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	58.7	450 of 1053	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2012	66.2	360 of 1045	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2011	64.3	381 of 1046	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	64.8	385 of 1045	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	70.1	271 of 1030	73.7%	★★★★☆
2008	64.9	389 of 1021	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	76.3	137 of 689	80.1%	★★★★☆
2006	73.3	189 of 712	73.5%	★★★★☆
2005	66.1	262 of 632	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2004	71.9	172 of 633	72.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	78.3	162 of 1001	83.8%	★★★★☆
2024	75.6	205 of 1011	79.7%	★★★★☆
2023	71.3	254 of 1010	74.9%	★★★★☆
2022	71.0	258 of 1017	74.6%	★★★★☆
2021	47.2	571 of 1004	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	76.4	187 of 1002	81.3%	★★★★☆
2018	67.9	302 of 997	69.7%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	63.1	261 of 870	70.0%	★★★★☆
2024	53.6	392 of 866	54.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	44.0	517 of 871	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	74.5	124 of 859	85.6%	★★★★☆
2021	56.5	316 of 847	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	57.8	321 of 874	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	45.3	492 of 854	42.4%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	70.5	289 of 1000	71.1%	★★★★☆
2024	67.2	334 of 1012	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.1	328 of 1011	67.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	76.4	190 of 1017	81.3%	★★★★☆
2021	68.2	274 of 1003	72.7%	★★★★☆
2019	73.1	216 of 1002	78.4%	★★★★☆
2018	62.5	366 of 997	63.3%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	64.2	217 of 802	72.9%	★★★★☆
2024	60.6	254 of 790	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.9	271 of 770	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	80.2	70 of 748	90.6%	★★★★★
2021	73.6	113 of 746	84.9%	★★★★☆
2019	72.8	123 of 742	83.4%	★★★★☆
2018	55.2	281 of 721	61.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	66.1	237 of 718	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.0	272 of 727	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.3	340 of 715	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.1	260 of 704	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.3	429 of 699	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	69.1	181 of 718	74.8%	★★★★☆
2018	50.9	359 of 686	47.7%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Female (2025)84th percentile+5 vs school

Special Education (2025)73rd percentile-6 vs school

Male (2025)71st percentile-8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)70th percentile-9 vs school

White (2025)67th percentile-12 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2024-2025) ?

Social Studies80%+17 vs state

Mathematics67%+13 vs state

English Language Arts67%+14 vs state

Science64%+13 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The commitment of the staff is second to none and they continuously put the needs of the students in the forefront of their minds. They work to make sure that students that need academic support get what they need to be successful. One of the best in teh area! Close Quote

Schools Near West Salem 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
West Salem Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	475 N Mark St	West Salem	54669	La Crosse County	West Salem School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 786-1662	677	50	13.4	24.1%	626 (92.5%)	7 (1.0%)	17 (2.5%)	7 (1.0%)	9 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	10 (1.5%)	76	218^th of 1044 public elementary schools	79.1%		72.4	281^st of 1061 public elementary schools	73.5%	63	59.7	73.0		60.5	73.7		80.3	64.2	$11,523	$323	$11,200
Bangor Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	701 14th Ave S	Bangor	54614	La Crosse County	Bangor School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 486-2331	313	26	11.8	25.9%	274 (87.5%)	3 (1.0%)	15 (4.8%)	6 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.2%)	62.3	427^th of 1044 public elementary schools	59.1%		72.7	273^rd of 1061 public elementary schools	74.3%	154	50.0	67.4	46.8	45.2	69.4	57.5	75.5	59.2	$13,319	$1,582	$11,738
North Woods International School	Public	PK, KG-5	2541 Sablewood Rd	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 789-7000	255	28	9.2	58.8%	134 (52.5%)	26 (10.2%)	36 (14.1%)	29 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (11.8%)	39.6	733^rd of 1044 public elementary schools	29.8%		38.2	748^th of 1061 public elementary schools	29.5%	15	46.2	38.1	54.3	43.6	36.6	45.7	64.3	41.5	$15,647	$762	$14,885
Eagle Bluff Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Eagle Bluff Ct	Onalaska	54650	La Crosse County	Onalaska School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 783-2453	471	32	14.8	24.0%	329 (69.9%)	6 (1.3%)	26 (5.5%)	69 (14.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (8.5%)	77.1	206^th of 1044 public elementary schools	80.3%		78.8	175^th of 1061 public elementary schools	83.5%	31	62.0	61.9	58.2	76.0	76.2	82.1	72.6	66.7	$12,903	$352	$12,551
Pertzsch Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	524 Main St	Onalaska	54650	La Crosse County	Onalaska School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 783-5644	373	28	13.4	45.0%	250 (67.0%)	5 (1.3%)	24 (6.4%)	48 (12.9%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (11.5%)	73.2	267^th of 1044 public elementary schools	74.4%		70	322^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	69.7%	55	70.8	73.5	48.3	75.4	85.7	60.3	75.5	49.0	$12,624	$463	$12,161
Northern Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	910 East Ave N	Onalaska	54650	La Crosse County	Onalaska School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 783-4542	463	34	13.4	47.1%	280 (60.5%)	14 (3.0%)	27 (5.8%)	98 (21.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.9%)	45.7	647^th of 1044 public elementary schools	38.0%		47.9	641^st of 1061 public elementary schools	39.6%	6	57.6	37.1	46.3	66.7	50.0	48.8	51.6	38.7	$12,364	$569	$11,795
Sand Lake Elementary	Public	K-5	3600 Sand Lake Rd	Holmen	54636	La Crosse County	Holmen School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 781-0974	363	33	10.9	27.8%	316 (87.1%)	2 (0.6%)	9 (2.5%)	15 (4.1%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.4%)	62.4	424^th of 1044 public elementary schools	59.4%		64.6	410^th of 1061 public elementary schools	61.4%	14	53.7	56.3	61.0	50.8	59.4	59.3	73.4	59.4	$13,155	$347	$12,808
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
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

Frequently Asked Questions about West Salem Elementary

Is West Salem Elementary a good school?

West Salem Elementary ranks 218^th of 1044 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of West Salem Elementary?

Students at West Salem Elementary are 92% White, 3% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races, 1% American Indian, 1% African American, 1% Asian.

How many students attend West Salem Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 677 students attended West Salem Elementary.

What district is West Salem Elementary in?

West Salem School District

What schools do graduates of West Salem Elementary attend?

Students who attend West Salem Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : West Salem Middle
High : West Salem High

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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.