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West Salem Middle

Q: Is West Salem Middle a good school?

West Salem Middle ranks 84 th of 628 Wisconsin middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 5-8

84^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 628 Wisconsin Middle Schools

Better than 87% of Wisconsin middle schools

Summary

West Salem Middle is a high-performing public middle school serving 549 students in grades 5-8 in the West Salem School District, located about 10 miles from the larger city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The school has consistently ranked in the top 20% of Wisconsin middle schools over the past decade, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Salem Middle excels across a variety of metrics, including academic achievement, student outcomes, and socioeconomic diversity. Students consistently outperform the state average on the Forward Exam, with 60-76% proficient or advanced in English Language Arts and 63-77% proficient or advanced in Mathematics, significantly higher than the state averages. The school also has very low dropout rates, consistently under 1.3%, and lower chronic absenteeism rates compared to the state average. Additionally, West Salem Middle performs exceptionally well for its female, male, and white student subgroups, ranking in the top 100 Wisconsin middle schools for these groups.

Compared to nearby middle schools, such as Sparta Meadowview Middle and Logan Middle, West Salem Middle outperforms them in academic achievement, student outcomes, and socioeconomic diversity. The school's consistent high performance and 4-star rating over the past decade demonstrate its ability to sustain excellence, which is an impressive feat compared to some nearby schools that have seen more fluctuation in their performance and rankings.

534

Students ?

12.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,637

Per pupil spending ?

23.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

440 East Ave
West Salem, WI 54669

(608) 786-2090

District: West Salem School District

Students who attend West Salem Middle usually attend:

High:

West Salem High

Feeder schools for West Salem Middle:

Elementary:

West Salem Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.0%

Hispanic:

2.6%

Two or more races:

2.6%

See top rated Wisconsin middle schools

Compare West Salem Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 48th percentile in 2015 → 87th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (70% vs 54% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 13% of Wisconsin middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 39 percentile points since 2015

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school70%

District avg70%

Wisconsin avg54%

84^th of 628

Wisconsin public middle schools ?

Top 13%▲ up 38 pts since 2015

From bottom 48% (2015) to top 13% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Middle 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	80.9	84 of 628	86.6%	★★★★☆
2024	80.2	88 of 641	86.3%	★★★★☆
2023	76.5	108 of 640	83.1%	★★★★☆
2022	80.0	90 of 617	85.4%	★★★★☆
2021	76.1	95 of 613	84.5%	★★★★☆
2019	77.5	91 of 594	84.7%	★★★★☆
2018	71.3	123 of 579	78.8%	★★★★☆
2017	74.9	102 of 612	83.3%	★★★★☆
2016	79.9	74 of 609	87.8%	★★★★☆
2015	53.6	316 of 612	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	63.9	197 of 585	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2013	66.2	160 of 569	71.9%	★★★★☆
2012	73.1	96 of 559	82.8%	★★★★☆
2011	72.4	100 of 549	81.8%	★★★★☆
2010	70.3	130 of 539	75.9%	★★★★☆
2009	62.7	218 of 521	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	68.7	147 of 519	71.7%	★★★★☆
2007	65.2	153 of 366	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2006	62.0	185 of 382	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2005	75.8	49 of 332	85.2%	★★★★☆
2004	60.3	165 of 324	49.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	79.6	87 of 573	84.8%	★★★★☆
2024	79.7	87 of 580	85.0%	★★★★☆
2023	77.9	85 of 579	85.3%	★★★★☆
2022	81.9	62 of 576	89.2%	★★★★☆
2021	76.1	93 of 574	83.8%	★★★★☆
2019	78.0	81 of 557	85.5%	★★★★☆
2018	77.0	79 of 551	85.7%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2018	74.8	26 of 204	87.3%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	69.1	112 of 509	78.0%	★★★★☆
2024	84.7	29 of 520	94.4%	★★★★★
2023	70.8	85 of 525	83.8%	★★★★☆
2022	76.2	62 of 522	88.1%	★★★★☆
2021	65.8	108 of 499	78.4%	★★★★☆
2019	57.4	168 of 487	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.0	142 of 489	71.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	79.8	76 of 577	86.8%	★★★★☆
2024	79.8	81 of 585	86.2%	★★★★☆
2023	75.0	108 of 591	81.7%	★★★★☆
2022	77.9	85 of 577	85.3%	★★★★☆
2021	75.8	88 of 572	84.6%	★★★★☆
2019	76.0	96 of 557	82.8%	★★★★☆
2018	62.9	181 of 551	67.2%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	56.7	147 of 414	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.6	178 of 425	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.7	88 of 439	80.0%	★★★★☆
2022	76.0	37 of 421	91.2%	★★★★★
2021	56.0	134 of 437	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	65.8	81 of 414	80.4%	★★★★☆
2018	63.7	86 of 417	79.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	70.1	92 of 399	76.9%	★★★★☆
2024	70.0	98 of 407	75.9%	★★★★☆
2023	64.7	124 of 412	69.9%	★★★★☆
2022	71.1	89 of 397	77.6%	★★★★☆
2021	68.6	92 of 393	76.6%	★★★★☆
2019	66.1	104 of 382	72.8%	★★★★☆
2018	46.0	207 of 375	44.8%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Hispanic (2018)87th percentile+8 vs school

Male (2025)87th percentile~ school

Female (2025)85th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)78th percentile-9 vs school

White (2025)77th percentile-10 vs school

Special Education (2025)64th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2024-2025) ?

Social Studies78%+16 vs state

Mathematics72%+19 vs state

English Language Arts67%+14 vs state

Science59%+9 vs state

★

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Schools Near West Salem Middle

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 5th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
West Salem Middle	Public	5-8	440 East Ave	West Salem	54669	La Crosse County	West Salem School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 786-2090	534	42	12.7	23.2%	486 (91.0%)	8 (1.5%)	14 (2.6%)	4 (0.7%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.6%)	80.9	84^th of 628 public middle schools	86.6%		80.2	88^th of 641 public middle schools	86.3%	4	60.0	69.6	65.6	72.5	62.6	74.1	75.0	76.8	78.2	59.2	$11,637	$392	$11,245
Onalaska Middle	Public	6-8	707 8th Ave N	Onalaska	54650	La Crosse County	Onalaska School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 783-5366	620	48	13.0	29.8%	425 (68.5%)	9 (1.5%)	35 (5.6%)	97 (15.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (8.2%)	67.5	206^th of 628 public middle schools	67.2%		70.4	172^nd of 641 public middle schools	73.2%	34		60.3	55.2	61.4		57.2	61.4	68.8	75.7	56.4	$12,459	$143	$12,316
School of Technology and Arts II	Public, Charter	6-8	1450 Avon St	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 789-7740	39	2	17.0	30.8%	31 (79.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.7%)	55.5	301^st of 628 public middle schools	52.1%		56.8	289^th of 641 public middle schools	54.9%	12		81.8	54.6	53.3		45.5	63.6	40.0	66.7	46.7	$14,448	$489	$13,959
Logan Middle	Public	6-8	1450 Avon St	La Crosse	54603	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7740	424	47	8.9	53.3%	245 (57.8%)	31 (7.3%)	28 (6.6%)	57 (13.4%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (13.9%)	43.9	401^st of 628 public middle schools	36.1%		44	400^th of 641 public middle schools	37.6%	1		52.8	55.7	43.4		53.1	49.6	34.9	55.0	44.2	$17,762	$630	$17,132
Holmen Middle	Public	6-8	502 N Main St	Holmen	54636	La Crosse County	Holmen School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 526-3391	868	72	12.0	23.2%	730 (84.1%)	3 (0.3%)	17 (2.0%)	80 (9.2%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	35 (4.0%)	80.9	83^rd of 628 public middle schools	86.8%		77.8	106^th of 641 public middle schools	83.5%	23		70.6	63.3	69.3		69.1	73.2	79.9	79.3	66.4	$11,895	$250	$11,646
Longfellow Middle	Public	6-8	1900 Denton St	La Crosse	54601	La Crosse County	La Crosse School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 789-7670	631	61	10.3	46.9%	420 (66.6%)	32 (5.1%)	30 (4.8%)	65 (10.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (12.7%)	42.4	420^th of 628 public middle schools	33.1%		40.3	423^rd of 641 public middle schools	34.0%	3		52.4	58.2	46.0		43.4	49.0	31.5	59.7	40.5	$14,356	$425	$13,931
Sparta Meadowview Middle	Public	5-8	1225 N Water St	Sparta	54656	Monroe County	Sparta Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 366-3497	687	64	10.6	49.8%	489 (71.2%)	10 (1.5%)	145 (21.1%)	8 (1.2%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	26 (3.8%)	33.6	461^st of 628 public middle schools	26.6%		31	487^th of 641 public middle schools	24.0%	26	38.3	46.7	39.3	37.9	29.4	40.4	49.1	36.0	51.1	43.2	$14,499	$1,392	$13,107
Innovations STEM Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	1225 N Water St	Sparta	54656	Monroe County	Sparta Area School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 366-3497	90	5	16.7	32.2%	71 (78.9%)	3 (3.3%)	13 (14.4%)	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	55.1	310^th of 628 public middle schools	50.6%		70.7	170^th of 641 public middle schools	73.5%	140		53.1	53.6	50.0		62.5	60.7	42.3	61.5	53.9	$8,232	$436	$7,796
Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau Middle	Public	6-8	19650 Prairie Ridge Ln	Galesville	54630	Trempealeau County	Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 582-3500	286	23	12.2	23.4%	252 (88.1%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (5.6%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.8%)	72.8	144^th of 628 public middle schools	77.1%		70.4	171^st of 641 public middle schools	73.3%	27		64.1	50.5	69.4		63.0	65.0	67.1	77.7	71.8	$12,216	$621	$11,595

Frequently Asked Questions about West Salem Middle

Is West Salem Middle a good school?

West Salem Middle ranks 84^th of 628 Wisconsin middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of West Salem Middle?

Students at West Salem Middle are 91% White, 3% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American, 1% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of West Salem Middle attend?

Students who attend West Salem Middle usually go on to attend West Salem High

What district is West Salem Middle in?

West Salem School District

How many students attend West Salem Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 534 students attended West Salem Middle.

Rate West Salem 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.

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.