Summary:
ZIP code 53042 has just one public middle school: Kiel Middle, part of the Kiel Area School District. It serves grades 5 through 8 and enrolls 338 students. Because it is the only middle school in the area, families here have a single option, but it is a strong one — the school is performing well above state averages and has been climbing in statewide rankings.
Kiel Middle's three-year ranking trend is upward: 115th of 641 schools in 2023-24, 78th of 628 in 2024-25, and 59th of 643 in 2025-26. That most recent result puts it in the 91st percentile of ranked Wisconsin schools with a 5-star rating, placing it in the top decile statewide. Notably, the school's own rank is much higher than the district's overall rank of 189 of 432 (56th percentile, 3 stars), meaning Kiel Middle stands out even within its own district. Test scores back this up: in 2025-26, about 72% of students tested proficient on average across all reported Forward Exam subjects, compared with roughly 55% statewide — a gap of about 17 percentage points. Every reported subject and grade level was above the state, with standout results in 6th-grade math (80%), 8th-grade social studies (82%), and 8th-grade English language arts (76%).
School climate data is equally encouraging. Chronic absenteeism at Kiel Middle was just 4.2%, far below Wisconsin's 17.3%, and the reported dropout rate was 0.0%. Class sizes are moderate at a 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio, and per-student spending is $16,299, with about 19% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. One thing for parents to watch: overall proficiency slipped slightly from 2024-25 to 2025-26, mostly in math and science, even though the school's statewide rank improved. Some student groups, particularly the cohort that moved from 7th to 8th grade, showed strong year-over-year gains.
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