Schools in Zip Code 54401

ZIP code 54401 in Wausau contains nine schools — seven elementary, one middle, and one high school — all part of the Wausau School District, with roughly 4,337 students enrolled. The district overall is rated 44th percentile (2 stars), but that single rating masks big differences between individual schools. The largest schools are West High (1,470 students) and John Muir Middle (967). The smallest is Red Granite Charter School Inc, a PK-4 charter with 51 students and no test-score records; its reported $3,321 per-pupil spending is so unlike the others that it shouldn't be compared directly.

Among elementary schools, South Mountain Elementary leads with 4 stars, 76th percentile, and the highest average proficiency in the ZIP (68.36), along with a low free/reduced-lunch rate (20.85%). Rib Mountain Elementary is the most consistent high performer — 4 stars three years running, 71st percentile, and the lowest chronic absenteeism (6.3%). Stettin Elementary stays strong (3 stars, 68th percentile) despite lower per-pupil spending and the largest classes. At the secondary level, West High improved markedly, rising from 40th to 71st percentile and gaining 7.21 points in average proficiency, while John Muir Middle posts steady results at 61st percentile.

The clearest challenge is G D Jones Elementary, which remains at 16th percentile with 1 star and the lowest proficiency (33.13). Thomas Jefferson Elementary slipped from 3 stars to 2 stars, with proficiency falling from 58.46 to 48.99. Attendance is a relative strength: most schools sit below the district (15.2%) and state (17.3%) chronic absenteeism rates, with Red Granite the outlier at 22.6%. Notably, spending and class size don't track neatly with results — Stettin spends the least among district-run schools yet performs near the top.