Summary:
ZIP code 54656 in Sparta, Wisconsin is home to three elementary schools — Herrman Elementary, Southside Early Learning Center, and Sparta Montessori School — all part of the Sparta Area School District, which ranks 360th of 432 Wisconsin districts (17th percentile, 1 star). Together they enroll about 1,045 students, but they serve different grade levels: Southside is PK–K only, Herrman serves grades 1–4, and Sparta Montessori serves PK–6. Because Southside has no tested grades, it has no state test results, so achievement comparisons are only possible between Herrman and Montessori in the overlapping grades, mainly 3–4.
Herrman is the largest school (616 students, about 59% of the elementary enrollment) and has the strongest state ranking: 626 of 1,039 schools (40th percentile, 2 stars), up from the 31st percentile three years ago. It also has the lowest student-teacher ratio at 10.6. Sparta Montessori is smaller (161 students) and ranks 718 of 1,039 (31st percentile, 2 stars). In 2025–26, Herrman is stronger in 3rd grade math (59.84% proficient) and 4th grade ELA (54.09%), while Montessori is stronger in 4th grade social studies (68.00%) and 4th grade science (58.33%). Montessori's math, however, is a serious weakness: 3rd grade 50.00%, 4th grade 25.00%, 5th grade 15.00%, and 6th grade 16.67% — far below both district and state levels.
Absenteeism splits into two tiers. Herrman (8.7%) and Montessori (8.9%) are both near half the state rate of 17.3% and only slightly above the district rate of 7.0%. Southside is the outlier at 17.2%, essentially at the state average and more than double the district average — an engagement concern, though PK–K attendance patterns can differ. Southside also has the highest per-student spending ($17,512) and cannot be judged on test scores. Overall, both ranked schools remain below the state median, but Herrman's three-year trend is upward and Montessori recovered to the 31st percentile after slipping to the 27th.
Thank you for your feedback!