Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 54728

ZIP code 54728 has exactly one middle school, Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Middle, serving grades 6–8 with 204 students in the Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Area School District. It is the only local middle-level option. The school is rated 2 stars and 43rd percentile, down from 48th percentile in the prior two years, while the district is rated 1 star and 27th percentile. That makes the middle school a relative bright spot within the district, though it remains below the state midpoint. Its dropout rate is 0.0, and chronic absenteeism is 18.6%—better than the district’s 22.8% but slightly above the state’s 17.3%.

Academically, results are uneven by grade and subject. Sixth-grade math is the clearest strength: 66.67% proficient, 13.07 percentage points above state and up 26.09 points from 40.58% the prior year. Seventh-grade ELA is also above state at 57.14%, up 9.60 points from 47.54%. Grade 6 averages 60.32% versus the state’s 54.28%, and grade 7 is close to state at 55.00% versus 55.50%. The main red flag is the current 8th grade, which is below state in all four tested areas: ELA 38.71% (15.67 points below), math 37.10% (16.57 below), science 48.39% (3.47 below), and social studies 58.06% (6.57 below). This group was already low as 7th graders in ELA and math, suggesting a cohort pattern rather than a one-year anomaly.

Across the eight listed tests, the school’s simple average fell from 53.60% to 51.61%, while the state average rose from 54.42% to 55.51%; the gap widened from -0.82 to -3.90 percentage points. Grade 8 averages 45.57% versus the state’s 56.14%. With about 68 students per grade, large year-to-year swings can reflect only a handful of students, so read those changes with caution. Science and social studies also lost their prior advantage, moving from above state in 2024–2025 to below state in 2025–2026. Context includes 41.18% free/reduced lunch, $16,215 per-student spending, and a 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio. Bottom line: 6th grade math and 7th grade ELA are strengths, but 8th grade results and the widening state gap are the key areas to watch.