Summary:
ZIP code 54812 covers Barron, Wisconsin, where three public schools serve about 916 students: Woodland Elementary (PK–4, 324 students), Riverview Middle (grades 5–8, 282 students) and Barron High (grades 9–12, 310 students), all part of the Barron Area School District. There is no alternative school in the area, so students move through these three schools in sequence. The district as a whole ranks 392 out of 432 Wisconsin districts (9th percentile, 0 stars), which is far lower than the individual schools, whose 2025–2026 ranks range from the 20th to the 47th percentile.
Woodland Elementary is the strongest performer and the clearest growth story. Its rank percentile rose from 21st to 47th, moving from 1 star to 2 stars, and its average test proficiency climbed from 39.85% to 55.42% — essentially matching the state average. Third grade is a highlight, with 63.79% proficient in ELA and 70.69% in math, both well above state. Woodland also has the lowest chronic absenteeism in the ZIP at 7.2%. Riverview Middle is more uneven: 8th grade math improved to 53.62%, nearly matching the state, and 6th grade math is slightly above state, but 7th grade math fell to 29.41%, and 5th and 7th grade ELA also dropped. Its rank has stayed in the high 20s for three years.
Barron High shows a striking gap between completion and achievement. Its 98.5% graduation rate and 0.3% dropout rate beat the state, yet every reported test area is below state — 10th grade social studies at 26.47% and math at 23.61% are the lowest. Chronic absenteeism rises with grade level: 7.2% at Woodland, 11.0% at Riverview and 15.6% at Barron High, all below the state's 17.3%. Per-student spending is high across all three schools ($18,060–$19,795), and Woodland has the highest free/reduced lunch rate (64.81%) yet the best outcomes — a reminder that poverty alone does not determine results.
Thank you for your feedback!