Best High Schools in Zip Code 54859

ZIP code 54859 contains one high school, Northwood High/Middle, a grades 6–12 school in Minong, WI, within Northwood School District. It has 140 students and is a combined middle/high school, with 48.57% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch, per-student spending of $17,689, and a 10:1 student-teacher ratio. Because it is the only high school in the ZIP code, it is the standout school by default. The district ranks 403 of 432 districts, at the 7th percentile with 0 stars. The school’s rank percentile declined from 45th in 2023–2024 to 39th in 2024–2025 to 28th in 2025–2026, and its star rating fell from 2 stars to 1 star.

Completion and attendance indicators are stronger than achievement. The school reports a 0.0% dropout rate in 2024–2025, compared with 1.1% statewide, and a 90.0% graduation rate, just 2 percentage points below the state’s 92.0%. Chronic absenteeism is 13.0%, better than the state’s 17.3%, though slightly worse than the district’s 11.9%. Tenth-grade Social Studies is a relative bright spot: 50% proficient in 2024–2025, above the state’s 47.67%, and 45.83% in 2025–2026, only 2.42 points below the state. Several middle-grade subjects improved sharply from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026: 8th grade ELA +28.95 points, Social Studies +24.67, Math +19.74, and Science +16.45. Because enrollment is small, these swings may reflect small cohort sizes.

Academic weaknesses remain, especially in math and ACT readiness. In 2025–2026, Forward math proficiency was 20% in grade 6, 13.33% in grade 7, and 25% in grade 8, compared with state averages around 53–56%; gaps to state were about -33.6, -42.3, and -28.7 percentage points. ACT results dropped in 2025–2026, with ELA, math, and science all at 28.57% proficient, far below state averages of 48.47%, 42.93%, and 43.2%. In 2024–2025, ACT science was only 1.31 points below state and ACT math was 5.89 points below, so the 2025–2026 ACT results represent a significant decline. Priorities are math achievement and ACT readiness; year-to-year changes should be interpreted cautiously due to the small enrollment.