Overall Score

Elmwood: 85.7 (Significantly Exceeds Expectations)

Spring Valley: 83.1 (Exceeds Expectations)

Prescott: 81.5 (Exceeds Expectations)

River Falls: 76.2 (Exceeds Expectations)

Ellsworth: 70.8 (Meets Expectations)

Plum City: 68.3 (Meets Expectations)

Achievement

Prescott: 82.2

Elmwood: 79.8

River Falls: 76.6

Spring Valley: 78.8

Ellsworth: 68.0

Plum City: 63.8

Growth

Elmwood 81.2

Spring Valley: 79.3

Prescott: 67.9

River Falls: 67.9

Plum City: 60.3

Ellsworth: 58.4

Target Group Outcomes

Elmwood: 89.8

Spring Valley 82.5

Prescott: 77.4

River Falls: 67.7

Ellsworth: 66.4

Plum City: 62.0

On-track to Graduation

Prescott: 92.6

Elmwood: 92.0

Spring Valley: 91.7

Ellsworth: 89.0

River Falls: 88.9

Plum City: 87.2

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released the district report cards for 2024-25, scoring each district overall, in four categories and further subcategories. Elmwood took the top spot in overall score with a five-star rating, but all six county schools at least met expectations.

“It shows our school’s focus on high academic achievement for all of our students,” Elmwood Superintendent Dr. Glenn Webb said. “We got there through strong support from our school board and community to build systems for community programs. We really focus on learning for all students and our staff.”

Elmwood finished with the highest growth score, measuring increases in scores as the school year goes on. They also topped the charts in target-group outcomes, measuring achievement from the lower-end of test scorers.

“We don’t focus on the number, because the report card is always changing,” Webb said. “We focus more on our internal systems to push achievement and kind of let the score take care of itself.”

Webb said they do not compare themselves to previous year scores because of the constant change in measurements. Instead they see how they stack up against other districts each year. This year, Elmwood more than held its own.

Despite the changes, Elmwood has stayed consistent because they have held firm on a curriculum development system that has worked for teachers and classrooms.

“We’re able to keep making changes, but it all fits into our system,” Webb said.

“[It’s] all about continuous improvement. Until every one of our kids is reading, writing and doing their skills at grade level, we haven’t arrived academically where we want to be,” Webb said.

Webb also said they value having students who attend the district come out as great people.

Prescott led the county in both achievement and on-track to graduation scores. Superintendent Jim Reif said state testing also landed the district at the top of the Middle Border Conference in nearly every category, so they are extremely proud of both students and staff.

While they know it can throw a wrench in the schedule for parents, 90-minute early releases on Mondays have been a spark plug to achievement in Prescott. Teachers use that time to work together to collaborate and optimize learning opportunities.

“That time is invaluable. We use that to work on building thinking classrooms, taking a look at student data,” Reif said. “We really focus on what we want our kids to learn, how we’re going to make sure we know that they’re learning it and what to do if they’re falling behind, and, frankly, what to do if they’re already way ahead of the game and need some more enrichment.”

It’s not just the scores, though. Reif has been impressed with how staff work with the students.

“The thing that sticks out the most to me that’s not on there at all is the relationships we build with our kids,” Reif said.

He said it is not just the teachers, but support staff, bus drivers, custodians and food service. These relationships show up in attendance, where Prescott scores above the state average.

“We really focus on what matters, which is making sure that the kids are doing the thinking in the classroom,” Reif said. “That’s the core of good learning, and good learning is always going to lead to good results.”

Reif grew up in an era where the teacher lectured and the students sat quietly and listened at all times. He knows that’s not the optimal learning method in 2025.

Full report cards are available at dpi.wi.gov.