Best Public Schools in Appleton, WI

The city of Appleton, Wisconsin is home to 38 schools, including 21 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 9 high schools, and 2 alternative schools, all part of the Appleton Area School District. While the district is ranked 240 out of 428 in Wisconsin and has a 2-star rating, several standout schools within the district demonstrate exceptional performance.

The Odyssey-Magellan public magnet middle school is ranked 2nd out of 641 middle schools in Wisconsin and has a 5-star rating, with 90-100% of students proficient or better in most subjects. The Classical School, a public charter elementary/middle school, is ranked 174th out of 1,061 elementary schools in Wisconsin and has a 4-star rating, with 67-80% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 67-83% in Mathematics. Additionally, two elementary schools in the Kimberly Area School District, Sunrise Elementary and Woodland School, are ranked 103rd and 48th out of 1,061 elementary schools in Wisconsin, respectively, and both have 5-star ratings with consistently high test scores.

At the high school level, the Renaissance School and Tesla Engineering Charter School stand out, both ranked in the top 30 out of 431 high schools in Wisconsin and earning 5-star ratings, with 67-84% of students proficient or better in core subjects. However, the data also reveals significant disparities in student outcomes, with some schools, such as West High, struggling with high rates of chronic absenteeism and low proficiency levels.