La Crosse School District

The La Crosse School District in Wisconsin encompasses 18 schools, including 11 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 3 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district showcases a mix of high-performing and struggling institutions, with standout schools like School of Technology and Arts I (SOTA I) and La Crosse Polytechnic School leading the way in academic achievement.

SOTA I, an elementary charter school, stands out as the highest-performing school in the district, ranking 58th out of 1,061 Wisconsin elementary schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school consistently maintains high proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics, with over 75% of students proficient or better in these subjects. In contrast, Northside Elementary and Hintgen Elementary struggle to meet proficiency benchmarks, highlighting the significant disparity in performance across the district.

The district's high schools, such as Central High and Logan High, generally maintain high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 87.4% to 93.5%. However, chronic absenteeism remains a challenge for several schools, particularly those with higher percentages of students from low-income families, which may be impacting academic outcomes. The district's charter schools, including SOTA I and La Crosse Polytechnic School, tend to outperform the traditional public schools, suggesting the effectiveness of the charter school model in this context.