Merrill Area School District

The Merrill Area School District in Wisconsin operates 6 schools, including 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district serves a diverse student population with varying academic needs and performance levels.

Among the standout schools in the district, Bridges Virtual Academy stands out with exceptional academic performance, significantly outpacing the district and state averages on standardized tests, particularly in English Language Arts and Social Studies. The school also boasts low chronic absenteeism and dropout rates. In contrast, Kate Goodrich Elementary, which serves a high-need student population with 59.47% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, performs relatively well despite the challenges, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The district as a whole, however, lags behind the state average on many metrics, ranking 224th out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and receiving a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. This suggests the need for the district to examine its practices and implement strategies to improve overall academic performance. The significant variation in performance and metrics across the schools within the district underscores the importance of analyzing data at the individual school level to identify both high-performing and struggling schools, allowing for more targeted interventions and resource allocation.