Is Black River Falls Middle a good school?

Black River Falls Middle ranks 458 th of 641 Wisconsin middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Black River Falls Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 337 students attended Black River Falls Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Black River Falls Middle?

Students at Black River Falls Middle are 70% White, 22% American Indian, 6% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

What high school do graduates of Black River Falls Middle attend?

Students who attend Black River Falls Middle usually go on to attend Black River Falls High

Black River Falls Middle

Summary:

Black River Falls Middle School is a public middle school in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, serving 348 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Black River Falls School District, which is ranked 399 out of 428 school districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Black River Falls Middle School consistently underperforms compared to the state average across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 39.22% (6th grade) to 47.47% (7th grade), compared to the state averages of 54.1% (6th grade) and 51.77% (7th grade). The school's performance in Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science also lags behind the state averages. Additionally, the school has experienced fluctuating dropout rates and high chronic absenteeism, which may be contributing factors to the overall academic underperformance.

The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with some groups, such as Native American students, performing relatively better than others, like White students and students with low socioeconomic status. This suggests potential equity issues within the school and the need to address the unique needs of diverse student populations. While the school's per-student spending has increased over the years, it is unclear if these resources are being effectively utilized to improve academic outcomes, and the fluctuating student-teacher ratio may indicate a need to optimize the allocation of teaching resources to better support student learning.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1202 Pierce St
Black River Falls, WI 54615-1559

(715) 284-5315

District: Black River Falls School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
458^th of 641 Wisconsin Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,685

Students who attend Black River Falls Middle usually attend:

High:

Black River Falls High

Feeder schools for Black River Falls Middle:

Elementary:	Forrest Street Elementary School
	Red Creek Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 11.2

Number of students: 337

Racial breakdown:

White:

69.7%

American Indian:

21.7%

Two or more races:

5.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 53.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Black River Falls Middle ranks worse than 71.5% of middle schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.84. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (69.7%), American Indian (21.7%), two or more races (5.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 53.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Black River Falls Middle is 11.2. (See more...)

Compare Black River Falls Middle employs 30 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Black River Falls Middle is $12,685.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Black River Falls Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Black River Falls Middle 458^th of 641 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See Black River Falls Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Native American students:

White students:

Black River Falls School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Black River Falls School District 399^th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Your rating for Black River Falls Middle?

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Rank History for Black River Falls Middle

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Rank History for all students at Black River Falls Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2004	39.88	255^th	324	21.3%
2005	36.63	264^th	332	20.5%
2006	40.83	300^th	382	21.5%
2007	42.05	282^nd	366	23.0%
2008	39.86	405^th	519	22.0%
2009	45.74	381^st	521	26.9%
2010	51.79	337^th	539	37.5%
2011	32.39	462^nd	549	15.8%
2012	40.25	450^th	559	19.5%
2013	38.40	428^th	569	24.8%
2014	33.81	464^th	585	20.7%
2015	29.88	488^th	612	20.3%
2016	26.08	494^th	609	18.9%
2017	33.50	442^nd	612	27.8%
2018	38.09	405^th	579	30.1%
2019	25.12	489^th	594	17.7%
2021	45.84	351^st	613	42.7%
2022	37.31	416^th	617	32.6%
2023	36.88	435^th	640	32.0%
2024	35.84	458^th	641	28.5%

See the entire list of Wisconsin Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Black River Falls Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	33.61	297^th	417	28.8%
2019	23.14	354^th	414	14.5%
2021	35.62	301^st	437	31.1%
2022	36.57	272^nd	421	35.4%
2023	42.76	236^th	439	46.2%
2024	30.21	318^th	425	25.2%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Black River Falls Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	29.94	394^th	489	19.4%
2019	30.88	384^th	487	21.1%
2021	44.47	272^nd	499	45.5%
2022	32.26	378^th	522	27.6%
2023	31.79	379^th	525	27.8%
2024	29.78	397^th	520	23.7%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Black River Falls Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	45.20	350^th	551	36.5%
2019	36.03	411^th	557	26.2%
2021	53.28	281^st	574	51.0%
2022	34.91	406^th	576	29.5%
2023	43.87	342^nd	579	40.9%
2024	40.96	382^nd	580	34.1%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Black River Falls Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	33.59	409^th	551	25.8%
2019	19.20	483^rd	557	13.3%
2021	40.15	370^th	572	35.3%
2022	42.47	344^th	577	40.4%
2023	30.99	430^th	591	27.2%
2024	34.05	428^th	585	26.8%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Black River Falls Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	28.00	15^th	17	11.8%
2019	30.30	14^th	19	26.3%
2021	42.92	11^th	17	35.3%
2022	49.52	8^th	14	42.9%
2023	38.25	11^th	15	26.7%
2024	43.54	9^th	15	40.0%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Black River Falls Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	41.36	230^th	375	38.7%
2019	16.20	348^th	382	8.9%
2021	43.74	230^th	393	41.5%
2022	33.17	287^th	397	27.7%
2023	34.90	287^th	412	30.3%
2024	19.98	347^th	407	14.7%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, April 5, 2019

no concern for the students at all . push them through even if they can't read. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Black River Falls Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	324	2	1	1	30	n/a	n/a	358
1989	325	4	1	1	41	n/a	n/a	372
1990	348	2	1	1	41	n/a	n/a	393
1991	379	1	3	2	49	n/a	n/a	434
1992	395	0	0	0	51	n/a	n/a	446
1993	385	0	0	4	51	n/a	n/a	440
1994	380	0	0	3	55	n/a	n/a	438
1995	383	0	0	0	60	n/a	n/a	443
1996	383	0	0	0	60	n/a	n/a	443
1997	386	0	0	0	60	n/a	n/a	446
1998	396	0	0	0	70	n/a	n/a	466
1999	383	1	0	1	71	n/a	n/a	456
2000	408	1	3	6	76	n/a	n/a	494
2001	416	4	2	8	91	n/a	n/a	521
2002	356	5	2	2	109	n/a	n/a	474
2003	356	5	2	2	109	n/a	n/a	474
2004	337	2	4	2	88	n/a	n/a	433
2005	336	3	4	4	87	n/a	n/a	434
2006	327	4	4	6	68	n/a	n/a	409
2007	321	1	5	7	59	n/a	n/a	393
2008	314	1	3	7	65	n/a	n/a	390
2009	289	3	6	7	74	n/a	n/a	379
2010	297	3	3	6	79	n/a	n/a	388
2011	288	6	1	8	74	3	9	389
2012	300	3	0	8	69	2	7	389
2013	280	2	1	9	76	2	4	374
2014	295	2	0	15	82	2	4	400
2015	294	1	2	14	88	0	6	405
2016	289	5	2	13	78	0	7	394
2017	258	7	1	16	78	1	9	370
2018	226	5	0	18	88	0	18	355
2019	239	6	1	15	88	0	19	368
2020	247	8	0	12	96	0	21	384
2021	252	9	0	14	90	0	18	383
2022	256	6	0	10	77	0	19	368
2023	244	5	0	10	73	0	16	348
2024	235	2	0	7	73	0	20	337

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Black River Falls Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	358	23.0	15.5	31.8
1989	372	24.0	15.5	26.9
1990	393	26.0	15.1	26.5
1991	434	25.5	17.0	23.7
1992	446	26.3	16.9	27.8
1993	440	25.5	17.3	29.1
1994	438	25.3	17.3	24.7
1995	443	29.2	15.2	21.2
1996	443	29.2	15.2	21.2
1997	446	29.4	15.2	22.4
1998	466	30.1	15.5	24
1999	456	29.8	15.3	35.3
2000	494	30.6	16.1	29.4
2001	521	31.0	16.8	32.8
2002	474	32.2	14.7	43.2
2003	474	32.2	14.7	43.2
2004	433	31.2	13.9	38.6
2005	434	30.2	14.4	n/a
2006	409	29.2	14.0	n/a
2007	393	30.5	12.9	42
2008	390	28.0	13.9	32.6
2009	379	29.6	12.8	45.4
2010	388	30.0	12.9	45.6
2011	389	30.0	12.9	45.5
2012	389	23.9	16.2	46.8
2013	374	25.9	14.4	48.4
2014	400	26.2	15.2	50.3
2015	405	n/a	n/a	47.4
2016	394	28.0	14.0	46.4
2017	370	28.8	12.8	44.6
2018	355	29.3	12.1	43.1
2019	368	27.0	13.6	50.8
2020	384	26.5	14.4	53.9
2021	383	28.0	13.6	56.7
2022	368	31.9	11.5	56.8
2023	348	31.0	11.2	59.5
2024	337	30.0	11.2	53.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Black River Falls Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	358	23.0	15.5	31.8
1989	372	24.0	15.5	26.9
1990	393	26.0	15.1	26.5
1991	434	25.5	17.0	23.7
1992	446	26.3	16.9	27.8
1993	440	25.5	17.3	29.1
1994	438	25.3	17.3	24.7
1995	443	29.2	15.2	21.2
1996	443	29.2	15.2	21.2
1997	446	29.4	15.2	22.4
1998	466	30.1	15.5	24
1999	456	29.8	15.3	35.3
2000	494	30.6	16.1	29.4
2001	521	31.0	16.8	32.8
2002	474	32.2	14.7	43.2
2003	474	32.2	14.7	43.2
2004	433	31.2	13.9	38.6
2005	434	30.2	14.4	n/a
2006	409	29.2	14.0	n/a
2007	393	30.5	12.9	42
2008	390	28.0	13.9	32.6
2009	379	29.6	12.8	45.4
2010	388	30.0	12.9	45.6
2011	389	30.0	12.9	45.5
2012	389	23.9	16.2	46.8
2013	374	25.9	14.4	48.4
2014	400	26.2	15.2	50.3
2015	405	n/a	n/a	47.4
2016	394	28.0	14.0	46.4
2017	370	28.8	12.8	44.6
2018	355	29.3	12.1	43.1
2019	368	27.0	13.6	50.8
2020	384	26.5	14.4	53.9
2021	383	28.0	13.6	56.7
2022	368	31.9	11.5	56.8
2023	348	31.0	11.2	59.5
2024	337	30.0	11.2	53.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Black River Falls Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$567 (4.9%)	$10,990 (95.1%)	$11,557
2020	$569 (5.0%)	$10,803 (95.0%)	$11,372
2021	$1,051 (8.3%)	$11,632 (91.7%)	$12,685

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Black River Falls Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 489^th of 594 Middle schools	Ranks 435^th of 640 Middle schools	14.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Falls Middle)	31	24.2	6.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Falls School District)	31	24.2	6.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	41.7	40.6	1.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Black River Falls Middle)	19.8	25.3	5.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Black River Falls School District)	19.8	25.3	5.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	43.5	42.6	0.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Falls Middle)	26.1	29.8	3.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Falls School District)	26.1	29.8	3.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	45.5	41.1	4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Black River Falls Middle)	27.8	28.1	0.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Black River Falls School District)	27.8	28.1	0.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	39.7	35.7	4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Falls Middle)	25.2	30.2	4.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Black River Falls School District)	25.2	30.2	4.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	37.3	37.8	0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Black River Falls Middle)	22.4	16.4	6.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Black River Falls School District)	22.4	16.4	6.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	36.5	31.8	4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Black River Falls Middle)	47.7	60.3	12.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Black River Falls School District)	47.7	60.3	12.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)	52.1	59.2	7.1%
8th Grade Science (Black River Falls Middle)	37.4	51.7	14.3%
8th Grade Science (Black River Falls School District)	37.4	51.7	14.3%
8th Grade Science (Wisconsin)	54.6	49.4	5.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	368	348	5.4%
African American	6	5	16.7%
American Indian	88	73	17%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	15	10	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	239	244	2.1%
Two or More Races	19	16	15.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.8%	59.5%	8.7%

Schools Near Black River Falls Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2024)			Forward Exam Mathematics (2024)			Forward Exam Social Studies (2024)	Forward Exam Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Black River Falls Middle	Public	6-8	1202 Pierce St	Black River Falls	54615	Jackson County	Black River Falls School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 284-5315	337	30	11.2	53.4%	235 (69.7%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (21.7%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.9%)	35.8	458^th of 641 public middle schools	28.5%		36.9	435^th of 640 public middle schools	32.0%	23	39.2	47.5	40.5	41.2	43.4	48.7	52.3	38.7	$12,685	$1,051	$11,632

Black River Falls Middle

Black River Falls Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Black River Falls School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Black River Falls Middle

Rank History for all students at Black River Falls Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at Black River Falls Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Black River Falls Middle

Rank History for Female students at Black River Falls Middle

Rank History for Male students at Black River Falls Middle

Rank History for Native American students at Black River Falls Middle

Rank History for White students at Black River Falls Middle

Review counts

Enrollment information for Black River Falls Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Black River Falls Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Black River Falls Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Black River Falls Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Black River Falls Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Black River Falls Middle