Is Northwestern Elementary a good school?

Northwestern Elementary ranks 528 th of 1061 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Northwestern Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 527 students attended Northwestern Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Northwestern Elementary?

Students at Northwestern Elementary are 93% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Northwestern Elementary attend?

Students who attend Northwestern Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Northwestern Middle High : Northwestern High

Northwestern Elementary

Summary:

Northwestern Elementary is a public elementary school located in Poplar, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 527 students. The school is part of the Maple School District, which is ranked 165 out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Northwestern Elementary has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking over the past decade, ranging from a high of 267 out of 1,061 Wisconsin elementary schools in 2013-2014 (rated 4 stars) to a low of 721 out of 1,075 in 2015-2016 (rated 2 stars). In the most recent school year (2023-2024), the school ranked 528 out of 1,061 and received a 3-star rating. The school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism rates, from 3.1% in 2019-2020 to 21.8% in 2021-2022, which is notably higher than the 12.6% rate in the most recent school year (2022-2023) and the 14.6% rate at the nearby Iron River Elementary. However, Northwestern Elementary's performance in Social Studies and Science for 4th grade was notably higher than the district and state averages.

The school's performance for specific student subgroups, such as white students and low socioeconomic status students, has been particularly low, with 1-star and 2-star ratings, respectively, in the most recent school year. Compared to the nearby Iron River Elementary, Northwestern Elementary had lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics across most grade levels. Understanding the factors contributing to these differences, as well as addressing the spike in chronic absenteeism and the performance disparities among student subgroups, could be important focus areas for the school and the Maple School District.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

10465 E US Highway 2
Poplar, WI 54864

(715) 364-8465

District: Maple School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
528^th of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,528

Students who attend Northwestern Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Northwestern Middle
High:	Northwestern High

Student/teacher ratio: 17.0

Number of students: 527

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.8%

Two or more races:

4.0%

Hispanic:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38.7%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare Northwestern Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Northwestern Elementary ranks better than 50.2% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.5. (See more...)

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 (92.8%), two or more races (4%), Hispanic (1.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 38.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwestern Elementary is 17. (See more...)

Compare Northwestern Elementary employs 31 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwestern Elementary is $11,528.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwestern Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwestern Elementary 528^th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Northwestern Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Maple School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Maple School District 165^th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Northwestern Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Northwestern Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WI State Percentile
2005	70.86	210^th	632	66.8%
2006	70.57	221^st	712	69.0%
2007	64.08	296^th	689	57.0%
2008	46.47	696^th	1021	31.8%
2009	53.98	573^rd	1030	44.4%
2010	56.61	558^th	1045	46.6%
2011	46.91	727^th	1046	30.5%
2012	54.79	596^th	1045	43.0%
2013	67.68	288^th	1053	72.6%
2014	69.84	267^th	1061	74.8%
2015	60.05	483^rd	1076	55.1%
2016	40.80	721^st	1075	32.9%
2017	62.00	411^th	1071	61.6%
2018	54.59	501^st	1025	51.1%
2019	57.77	463^rd	1037	55.4%
2021	55.87	500^th	1050	52.4%
2022	49.99	594^th	1067	44.3%
2023	52.99	571^st	1067	46.5%
2024	57.50	528^th	1061	50.2%

See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwestern Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	41.27	424^th	721	41.2%
2019	56.27	269^th	742	63.7%
2021	40.13	439^th	746	41.2%
2022	33.80	511^th	748	31.7%
2023	53.53	304^th	770	60.5%
2024	51.04	346^th	790	56.2%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northwestern Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	50.82	400^th	854	53.2%
2019	43.00	525^th	874	39.9%
2021	61.64	260^th	847	69.3%
2022	47.53	468^th	859	45.5%
2023	48.04	461^st	871	47.1%
2024	46.90	491^st	866	43.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Northwestern Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	55.93	468^th	997	53.1%
2019	52.99	515^th	1002	48.6%
2021	59.03	424^th	1004	57.8%
2022	53.47	511^th	1017	49.8%
2023	48.61	579^th	1010	42.7%
2024	56.19	507^th	1011	49.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Northwestern Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	54.66	482^nd	997	51.7%
2019	62.56	365^th	1002	63.6%
2021	52.54	531^st	1003	47.1%
2022	46.85	612^th	1017	39.8%
2023	57.45	473^rd	1011	53.2%
2024	57.76	486^th	1012	52.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Northwestern Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WI State Percentile
2021	54.83	304^th	699	56.5%
2022	26.67	570^th	704	19.0%
2023	46.61	416^th	715	41.8%
2024	36.60	517^th	727	28.9%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary 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

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Enrollment information for Northwestern Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1999	483	1	4	5	2	n/a	n/a	495
2000	492	2	5	4	4	n/a	n/a	507
2001	503	3	10	3	11	n/a	n/a	530
2002	461	6	8	6	10	n/a	n/a	491
2003	461	6	8	6	10	n/a	n/a	491
2004	470	6	7	3	9	n/a	n/a	495
2005	471	2	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	475
2006	475	8	7	3	11	n/a	n/a	504
2007	486	5	4	3	11	n/a	n/a	509
2008	487	13	5	4	1	n/a	n/a	510
2009	490	16	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	515
2010	537	10	7	2	0	n/a	n/a	556
2011	543	8	2	7	3	0	8	571
2012	529	7	2	5	5	1	7	556
2013	545	6	2	7	11	0	9	580
2014	505	3	2	6	6	0	19	541
2015	503	4	2	5	4	0	18	536
2016	501	3	1	9	7	0	15	536
2017	488	7	1	12	6	1	11	526
2018	494	4	0	7	4	1	9	519
2019	507	3	0	12	5	0	12	539
2020	493	6	1	12	7	0	17	536
2021	466	5	1	8	6	0	18	504
2022	476	5	1	10	7	0	13	512
2023	489	2	1	10	4	0	21	527

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 Northwestern Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	495	29.5	16.8	31.1
2000	507	30.0	16.9	30.6
2001	530	31.0	17.1	30.2
2002	491	29.1	16.9	27.3
2003	491	29.1	16.9	27.3
2004	495	28.2	17.6	26.1
2005	475	30.2	15.7	n/a
2006	504	31.1	16.2	n/a
2007	509	31.3	16.3	25.7
2008	510	33.8	15.1	27.1
2009	515	33.7	15.3	27.8
2010	556	35.3	15.7	31.5
2011	571	34.6	16.4	37.7
2012	556	32.6	17.0	40.3
2013	580	34.6	16.7	41.9
2014	541	36.6	14.7	37.9
2015	536	n/a	n/a	35.6
2016	536	35.0	15.3	33.2
2017	526	35.0	15.0	30.8
2018	519	31.1	16.6	24.9
2019	539	29.3	18.3	33.6
2020	536	33.8	15.8	34.3
2021	504	35.2	14.2	37.5
2022	512	34.0	15.0	30.9
2023	527	31.0	17.0	38.7

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 Northwestern Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	495	29.5	16.8	31.1
2000	507	30.0	16.9	30.6
2001	530	31.0	17.1	30.2
2002	491	29.1	16.9	27.3
2003	491	29.1	16.9	27.3
2004	495	28.2	17.6	26.1
2005	475	30.2	15.7	n/a
2006	504	31.1	16.2	n/a
2007	509	31.3	16.3	25.7
2008	510	33.8	15.1	27.1
2009	515	33.7	15.3	27.8
2010	556	35.3	15.7	31.5
2011	571	34.6	16.4	37.7
2012	556	32.6	17.0	40.3
2013	580	34.6	16.7	41.9
2014	541	36.6	14.7	37.9
2015	536	n/a	n/a	35.6
2016	536	35.0	15.3	33.2
2017	526	35.0	15.0	30.8
2018	519	31.1	16.6	24.9
2019	539	29.3	18.3	33.6
2020	536	33.8	15.8	34.3
2021	504	35.2	14.2	37.5
2022	512	34.0	15.0	30.9
2023	527	31.0	17.0	38.7

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 Northwestern Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$545 (5.5%)	$9,320 (94.5%)	$9,864
2020	$463 (4.4%)	$10,136 (95.6%)	$10,600
2021	$729 (6.3%)	$10,800 (93.7%)	$11,528

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwestern Elementary

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 463^rd of 1037 Elementary schools	Ranks 571^st of 1067 Elementary schools	8.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Northwestern Elementary)	47.8	53.7	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Maple School District)	52.6	52.5	0.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	39.5	37.9	1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Northwestern Elementary)	44.8	49.3	4.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Maple School District)	48.7	50	1.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	50.5	48.8	1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Northwestern Elementary)	41.9	40.6	1.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Maple School District)	41	44.7	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	43.9	45.8	1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Northwestern Elementary)	48.7	39.1	9.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Maple School District)	45.8	43.4	2.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	46.2	46.5	0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Northwestern Elementary)	55.4	53.1	2.3%
4th Grade Social Studies (Maple School District)	55.4	55.3	0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)	53.4	59.7	6.4%
4th Grade Science (Northwestern Elementary)	50	43.8	6.3%
4th Grade Science (Maple School District)	49.4	47.4	2%
4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)	53.9	52.1	1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Northwestern Elementary)	43	37.8	5.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Maple School District)	40.9	42.5	1.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	40.9	39.2	1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Northwestern Elementary)	80.2	56.7	23.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Maple School District)	74.6	61.3	13.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	47.8	48.4	0.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	539	527	2.2%
African American	3	2	33.3%
American Indian	5	4	20%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	12	10	16.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	507	489	3.6%
Two or More Races	12	21	75%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.6%	38.7%	5.1%

Schools Near Northwestern Elementary

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 3rd Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 4th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 5th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 3rd Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 4th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 4th Grade	Forward Exam Science 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Northwestern Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10465 E US Highway 2	Poplar	54864	Douglas County	Maple School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 364-8465	527	31	17.0	38.7%	489 (92.8%)	2 (0.4%)	10 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.0%)	57.5	528^th of 1061 public elementary schools	50.2%		53	571^st of 1067 public elementary schools	46.5%	43	52.9	58.0	45.3		47.1	62.3	62.5		71.0	60.9	$11,528	$729	$10,800
Lake Superior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6200 E 3rd St	Superior	54880	Douglas County	Superior School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 398-7672	151	10	15.5	44.4%	119 (78.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (13.2%)	47.2	647^th of 1061 public elementary schools	39.0%		51.8	585^th of 1067 public elementary schools	45.2%	62	22.2	50.0	69.2		38.9	36.8	57.7		60.0	60.0	$14,540	$1,057	$13,483
Four Corners Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4465 E County Road B	Superior	54880	Douglas County	Superior School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 399-8911	193	15	13.2	24.9%	172 (89.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.7%)	51.6	610^th of 1061 public elementary schools	42.5%		54.9	540^th of 1067 public elementary schools	49.4%	70	66.7	54.2	48.7		66.7	41.7	59.5		54.2	41.7	$13,237	$874	$12,363
Iron River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7730 Pettingill Ave	Iron River	54847	Bayfield County	Maple School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 372-4334	102	9	11.6	37.3%	90 (88.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.0%)	67.9	357^th of 1061 public elementary schools	66.4%		80.6	155^th of 1067 public elementary schools	85.5%	202	38.9	84.6	77.8		50.0	53.9	100.0		84.6	84.6	$14,684	$262	$14,422
Eagles' Wings Public Montessori Charter	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	8993 E Baldwin Ave	Solon Springs	54873	Douglas County	Solon Springs School District	Yes	No	No	No	(715) 378-2263	86	6	14.7	39.5%	82 (95.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	2 (2.3%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25.9	844^th of 1061 public elementary schools	20.5%		33.8	782^nd of 1067 public elementary schools	26.7%	62	37.5	33.3	54.6	71.4	25.0	44.4	27.3	28.6	33.3	22.2	$8,622	$105	$8,516
Great Lakes Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	129 N 28th St E	Superior	54880	Douglas County	Superior School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 395-8500	388	23	16.6	40.2%	317 (81.7%)	15 (3.9%)	7 (1.8%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	41 (10.6%)	69	338^th of 1061 public elementary schools	68.1%		71.2	274^th of 1067 public elementary schools	74.3%	64	66.0	70.6	71.0		74.0	62.8	53.2		72.6	47.1	$11,604	$646	$10,958
Bryant Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1423 Central Ave	Superior	54880	Douglas County	Superior School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 394-8785	291	19	15.4	53.6%	257 (88.3%)	7 (2.4%)	11 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.1%)	60.8	473^rd of 1061 public elementary schools	55.4%		64.2	392^nd of 1067 public elementary schools	63.3%	81	43.6	74.4	63.8		51.3	62.8	48.9		72.1	58.1	$13,664	$1,092	$12,572
Northern Lights Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1201 N 28th St	Superior	54880	Douglas County	Superior School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 395-6066	491	33	14.8	68.2%	349 (71.1%)	21 (4.3%)	24 (4.9%)	4 (0.8%)	17 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (15.5%)	27.8	829^th of 1061 public elementary schools	21.9%		26.2	856^th of 1067 public elementary schools	19.8%	27	43.1	48.6	35.6		41.2	32.9	28.8		42.9	45.7	$14,551	$1,120	$13,431
Cooper Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1807 Missouri Ave	Superior	54880	Douglas County	Superior School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 394-8790	341	24	14.1	45.5%	274 (80.4%)	9 (2.6%)	14 (4.1%)	5 (1.5%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (10.6%)	53	592^nd of 1061 public elementary schools	44.2%		45.6	654^th of 1067 public elementary schools	38.7%	62	58.8	55.8	54.2		62.8	46.5	52.1		58.1	48.8	$13,197	$648	$12,549

Northwestern Elementary

Northwestern Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Maple School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Northwestern Elementary

Rank History for all students at Northwestern Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwestern Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northwestern Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Northwestern Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Northwestern Elementary

Rank History for White students at Northwestern Elementary

Enrollment information for Northwestern Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Northwestern Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Northwestern Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Northwestern Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwestern Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Northwestern Elementary