Is Merrill High a good school?

Merrill High ranks in the bottom 22.7% of Wisconsin high schools.

How many students attend Merrill High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 795 students attended Merrill High.

What is the racial makeup of Merrill High?

Students at Merrill High are 91% White, 4% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Merrill High?

Merrill High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Kate Goodrich Elementary Elementary : Washington Elementary Middle : Prairie River Middle

Merrill High

Summary:

Merrill High is a public high school located in Merrill, Wisconsin, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 803 students. It is part of the Merrill Area School District, which is ranked 224 out of 428 school districts in Wisconsin and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Merrill High has consistently maintained high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 93.1% to 96.5% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. However, the school has seen a steady increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 12.9% to 24.0% in recent years, which is higher than the state average and nearby schools like Marathon High and D.C. Everest Idea School. Merrill High's test scores in subjects like Social Studies, English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are generally lower than the state averages and the nearby schools, with proficiency rates ranging from 25.17% to 47.78% in 2023-2024, compared to the state averages of 42.37% to 45.65%.

Merrill High's relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 33.87% to 36.98%, may be a contributing factor to its lower academic performance compared to the nearby schools. The school's statewide ranking has also declined in recent years, dropping from 258 out of 400 high schools in 2018-2019 to 333 out of 431 high schools in 2023-2024. To improve its overall performance, Merrill High may need to address the factors contributing to its lower test scores and higher chronic absenteeism, as well as consider strategies to support its socioeconomically disadvantaged student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1201 N Sales St
Merrill, WI 54452-3197

(715) 536-4594

District: Merrill Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
333^rd of 431 Wisconsin High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,446

Feeder schools for Merrill High:

Elementary:	Kate Goodrich Elementary
	Washington Elementary
Middle:	Prairie River Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 17.2

Number of students: 795

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.7%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 36.4%

See top rated Wisconsin high schools

Compare Merrill High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Merrill High ranks worse than 77.3% of high schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.54. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Merrill High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (90.7%), two or more races (3.9%), Hispanic (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 36.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merrill High is 17.2. (See more...)

Compare Merrill High employs 46.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merrill High is $12,446.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merrill High:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill High 333^rd of 431 Wisconsin public high schools. (See Merrill High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Merrill Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill Area School District 224^th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Merrill High

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Rank History for all students at Merrill High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2004	66.06	101^st	275	63.3%
2005	65.60	107^th	287	62.7%
2006	68.27	99^th	292	66.1%
2007	62.55	150^th	281	46.6%
2008	48.09	313^th	437	28.4%
2009	55.83	251^st	438	42.7%
2010	44.51	352^nd	450	21.8%
2011	52.00	293^rd	445	34.2%
2012	58.51	230^th	452	49.1%
2013	53.02	265^th	457	42.0%
2014	53.32	259^th	462	43.9%
2015	38.19	375^th	466	19.5%
2016	37.74	280^th	408	31.4%
2017	30.77	297^th	410	27.6%
2018	33.01	304^th	410	25.9%
2019	39.25	258^th	400	35.5%
2021	37.44	254^th	390	34.9%
2022	16.84	356^th	391	9.0%
2023	40.19	256^th	415	38.3%
2024	28.54	333^rd	431	22.7%

See the entire list of Wisconsin High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Merrill High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	18.39	34^th	37	8.1%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merrill High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	41.12	153^rd	255	40.0%
2019	42.77	141^st	251	43.8%
2021	36.04	146^th	226	35.4%
2023	45.19	151^st	271	44.3%
2024	42.58	200^th	326	38.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at Merrill High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	36.22	253^rd	355	28.7%
2019	36.83	230^th	343	32.9%
2021	36.52	219^th	332	34.0%
2022	31.29	259^th	343	24.5%
2023	51.83	162^nd	329	50.8%
2024	26.65	284^th	353	19.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Merrill High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	26.38	309^th	373	17.2%
2019	35.87	239^th	354	32.5%
2021	32.71	237^th	334	29.0%
2022	17.35	315^th	347	9.2%
2023	26.24	288^th	359	19.8%
2024	27.14	293^rd	365	19.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Merrill High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	21.54	222^nd	261	14.9%
2019	27.86	201^st	266	24.4%
2021	28.65	200^th	266	24.8%
2022	10.30	259^th	269	3.7%
2023	29.94	200^th	271	26.2%
2024	18.06	264^th	300	12.0%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High 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 Merrill High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	858	1	6	1	4	n/a	n/a	870
1989	849	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	n/a	854
1990	809	3	5	3	2	n/a	n/a	822
1991	812	1	9	1	1	n/a	n/a	824
1992	783	2	8	2	1	n/a	n/a	796
1993	771	0	8	3	2	n/a	n/a	784
1994	818	0	5	8	4	n/a	n/a	835
1995	899	1	3	6	6	n/a	n/a	915
1996	899	1	3	6	6	n/a	n/a	915
1997	892	2	4	4	11	n/a	n/a	913
1998	876	2	4	3	9	n/a	n/a	894
1999	1215	1	8	7	14	n/a	n/a	1245
2000	1253	3	12	7	10	n/a	n/a	1285
2001	1229	1	13	7	7	n/a	n/a	1257
2002	1158	1	15	8	2	n/a	n/a	1184
2003	1158	1	15	8	2	n/a	n/a	1184
2004	1127	0	20	8	2	n/a	n/a	1157
2005	1148	2	19	10	1	n/a	n/a	1180
2006	1148	2	12	13	7	n/a	n/a	1182
2007	1133	1	11	15	6	n/a	n/a	1166
2008	1087	1	13	11	6	n/a	n/a	1118
2009	1117	1	12	8	4	n/a	n/a	1142
2010	1084	2	13	9	1	n/a	n/a	1109
2011	1058	4	15	12	2	0	1	1092
2012	1024	8	11	9	2	1	1	1056
2013	985	7	7	10	1	4	0	1014
2014	915	8	6	12	2	5	0	948
2015	850	11	5	9	3	6	0	884
2016	815	15	2	10	6	4	3	855
2017	802	12	2	7	3	3	3	832
2018	761	8	2	13	3	1	15	803
2019	792	10	4	17	5	1	21	850
2020	756	9	5	18	6	1	31	826
2021	738	6	8	22	3	3	34	814
2022	724	5	2	18	3	2	40	794
2023	722	8	2	28	3	1	39	803
2024	721	7	2	29	4	1	31	795

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 Merrill High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	870	52.0	16.7	18.9
1989	854	48.0	17.7	8.5
1990	822	55.0	14.9	7.8
1991	824	53.0	15.5	14
1992	796	51.0	15.6	18
1993	784	49.5	15.8	15.2
1994	835	51.2	16.3	15.1
1995	915	54.2	16.9	16.2
1996	915	54.2	16.9	16.2
1997	913	54.9	16.6	17.2
1998	894	53.1	16.8	17.6
1999	1245	67.6	18.4	27.7
2000	1285	71.2	18.0	29.5
2001	1257	73.0	17.2	28.8
2002	1184	71.5	16.6	18.4
2003	1184	71.5	16.6	18.4
2004	1157	66.0	17.5	15.2
2005	1180	65.8	17.9	n/a
2006	1182	64.5	18.3	n/a
2007	1166	62.6	18.6	22.2
2008	1118	61.2	18.3	23.3
2009	1142	61.4	18.6	25.9
2010	1109	58.3	19.0	34
2011	1092	57.6	18.9	36.8
2012	1056	55.4	19.0	39.3
2013	1014	55.4	18.2	39.3
2014	948	54.9	17.2	37.2
2015	884	n/a	n/a	38.9
2016	855	53.0	16.1	35
2017	832	53.9	15.4	33.8
2018	803	50.9	15.7	31.8
2019	850	50.5	16.8	39.4
2020	826	51.4	16.0	34.6
2021	814	49.5	16.4	37
2022	794	49.9	15.8	35
2023	803	48.0	16.7	33.9
2024	795	46.1	17.2	36.4

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 Merrill High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	870	52.0	16.7	18.9
1989	854	48.0	17.7	8.5
1990	822	55.0	14.9	7.8
1991	824	53.0	15.5	14
1992	796	51.0	15.6	18
1993	784	49.5	15.8	15.2
1994	835	51.2	16.3	15.1
1995	915	54.2	16.9	16.2
1996	915	54.2	16.9	16.2
1997	913	54.9	16.6	17.2
1998	894	53.1	16.8	17.6
1999	1245	67.6	18.4	27.7
2000	1285	71.2	18.0	29.5
2001	1257	73.0	17.2	28.8
2002	1184	71.5	16.6	18.4
2003	1184	71.5	16.6	18.4
2004	1157	66.0	17.5	15.2
2005	1180	65.8	17.9	n/a
2006	1182	64.5	18.3	n/a
2007	1166	62.6	18.6	22.2
2008	1118	61.2	18.3	23.3
2009	1142	61.4	18.6	25.9
2010	1109	58.3	19.0	34
2011	1092	57.6	18.9	36.8
2012	1056	55.4	19.0	39.3
2013	1014	55.4	18.2	39.3
2014	948	54.9	17.2	37.2
2015	884	n/a	n/a	38.9
2016	855	53.0	16.1	35
2017	832	53.9	15.4	33.8
2018	803	50.9	15.7	31.8
2019	850	50.5	16.8	39.4
2020	826	51.4	16.0	34.6
2021	814	49.5	16.4	37
2022	794	49.9	15.8	35
2023	803	48.0	16.7	33.9
2024	795	46.1	17.2	36.4

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 Merrill High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$322 (2.6%)	$11,831 (97.4%)	$12,153
2020	$325 (2.5%)	$12,505 (97.5%)	$12,830
2021	$272 (2.2%)	$12,174 (97.8%)	$12,446

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Merrill High

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 258^th of 400 High schools	Ranks 256^th of 415 High schools	2.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Social Studies (Merrill High)	40.5	37.3	3.2%
10th Grade Social Studies (Merrill Area School District)	43.1	38.3	4.7%
10th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)	45.9	47.2	1.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill High)	32.8	40.1	7.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Area School District)	35.5	42.2	6.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	38.8	41.4	2.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Merrill High)	29.6	29.7	0.1%
10th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Area School District)	28.1	27.3	0.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	30.8	29.4	1.3%
10th Grade Science (Merrill High)	32.8	30.2	2.6%
10th Grade Science (Merrill Area School District)	30.3	30.6	0.3%
10th Grade Science (Wisconsin)	32.7	31.7	1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	850	803	5.5%
African American	10	8	20%
American Indian	5	3	40%
Asian	4	2	50%
Hispanic	17	28	64.7%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	792	722	8.8%
Two or More Races	21	39	85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39.4%	33.9%	5.5%

Schools Near Merrill High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ACT English Language Arts (2024)	ACT Mathematics (2024)	ACT Science (2024)	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	ACT English Language Arts 10th Grade	ACT Mathematics 10th Grade	ACT Science 10th Grade	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 Social Studies 10th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Merrill High	Public	9-12	1201 N Sales St	Merrill	54452	Lincoln County	Merrill Area School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 536-4594	795	46	17.2	36.4%	721 (90.7%)	7 (0.9%)	29 (3.6%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (3.9%)	28.5	333^rd of 431 public high schools	22.7%		40.2	256^th of 415 public high schools	38.3%	77	25.2	30.6	32.7								47.8		$12,446	$272	$12,174
Merrill Adult Diploma Academy	Public, Charter	10-12	1004 E 1st Street	Merrill	54452	Lincoln County	Merrill Area School District	Yes	No	No	No	(715) 536-1431	25	1	25.0	44.0%	22 (88.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.0%)								(n/a)													$11,851	$176	$11,675
Lincoln Hills School	Public	6-12	W4380 Copper Lake Ave	Irma	54442	Lincoln County	Wisconsin Department of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(715) 536-8386	47	6	8.4		7 (14.9%)	40 (85.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Copper Lake School	Public	7-12	W4380 Copper Lake Ave	Irma	54442	Lincoln County	Wisconsin Department of Corrections	No	No	No	No	(715) 536-8386	5	1	3.4		1 (20.0%)	2 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (20.0%)	1 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Enrich Excel Achieve Learning Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	2607 N 18th St	Wausau	54403	Marathon County	Wausau School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(715) 261-2490	33	6	5.5	60.6%	27 (81.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.0%)								(n/a)											37.5		$17,077	$1,373	$15,705
East High	Public	9-12	2607 N 18th St	Wausau	54403	Marathon County	Wausau School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 261-0650	897	67	13.4	45.0%	607 (67.7%)	35 (3.9%)	70 (7.8%)	107 (11.9%)	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	69 (7.7%)	50.3	222^nd of 431 public high schools	48.5%		62.3	136^th of 415 public high schools	67.2%	86	44.7	50.0	43.8								41.3		$14,216	$775	$13,440
West High	Public	9-12	1200 W Wausau Ave	Wausau	54401	Marathon County	Wausau School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 261-0850	1,443	98	14.6	43.9%	884 (61.3%)	23 (1.6%)	112 (7.8%)	333 (23.1%)	12 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	78 (5.4%)	61.1	156^th of 431 public high schools	63.8%		61.6	140^th of 415 public high schools	66.3%	16	48.9	52.2	48.6								47.0		$12,525	$297	$12,228
Marathon High	Public	9-12	204 East St	Marathon	54448	Marathon County	Marathon City School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 443-2226	282	22	12.6	17.0%	260 (92.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.9%)	5 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	80.1	55^th of 431 public high schools	87.2%		73.5	80^th of 415 public high schools	80.7%	25	61.7	70.0	68.3								45.2		$17,476	$307	$17,168
D C Everest Idea School	Public, Charter	6-12	4704 Camp Phillips Rd	Weston	54476	Marathon County	D C Everest Area School District	Yes	No	No	No	(715) 359-0511	66	4	15.9	25.8%	58 (87.9%)	2 (3.0%)	2 (3.0%)	1 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.5%)	62.8	145^th of 431 public high schools	66.4%		98.6	4^th of 415 public high schools	99.0%	141	75.0	33.3	41.7	44.4	71.4	85.7	33.3	42.9	57.1	42.9	66.7	71.4	$11,837	$554	$11,283
Tomahawk High	Public	9-12	1048 E Kings Rd	Tomahawk	54487	Lincoln County	Tomahawk School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 453-2106	353	26	13.6	34.3%	336 (95.2%)	6 (1.7%)	4 (1.1%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	54.6	190^th of 431 public high schools	55.9%		60.4	149^th of 415 public high schools	64.1%	41	47.4	43.6	42.3								55.3		$14,918	$378	$14,540

Merrill High

Merrill High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Merrill Area School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Merrill High

Rank History for all students at Merrill High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Merrill High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Merrill High

Rank History for Female students at Merrill High

Rank History for Male students at Merrill High

Rank History for White students at Merrill High

Enrollment information for Merrill High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merrill High

Student/Teacher Ratio Merrill High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merrill High

Impact of COVID-19 on Merrill High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Merrill High

Merrill High

Merrill Adult Diploma Academy

Lincoln Hills School

Copper Lake School

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