Northern Lights Elementary

Summary:

Northern Lights Elementary is a public elementary school in Superior, Wisconsin, serving 491 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Superior School District, which is ranked 299 out of 428 districts in the state.

Despite increased per-student spending and a relatively favorable student-teacher ratio, Northern Lights Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom half of Wisconsin elementary schools, with proficiency rates on the Forward Exam significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas, particularly in Mathematics. The school's high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, at 68.23%, and a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, from 7.1% to 17.2% in recent years, may be contributing factors to its academic struggles.

Interestingly, nearby Four Corners Elementary, Lake Superior Elementary, Bryant Elementary, and Great Lakes Elementary, all within the Superior School District, generally outperform Northern Lights Elementary on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates and better rankings, as well as lower chronic absenteeism rates and more favorable student demographics.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1201 N 28th St
       Superior, WI  54880


(715) 395-6066

District: Superior School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
829th of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,551 Help


Students who attend Northern Lights Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Superior Middle
High:    Superior High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.8 Help
Number of students:  491

Racial breakdown:

White:
71.1%
Two or more races:
15.5%
Hispanic:
4.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  68.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Northern Lights Elementary ranks worse than 78.1% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks last among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Superior School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 27.85. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Northern Lights Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Superior School District. Racial makeup is: White (71.1%), two or more races (15.5%), Hispanic (4.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 68.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Superior School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northern Lights Elementary is 14.8, which is the 3rd best among 6 elementary schools in the Superior School District. (See more...)
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Compare Northern Lights Elementary employs 33 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northern Lights Elementary is $14,551, which is the highest among 6 elementary schools in the Superior School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northern Lights Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern Lights Elementary 829th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Northern Lights Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Superior School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Superior School District 299th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Northern Lights Elementary?

Rank History for Northern Lights Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 11.71 569th 633 10.1%
2005 15.86 550th 632 13.0%
2006 24.29 595th 712 16.4%
2007 19.32 606th 689 12.0%
2008 21.51 902nd 1021 11.7%
2009 41.36 756th 1030 26.6%
2010 50.67 664th 1045 36.5%
2011 25.24 911th 1046 12.9%
2012 25.32 902nd 1045 13.7%
2013 39.55 759th 1053 27.9%
2014 44.26 706th 1061 33.5%
2015 29.40 871st 1076 19.1%
2016 32.09 809th 1075 24.7%
2017 39.71 721st 1071 32.7%
2018 29.10 812th 1025 20.8%
2019 30.53 791st 1037 23.7%
2021 24.07 849th 1050 19.1%
2022 19.82 900th 1067 15.7%
2023 26.18 856th 1067 19.8%
2024 27.85 829th 1061 21.9%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.78 60th 67 10.4%
2019 47.75 38th 76 50.0%
2021 23.10 70th 85 17.6%
2022 33.13 47th 77 39.0%
2023 42.36 52nd 96 45.8%
2024 43.93 69th 119 42.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.13 368th 721 49.0%
2019 43.72 384th 742 48.2%
2021 36.96 473rd 746 36.6%
2022 20.47 654th 748 12.6%
2023 22.32 647th 770 16.0%
2024 21.12 676th 790 14.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.30 592nd 854 30.7%
2019 36.21 613th 874 29.9%
2021 31.88 630th 847 25.6%
2022 22.63 734th 859 14.6%
2023 26.55 716th 871 17.8%
2024 26.48 703rd 866 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.87 796th 997 20.2%
2019 33.88 737th 1002 26.4%
2021 23.33 827th 1004 17.6%
2022 20.04 863rd 1017 15.1%
2023 22.49 835th 1010 17.3%
2024 30.32 779th 1011 22.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.30 780th 997 21.8%
2019 30.50 776th 1002 22.6%
2021 28.49 783rd 1003 21.9%
2022 22.96 838th 1017 17.6%
2023 33.04 739th 1011 26.9%
2024 27.87 797th 1012 21.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.75 138th 165 16.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 23.58 266th 331 19.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Northern Lights Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.57 616th 686 10.2%
2019 13.71 656th 718 8.6%
2021 10.32 672nd 699 3.9%
2022 8.36 681st 704 3.3%
2023 12.83 674th 715 5.7%
2024 10.67 687th 727 5.5%
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.

Northern Lights Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
Facebook Profile Picture by a parent on FaceBook
Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Open Quote Teachers, administrators, and other staff at Northern Lights (from the Engineers and custodians to food service and tutors) work as a cohesive team with parents to provide the best possible educational and developmental environment for all students.

I was initially intimidated by the size of the school (over 650 students at the time my children enrolled) and the socio-economic demographic served. I have since seen the benefits of a system that allows grade levels some isolation while integrating multi-age classes and encouraging diversity (and acceptance, not just tolerance).

Northern Lights prepares students to succeed in Middle School by building their academic foundation while teaching them to exist in larger society. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Northern Lights Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 566 17 28 5 29 n/a n/a 0 645
2003 566 17 28 5 29 n/a n/a 0 645
2004 555 24 22 10 32 n/a n/a 0 643
2005 539 17 22 10 40 n/a n/a 0 628
2006 533 27 26 8 31 n/a n/a 0 625
2007 746 22 24 8 34 n/a n/a 0 834
2008 776 31 19 17 38 n/a n/a 0 881
2009 776 44 17 14 52 n/a n/a 0 903
2010 571 45 18 13 53 n/a n/a 0 700
2011 483 56 10 16 55 0 0 0 620
2012 495 45 9 16 45 0 30 0 640
2013 469 33 6 12 22 0 36 0 578
2014 488 30 6 10 22 0 41 0 597
2015 484 34 6 10 22 0 57 0 613
2016 467 29 6 15 11 0 71 0 599
2017 496 31 7 17 14 0 64 0 629
2018 459 29 8 20 16 0 70 0 602
2019 438 30 6 21 9 0 77 0 581
2020 407 19 6 23 12 0 82 0 549
2021 378 15 4 18 8 0 63 0 486
2022 337 8 5 17 10 0 65 0 442
2023 349 21 4 24 17 0 76 0 491

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 Northern Lights Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 645 48.8 13.2 67.8
2003 645 48.8 13.2 67.8
2004 643 51.0 12.6 57.5
2005 628 50.0 12.6 n/a
2006 625 52.5 11.9 n/a
2007 834 50.0 16.7 51
2008 881 50.0 17.6 42.5
2009 903 49.5 18.2 49.4
2010 700 50.0 14.0 64
2011 620 47.0 13.1 72.1
2012 640 42.0 15.2 74.2
2013 578 44.0 13.1 71.5
2014 597 44.0 13.5 67.5
2015 613 n/a n/a 73.4
2016 599 44.0 13.6 70.8
2017 629 43.7 14.3 66.8
2018 602 45.7 13.1 63.6
2019 581 42.1 13.7 70.1
2020 549 41.6 13.1 72.9
2021 486 40.0 12.1 75.3
2022 442 37.9 11.6 67.6
2023 491 33.0 14.8 68.2

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 Northern Lights Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 645 48.8 13.2 67.8
2003 645 48.8 13.2 67.8
2004 643 51.0 12.6 57.5
2005 628 50.0 12.6 n/a
2006 625 52.5 11.9 n/a
2007 834 50.0 16.7 51
2008 881 50.0 17.6 42.5
2009 903 49.5 18.2 49.4
2010 700 50.0 14.0 64
2011 620 47.0 13.1 72.1
2012 640 42.0 15.2 74.2
2013 578 44.0 13.1 71.5
2014 597 44.0 13.5 67.5
2015 613 n/a n/a 73.4
2016 599 44.0 13.6 70.8
2017 629 43.7 14.3 66.8
2018 602 45.7 13.1 63.6
2019 581 42.1 13.7 70.1
2020 549 41.6 13.1 72.9
2021 486 40.0 12.1 75.3
2022 442 37.9 11.6 67.6
2023 491 33.0 14.8 68.2

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 Northern Lights Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $253 (2.1%) $11,960 (97.9%) $12,213
2020 $597 (4.6%) $12,433 (95.4%) $13,030
2021 $1,120 (7.7%) $13,431 (92.3%) $14,551

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northern Lights 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 791st of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 856th of 1067 Elementary schools
 3.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Northern Lights Elementary)34.841.2
 6.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Superior School District)38.437.2
 1.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Northern Lights Elementary)41.339.1
 2.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Superior School District)54.142.9
 11.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Northern Lights Elementary)30.334.9
 4.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Superior School District)4652.3
 6.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Northern Lights Elementary)22.519.1
 3.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Superior School District)42.641.4
 1.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Northern Lights Elementary)50.641
 9.6%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Superior School District)59.660.1
 0.4%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Northern Lights Elementary)43.831.2
 12.7%
   4th Grade Science (Superior School District)57.553.4
 4.1%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Northern Lights Elementary)33.721.4
 12.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Superior School District)46.636.9
 9.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Northern Lights Elementary)29.817.9
 12%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Superior School District)42.441.5
 0.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students581491
 15.5%
African American3021
 30%
American Indian917
 88.9%
Asian64
 33.3%
Hispanic2124
 14.3%
Pacific Islander00
White438349
 20.3%
Two or More Races7776
 1.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients70.1%68.2%
 1.8%


Schools Near Northern Lights Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Northern Lights Elementary

Students at Northern Lights Elementary are 71% White, 15% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 4% African American, 3% American Indian.

Students who attend Northern Lights Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Superior Middle
High : Superior High

Northern Lights Elementary ranks in the bottom 21.9% of Wisconsin elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 491 students attended Northern Lights Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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