Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Summary:

Waunakee Prairie Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades PK-4 in the Waunakee Community School District, with 533 students. This school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Wisconsin, currently ranking 83rd out of 1,061 schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Waunakee Prairie Elementary consistently outperforms the state and district averages on the Forward Exam, with a higher percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced in core subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, 73.08% of 3rd graders and 75.53% of 4th graders were proficient or advanced in English Language Arts, compared to 52.07% and 53.42% statewide, respectively. The school's performance is particularly strong in Mathematics, with 79.81% of 3rd graders and 81.91% of 4th graders scoring proficient or advanced, compared to 56.58% and 55.05% statewide. Waunakee Prairie Elementary also excels in supporting the academic achievement of various student subgroups, often ranking among the top Wisconsin elementary schools for female, male, Asian, Hispanic, and special education students.

Waunakee Prairie Elementary has relatively low chronic absenteeism rates compared to the state and nearby schools, such as Arboretum Elementary and Waunakee Heritage Elementary. Additionally, the school spends more per student ($14,039 in 2020-2021) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (12.2 in 2022-2023) than its nearby counterparts, suggesting a focus on providing a well-resourced and personalized learning environment for its students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

 700 N Madison St
       Waunakee, WI  53597-1054


(608) 849-2200

District: Waunakee Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
83rd of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,039 Help


Students who attend Waunakee Prairie Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Waunakee Intermediate
    Waunakee Middle
High:    Waunakee High

Student/teacher ratio:  12.2 Help
Number of students:  533

Racial breakdown:

White:
84.6%
Hispanic:
6.9%
Two or more races:
3.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  7.3% Help


 See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

 Compare Waunakee Prairie Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Waunakee Prairie Elementary ranks better than 92.2% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Waunakee Community School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.31. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.6%), Hispanic (6.9%), two or more races (3.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 7.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Waunakee Prairie Elementary is 12.2. 1 elementary schools in the Waunakee Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Waunakee Prairie Elementary employs 43.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waunakee Prairie Elementary is $14,039, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Waunakee Community School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Waunakee Prairie Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Waunakee Prairie Elementary 83rd of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Waunakee Prairie 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:


Waunakee Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waunakee Community School District 29th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Waunakee Prairie Elementary?

Rank History for Waunakee Prairie Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 80.88 67th 632 89.4%
2006 86.05 32nd 712 95.5%
2007 87.82 19th 689 97.2%
2008 79.03 106th 1021 89.6%
2009 73.16 216th 1030 79.0%
2010 82.98 60th 1045 94.3%
2011 81.32 72nd 1046 93.1%
2012 82.11 46th 1045 95.6%
2013 83.31 75th 1053 92.9%
2014 78.20 147th 1061 86.1%
2015 64.49 379th 1076 64.8%
2016 75.88 207th 1075 80.7%
2017 76.57 191st 1071 82.2%
2018 81.11 128th 1025 87.5%
2019 82.01 119th 1037 88.5%
2021 80.03 151st 1050 85.6%
2022 79.32 159th 1067 85.1%
2023 81.65 138th 1067 87.1%
2024 85.31 83rd 1061 92.2%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 79.09 11th 76 85.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.58 10th 287 96.5%
2019 92.67 8th 275 97.1%
2022 69.52 38th 248 84.7%
2023 51.48 97th 249 61.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.92 125th 721 82.7%
2019 77.45 95th 742 87.2%
2021 76.64 95th 746 87.3%
2023 90.17 28th 770 96.4%
2024 91.19 34th 790 95.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.57 78th 854 90.9%
2019 63.77 240th 874 72.5%
2021 41.01 536th 847 36.7%
2022 42.04 528th 859 38.5%
2023 39.85 572nd 871 34.3%
2024 85.43 45th 866 94.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.13 136th 997 86.4%
2019 81.36 109th 1002 89.1%
2021 82.15 120th 1004 88.0%
2022 79.80 140th 1017 86.2%
2023 82.29 117th 1010 88.4%
2024 82.32 97th 1011 90.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.48 135th 997 86.5%
2019 80.21 131st 1002 86.9%
2021 74.29 202nd 1003 79.9%
2022 76.58 187th 1017 81.6%
2023 79.45 151st 1011 85.1%
2024 85.80 70th 1012 93.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 90.69 15th 116 87.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 93.70 10th 274 96.4%
2022 74.96 52nd 296 82.4%
2023 89.95 21st 290 92.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.85 149th 686 78.3%
2019 74.03 142nd 718 80.2%
2021 66.98 203rd 699 71.0%
2022 69.33 176th 704 75.0%
2023 70.97 172nd 715 75.9%
2024 78.51 111th 727 84.7%
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.

Waunakee Prairie 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: 4)
50%

0%

50%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, October 8, 2021

Open Quote Academics are excellent. However, diversity is greatly lacking and there is a lot of passive racism from some of the teachers and Kaminsky, the principal. For example, teachers single out parents of color over white parents and will “scold”
Them for things like where they stand at pick up. But when a white parent does the same thing, they are allowed and even have friendly waves from same teacher that scolded minority parent. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, February 28, 2013

Open Quote The best elementary school in the district. The teachers are exceptional. The administration is solid. We had to go here instead of one of the other elementary schools when we moved here because of overcrowding and I am so grateful.

There are things that I would consider changing here in Waunakee to make it more cutting edge and a more progressive district, but nothing really here at this school. They rock! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Waunakee Prairie Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1997 539 4 4 4 2 n/a n/a 0 553
1998 570 5 6 5 1 n/a n/a 0 587
1999 621 9 10 4 3 n/a n/a 0 647
2000 592 10 6 4 2 n/a n/a 0 614
2001 589 9 11 4 1 n/a n/a 0 614
2002 618 6 7 4 1 n/a n/a 0 636
2003 618 6 7 4 1 n/a n/a 0 636
2004 614 4 7 6 3 n/a n/a 0 634
2005 599 3 8 10 4 n/a n/a 0 624
2006 659 5 5 11 3 n/a n/a 0 683
2007 458 4 2 11 2 n/a n/a 0 477
2008 509 3 5 10 2 n/a n/a 0 529
2009 541 6 4 8 1 n/a n/a 0 560
2010 529 7 5 10 1 n/a n/a 0 552
2011 524 10 8 9 0 0 1 0 552
2012 497 9 10 7 0 0 1 0 524
2013 491 9 5 13 0 0 4 0 522
2014 501 11 5 21 0 0 8 0 546
2015 534 10 8 29 0 1 12 0 594
2016 539 13 7 28 0 1 17 0 605
2017 497 6 13 35 0 0 21 0 572
2018 513 8 16 27 0 0 25 0 589
2019 508 10 23 26 0 0 30 0 597
2020 484 11 22 22 0 0 25 0 564
2021 441 11 19 25 0 0 14 0 510
2022 433 8 18 32 0 0 21 0 512
2023 451 12 15 37 0 0 18 0 533

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 Waunakee Prairie Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1997 553 32.9 16.8 2.2
1998 587 34.4 17.1 2
1999 647 38.4 16.8 3.2
2000 614 39.7 15.5 2.9
2001 614 39.2 15.7 3.1
2002 636 40.0 15.9 4.1
2003 636 40.0 15.9 4.1
2004 634 41.8 15.2 4.1
2005 624 42.3 14.8 n/a
2006 683 43.2 15.8 n/a
2007 477 30.8 15.5 6.5
2008 529 34.9 15.2 5.7
2009 560 38.0 14.7 6.6
2010 552 40.1 13.7 8.7
2011 552 41.0 13.4 9.8
2012 524 39.0 13.4 8.4
2013 522 40.0 13.0 10
2014 546 40.5 13.4 11.5
2015 594 n/a n/a 11.8
2016 605 45.0 13.4 10.4
2017 572 43.5 13.1 10.8
2018 589 44.7 13.1 9
2019 597 43.7 13.6 9.9
2020 564 45.2 12.4 9.8
2021 510 46.5 10.9 8.4
2022 512 46.5 11.0 7.6
2023 533 43.5 12.2 7.3

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 Waunakee Prairie Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1997 553 32.9 16.8 2.2
1998 587 34.4 17.1 2
1999 647 38.4 16.8 3.2
2000 614 39.7 15.5 2.9
2001 614 39.2 15.7 3.1
2002 636 40.0 15.9 4.1
2003 636 40.0 15.9 4.1
2004 634 41.8 15.2 4.1
2005 624 42.3 14.8 n/a
2006 683 43.2 15.8 n/a
2007 477 30.8 15.5 6.5
2008 529 34.9 15.2 5.7
2009 560 38.0 14.7 6.6
2010 552 40.1 13.7 8.7
2011 552 41.0 13.4 9.8
2012 524 39.0 13.4 8.4
2013 522 40.0 13.0 10
2014 546 40.5 13.4 11.5
2015 594 n/a n/a 11.8
2016 605 45.0 13.4 10.4
2017 572 43.5 13.1 10.8
2018 589 44.7 13.1 9
2019 597 43.7 13.6 9.9
2020 564 45.2 12.4 9.8
2021 510 46.5 10.9 8.4
2022 512 46.5 11.0 7.6
2023 533 43.5 12.2 7.3

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 Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $284 (2.4%) $11,437 (97.6%) $11,721
2020 $239 (1.9%) $12,442 (98.1%) $12,681
2021 $314 (2.2%) $13,725 (97.8%) $14,039

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Waunakee Prairie 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 119th of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 138th of 1067 Elementary schools
 1.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waunakee Prairie Elementary)49.652.7
 3.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waunakee Community School District)56.157.5
 1.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Waunakee Prairie Elementary)72.862.4
 10.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Waunakee Community School District)75.166.5
 8.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waunakee Prairie Elementary)67.760
 7.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Waunakee Community School District)66.763.2
 3.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Waunakee Prairie Elementary)78.671.8
 6.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Waunakee Community School District)79.969.7
 10.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Waunakee Prairie Elementary)65.186.4
 21.3%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Waunakee Community School District)70.379.8
 9.5%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Waunakee Prairie Elementary)70.664.6
 6.1%
   4th Grade Science (Waunakee Community School District)74.367.7
 6.6%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students597533
 10.7%
African American1012
 20%
American Indian00
Asian2315
 34.8%
Hispanic2637
 42.3%
Pacific Islander00
White508451
 11.2%
Two or More Races3018
 40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients9.9%7.3%
 2.6%


Schools Near Waunakee Prairie Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Waunakee Prairie Elementary

Students who attend Waunakee Prairie Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Waunakee Intermediate
Middle : Waunakee Middle
High : Waunakee High

In the 2022-23 school year, 533 students attended Waunakee Prairie Elementary.

Yes. Waunakee Prairie Elementary ranks in the top 7.8% of Wisconsin elementary schools.

Students at Waunakee Prairie Elementary are 85% White, 7% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American.


Rate Waunakee Prairie 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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