De Soto Area School District

The De Soto Area School District in Wisconsin serves students from 5 schools, including 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 high school, and 1 virtual school. While the district as a whole is underperforming compared to other districts in the state, some individual schools stand out with strong academic performance and student outcomes.

Stoddard Elementary is a standout school, with 60-80% of students proficient or better on state assessments and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the district at 3.8%. In contrast, Prairie View Elementary has much lower proficiency rates and a higher free/reduced lunch rate, suggesting equity concerns within the district. The De Soto High School also stands out, with a 100% four-year graduation rate and 0% dropout rate, indicating excellent student outcomes.

However, the De Soto Virtual School struggles, with a very high dropout rate of 35.2% and a low four-year graduation rate of 62.5%, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the virtual school model. The wide range in per-student spending, from $7,302 at the virtual school to $20,296 at the high school, may be a factor in the disparities in student outcomes across the district, and the district as a whole has room for improvement to ensure equitable and high-quality education for all students.