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WISE Academy

Summary:

WISE Academy is an alternative public charter virtual school located in Nekoosa, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 209 students. The school is part of the Nekoosa School District, which is ranked 370 out of 428 school districts in Wisconsin and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

WISE Academy has seen a significant increase in its dropout rates, rising from 0% in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 to 7.6% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average and the Nekoosa School District's rates. The school also experienced a 100% chronic absenteeism rate in 2020-2021, a stark contrast to the district and state averages. However, WISE Academy's test scores on the Forward Exam tend to be higher than the Nekoosa School District's scores and sometimes even exceed the state averages, particularly in 8th-grade English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Social Studies. Additionally, the school has seen a decline in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 28.89% in 2020-2021 to 1.44% in 2022-2023, which is significantly lower than the district and state averages.

The inconsistent academic performance, declining socioeconomic status, and staffing challenges, as evidenced by the significant increase in the student-teacher ratio, suggest that WISE Academy may be facing a complex set of issues. While the school's test scores in certain areas are stronger than the Nekoosa School District's, the district's overall low ranking and 1-star rating indicate that WISE Academy is operating in a challenging educational environment, which could impact its long-term success and sustainability.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Virtual, Alternative PK, KG-12

 540 Birch St
       Nekoosa, WI  54457-1318

(715) 886-8000

District: Nekoosa School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
736th of 1,061 Wisconsin Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,584 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  72.6 Help
Number of students:  218

Racial breakdown:

White:
96.8%
Asian:
2.8%
African American:
0.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  18.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details WISE Academy ranks worse than 69.4% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.28. (See more...)
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Compare Details WISE Academy ranks worse than 57.3% of middle schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.31. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.8%), Asian (2.8%), African American (0.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 18.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at WISE Academy is 72.6. (See more...)
Help
Compare WISE Academy employs 3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at WISE Academy is $6,584.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

WISE Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks WISE Academy 736th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See WISE Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks WISE Academy 367th of 641 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See WISE Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Nekoosa School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Nekoosa School District 370th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for WISE Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 41.70 691st 1037 33.4%
2021 80.60 144th 1050 86.3%
2022 55.08 520th 1067 51.3%
2023 35.94 759th 1067 28.9%
2024 39.28 736th 1061 30.6%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 70.77 163rd 871 81.3%
2024 48.90 461st 866 46.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 57.57 436th 1004 56.6%
2022 51.72 537th 1017 47.2%
2023 29.72 773rd 1010 23.5%
2024 31.26 770th 1011 23.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 82.46 100th 1003 90.0%
2022 49.91 562nd 1017 44.7%
2023 45.52 620th 1011 38.7%
2024 53.59 543rd 1012 46.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 45.32 418th 704 40.6%
2023 19.71 629th 715 12.0%
2024 26.16 585th 727 19.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for WISE Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 90.73 19th 613 96.9%
2022 57.30 250th 617 59.5%
2023 51.37 313th 640 51.1%
2024 49.31 367th 641 42.7%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 65.38 136th 520 73.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 65.31 162nd 576 71.9%
2023 26.35 454th 579 21.6%
2024 66.70 190th 580 67.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 66.17 155th 577 73.1%
2023 44.52 339th 591 42.6%
2024 43.68 371st 585 36.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at WISE Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.48 251st 412 39.1%
2024 36.37 276th 407 32.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Alternative 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.

WISE Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for WISE Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2019 89 0 0 2 1 0 6 0 98
2020 137 0 1 2 0 0 7 0 147
2021 127 0 0 2 0 0 6 0 135
2022 172 0 0 3 0 0 6 0 181
2023 207 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 209
2024 211 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 218

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 WISE Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 98 1.0 98.0 30.6
2020 147 1.0 147.0 2
2021 135 1.0 135.0 28.9
2022 181 2.0 90.5 19.3
2023 209 3.0 69.6 1.4
2024 218 3.0 72.6 18.3

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 WISE Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 98 1.0 98.0 30.6
2020 147 1.0 147.0 2
2021 135 1.0 135.0 28.9
2022 181 2.0 90.5 19.3
2023 209 3.0 69.6 1.4
2024 218 3.0 72.6 18.3

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 WISE Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $155 (3.0%) $4,969 (97.0%) $5,124
2020 $105 (2.2%) $4,680 (97.8%) $4,785
2021 $255 (3.9%) $6,329 (96.1%) $6,584

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

Impact of COVID-19 on WISE Academy

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 691st of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 759th of 1067 Elementary schools
 4.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (WISE Academy)2533.3
 8.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nekoosa School District)20.323.5
 3.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (WISE Academy)2520
 5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Nekoosa School District)2728.4
 1.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (WISE Academy)33.344.4
 11.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Nekoosa School District)33.338.7
 5.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (WISE Academy)5027.8
 22.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Nekoosa School District)32.133.3
 1.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (WISE Academy)6072.2
 12.2%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Nekoosa School District)38.855.9
 17.2%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (WISE Academy)66.738.9
 27.8%
   4th Grade Science (Nekoosa School District)3744.1
 7%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (WISE Academy)4038.5
 1.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Nekoosa School District)2623.4
 2.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (WISE Academy)2015.4
 4.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Nekoosa School District)19.218.1
 1.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (WISE Academy)2545
 20%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Nekoosa School District)34.935.6
 0.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)45.541.1
 4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (WISE Academy)010
 10%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Nekoosa School District)22.615.6
 7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)39.735.7
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students98209
 113.3%
African American01
American Indian10
 100%
Asian01
Hispanic20
 100%
Pacific Islander00
White89207
 132.6%
Two or More Races60
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients30.6%1.4%
 29.2%

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Frequently Asked Questions about WISE Academy

Students at WISE Academy are 97% White, 3% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 218 students attended WISE Academy.

WISE Academy ranks 736th of 1061 Wisconsin alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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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