Benton School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on Benton School District

The Benton School District serves the village of Benton and the surrounding rural area in southwestern Wisconsin’s Lafayette County. It is a small district covering pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, with a single elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with a very small share of Hispanic students and an even smaller share of students identifying as multiracial or Asian. The district did not report data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, nor on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent should inquire directly about those support structures and economic context.

State test results from the most recent school year show a mixed picture across grade levels. In elementary grades, math proficiency was relatively strong in third and fourth grades, then dropped noticeably in fifth grade. English language arts followed a similar pattern, with solid results in fourth grade and a pronounced dip in fifth grade. This kind of variation is common in a small district, where a single cohort can shift the overall rate by a meaningful amount. In middle school, math performance ranged more widely, with eighth graders showing stronger results than sixth and seventh graders. English language arts in middle school was stronger, particularly in seventh and eighth grades, where a clear majority of students met the proficiency bar. Science and social studies, tested only in fourth and eighth grades, showed solid results in both subjects, with especially high proficiency in social studies.

Overall, when compared with other districts in Lafayette County, Benton places in the top quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. That is a real strength for a district of this size. The chronic absenteeism rate sits just above the midpoint among the county’s districts, which suggests some students are missing school at a rate worth understanding, but this is not an outlier problem relative to neighboring districts. The district’s per-pupil spending falls in the upper range of the county, indicating a level of investment above many of its peers.

A graduation rate was not available in the data. That is a notable gap for a district that serves students through twelfth grade, and a parent or resident may want to ask the school for this figure directly.

The district sits in a rural area of Lafayette County, a part of Wisconsin known for its rolling farmland and small towns. Housing values across the district’s zip codes are moderate, with a weighted average that is well below both the state and national benchmarks. The most affordable housing is in the village of Benton itself. Prices have been rising in recent years, but the market remains far less expensive than much of the rest of Wisconsin. The national economic context shows a 30-year fixed mortgage rate that has been hovering in the mid-six percent range, and the national unemployment rate has been stable at a low level.

We looked for recent district-level changes that parents or residents would find material, such as a new academic program, a facilities bond, or a major staff reorganization, but found only basic profile and school board information. Nothing in that search cleared the bar for a lasting impact likely to affect a family’s decision. That should not be read as a sign of stagnation; small rural districts often have less public documentation of their internal changes.

For a family considering this district, the central question is fit with a small, rural setting where the academic results are solid overall but vary from year to year and grade to grade. The elementary and middle school years show pockets of strength, especially in the later middle school grades, and the high school offers a complete track through graduation. The housing market is accessible relative to the state, and the district’s spending suggests it is investing in its schools. A parent should ask about the absence of free lunch and special education data, and about the graduation rate, to get a fuller picture of student support and outcomes.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

218

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 4%

White 93%

Asian 0%

Two+ 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

42%

80%

Gr 4

71%

Gr 6

58%

25%

Gr 7

38%

91%

Math

Gr 3

50%

90%

Gr 4

71%

Gr 6

58%

38%

Gr 7

38%

55%

Science

Gr 4

86%

57%

Social studies

Gr 4

86%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

33%

80%

Gr 4

71%

Gr 6

58%

50%

Gr 7

50%

91%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

42%

80%

Gr 4

71%

57%

Gr 6

42%

25%

Gr 7

25%

91%

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

Benton Elementary

Benton High

Benton Middle

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

68%

Grade 3

71%

Grade 4

46%

Grade 5

50%

Grade 6

47%

Grade 7

64%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

59%

Grade 3

71%

Grade 4

36%

Grade 5

45%

Grade 6

68%

Grade 7

73%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

71%

Grade 4

64%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

86%

Grade 4

82%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$230,287

Year-over-year change+8.1%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$197K to $271K

vs. state typical0.69x

vs. national typical0.63x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
53807	Cuba City	$255K	+8.2%	34.8%
53803	Benton	$197K	+10.5%	33.1%
53811	Cuba City	$271K	+6.3%	16.8%
53586	Shullsburg	$200K	+4.8%	15.3%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,162/mo

Home price / national median income2.8x

Comparison

State typical home value$333,909 (+5.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.