Kaukauna Area School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on Kaukauna Area School District

The Kaukauna Area School District serves a broad stretch of Outagamie County, anchored by the city of Kaukauna and reaching into several smaller communities including Combined Locks, Greenleaf, and parts of Appleton. The district is a mid-sized public system enrolling students from early childhood through twelfth grade, and its academic performance on state assessments places it above the midpoint among Outagamie County's districts.

In math, the district's students across grades three through eight show a consistent pattern of performance. Proficiency rates in the upper elementary and middle school grades are solid, with the strongest results appearing in fourth and fifth grade. The middle school years hold steady, though eighth-grade math dips somewhat compared to the earlier grades. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: the strongest showing comes in sixth grade, while eighth grade is the softest spot across the tested grades. Science results follow a comparable arc, with fourth-grade performance notably stronger than eighth-grade. Social studies, tested in fourth and eighth grades, shows a clear strength, with a large majority of students meeting proficiency in both years. Across all tested subjects and grades, the district's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Outagamie County's districts.

The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and smaller populations of students who identify as Asian, Black, or two or more races. The district did not report the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor the share of students with an individualized education program or who are English learners, so a parent looking for a full picture of economic diversity or special education caseload would need to ask the district directly.

Chronic absenteeism, at a rate that falls below the midpoint among county districts, is a soft spot. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what supports are in place.

The district's per-pupil spending sits in the middle range, lower half, among Outagamie County's districts. In April 2024, voters approved an operational referendum that allows the district to exceed state revenue limits, with funds directed toward maintaining educational programming and small class sizes, as publicly reported.

The district operates seven schools: Kaukauna High, Park Community Charter School, Quinney Elementary, Haen Elementary, River View School, Dr. H. B. Tanner Elementary, and New Directions Learning Community. The presence of a charter school and an alternative learning community gives families some choice within the district.

Housing in the area is varied. The city of Kaukauna itself has home values that are moderate relative to the broader Appleton market, while some of the outlying areas, particularly in the Appleton zip codes that fall within the district, reach higher price points. Rents are generally moderate. The weighted home value across the district's zip codes has risen in the past year, reflecting a market that has been active. The estimated monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home is higher than the typical rent, which is a common pattern in many markets and may factor into a family's housing decision.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,046

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 7%

Black 2%

White 83%

Asian 2%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

47%

72%

Gr 4

48%

71%

Gr 5

46%

68%

Gr 6

59%

76%

Gr 7

58%

70%

Gr 8

31%

66%

Math

Gr 3

49%

75%

Gr 4

51%

84%

Gr 5

61%

80%

Gr 6

54%

79%

Gr 7

55%

79%

Gr 8

55%

74%

Science

Gr 4

54%

77%

Gr 8

36%

62%

Social studies

Gr 4

68%

88%

Gr 8

54%

76%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

43%

67%

Gr 4

51%

66%

Gr 5

43%

67%

Gr 6

55%

74%

Gr 7

60%

65%

Gr 8

31%

64%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

52%

72%

Gr 4

50%

70%

Gr 5

44%

69%

Gr 6

56%

81%

Gr 7

51%

71%

Gr 8

36%

71%

Schools in this District

7 schools are officially reported under this district.

Kaukauna High

Park Community Charter School

Quinney Elementary

Haen Elementary

River View School

Dr H B Tanner Elementary

New Directions Learning Community

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

67%

Grade 3

74%

Grade 4

74%

Grade 5

72%

Grade 6

73%

Grade 7

69%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

65%

Grade 3

64%

Grade 4

62%

Grade 5

71%

Grade 6

67%

Grade 7

57%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

70%

Grade 4

55%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

82%

Grade 4

70%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$334,004

Year-over-year change+6.5%

Range across 9 ZIP codes$278K to $470K

vs. state typical1.00x

vs. national typical0.91x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (9 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
54130	Kaukauna	$339K	+6.6%	63.1%
54952		$281K	+6.3%	16.7%
54110	Brillion	$308K	+7.0%	5.3%
54913	Appleton	$470K	+5.1%	3.9%
54126	Greenleaf	$396K	+6.2%	2.6%
54915	Appleton	$358K	+5.6%	1.6%
54140	Little Chute	$303K	+8.4%	0.8%
54113	Combined Locks	$350K	+6.9%	0.6%
54911	Appleton	$278K	+7.5%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,139/mo

Year-over-year change+1.6%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1,099 to $1,747/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
54130	Kaukauna	$1,099	—	63.1%
54952		$1,145	+1.6%	16.7%
54913	Appleton	$1,747	—	3.9%
54915	Appleton	$1,141	—	1.6%
54911	Appleton	$1,293	+3.1%	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,685/mo

Home price / national median income4.0x

Annual rent / national median income16.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$547/mo

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.