La Crosse School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on La Crosse School District

The La Crosse School District serves a community that spans multiple ZIP codes in La Crosse County, including the city of La Crosse and the surrounding towns of Coon Valley, Onalaska, and Stoddard. Housing values in the district vary by location, with a weighted average that falls below both the Wisconsin state benchmark and the national benchmark. Rent is similarly varied, with the weighted average monthly rent below the estimated monthly mortgage cost for a median home, suggesting renting is more affordable than buying in this market. The district is a medium-to-large system for the state, serving students from prekindergarten through twelfth grade across roughly twenty schools, a mix of traditional elementary and secondary buildings alongside several specialized options including a Montessori charter, a virtual academy, an environmental school, a Polytechnic School, and two Schools of Technology and Arts.

State testing data from the most recent year shows that the district's proficiency rates in math and English language arts sit below the midpoint when compared to other districts in La Crosse County. In fact, the district's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile among the county's five districts. Within the district, proficiency rates vary by grade level. In math, the range goes from a lower point in eighth grade to a higher point in seventh grade. In English language arts, results trend higher in the middle grades, with sixth and seventh grade showing stronger numbers than the elementary grades or eighth grade. Science results are available for fourth and eighth grade; both show that fewer than half of students scored proficient, with eighth grade lower than fourth. Social studies results are stronger, with a clear majority of students proficient in both fourth and eighth grade. The absence of high school state testing data in this set means the picture is limited to grades three through eight. This is a gap a parent may want to follow up on with the district to understand academic performance at the upper levels.

A notable area of concern is chronic absenteeism. The district's rate of chronic absenteeism falls in the bottom quartile among the county's districts, meaning a substantially higher share of students are missing significant school days compared to neighboring districts. A parent moving into the area may want to ask what supports the district has in place to address attendance. The district also has a relatively high per-pupil spending level, sitting in the upper range among county districts, which suggests it directs considerable resources into its schools.

The student body is majority white, with notable shares of Asian, two-or-more-races, Hispanic, and Black students. English learner and special education counts were not included in the available data. The district offers a range of school models, including the Montessori charter, an environmental school, a virtual program, and themed academies, which gives families some options to match a child's learning style. A graduation rate for the district was not reported in this data, so that measure is unavailable for comparison.

The district brief turned up little in the way of recent major changes or strategic initiatives, so this account reflects the system as it stands without a current reform agenda to note. For a parent weighing this district, the takeaways are a fairly resourced system with a variety of school choices, academic results that lag the county average, and a chronic absenteeism problem that likely merits a closer look before enrolling.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

5,794

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 6%

Black 6%

White 67%

Asian 10%

Two+ 11%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

28%

63%

Gr 4

30%

60%

Gr 5

23%

62%

Gr 6

36%

72%

Gr 7

40%

73%

Gr 8

31%

59%

Math

Gr 3

30%

62%

Gr 4

35%

59%

Gr 5

21%

59%

Gr 6

30%

66%

Gr 7

33%

66%

Gr 8

18%

46%

Science

Gr 4

38%

63%

Gr 8

26%

56%

Social studies

Gr 4

51%

80%

Gr 8

43%

73%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

33%

62%

Gr 4

33%

61%

Gr 5

28%

67%

Gr 6

36%

68%

Gr 7

39%

71%

Gr 8

34%

65%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

32%

60%

Gr 4

29%

61%

Gr 5

23%

58%

Gr 6

39%

72%

Gr 7

40%

70%

Gr 8

34%

60%

Schools in this District

20 schools are officially reported under this district.

Southern Bluffs Elementary

North Woods International School

School of Technology and Arts I

Central High

Emerson Elementary

Northside Elementary

Hamilton Elementary School

State Road Elementary

Summit Environmental School

School of Technology and Arts II

Coulee Montessori Charter School

La Crosse Offsite Preschool

La Crosse Polytechnic School

Coulee Region Virtual Academy

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

46%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

39%

Grade 5

48%

Grade 6

50%

Grade 7

33%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

46%

Grade 3

43%

Grade 4

42%

Grade 5

54%

Grade 6

58%

Grade 7

46%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

49%

Grade 4

42%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

64%

Grade 4

59%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$300,274

Year-over-year change+6.2%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$244K to $364K

vs. state typical0.90x

vs. national typical0.82x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
54601	La Crosse	$299K	+5.2%	56.3%
54658	Stoddard	$315K	+8.1%	20.0%
54623	Coon Valley	$333K	+9.4%	12.1%
54603	La Crosse	$244K	+4.6%	11.2%
54650	Onalaska	$364K	+3.0%	0.4%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,105/mo

Year-over-year change+4.8%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$988 to $1,356/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
54601	La Crosse	$1,126	+4.8%	56.3%
54603	La Crosse	$988	—	11.2%
54650	Onalaska	$1,356	+5.5%	0.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,515/mo

Home price / national median income3.6x

Annual rent / national median income15.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$410/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.