Classical School, Appleton WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Classical School

Classical School is a K-8 charter school within the Appleton Area School District. It serves a single campus in a residential part of Appleton, and because it is a charter, families choose it by application rather than by neighborhood assignment. The school’s enrollment is moderate for a combined elementary and middle school, with balanced class sizes across each grade from kindergarten through eighth. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, roughly a quarter, which is a notable but not dominant share of the student body.

Student demographics show a majority of white students, a sizable Asian population, and smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. This composition gives the school more racial and ethnic variety than many K-8 schools in the region, particularly in the Asian representation. The school does not report counts for students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent with a child in those groups would want to reach out to the school directly for details on available support.

Academically, Classical School performs at a high level. On Wisconsin’s Forward assessments, proficiency rates across math, English language arts, science, and social studies are consistently strong, with most grades posting rates well above the statewide average. The strongest results appear in eighth grade, where proficiency in math and science is particularly high. In the context of Outagamie County districts, Classical School’s overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, meaning it ranks among the top-performing schools in its county. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate or college-readiness data; students who attend Classical move on to one of Appleton Area’s high schools.

The school is a regular public charter, not a magnet or special program, and does not receive Title I funding, which suggests it is not a high-poverty school by federal standards. State testing participation was complete in all subjects and grades, indicating strong attendance during test administration. No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing were available, so a parent seeking information on school climate or class sizes should ask the school directly.

Appleton itself is a mid-sized city with a diversified economy rooted in manufacturing, healthcare, education, and financial services. The downtown area along College Avenue is a regional entertainment and cultural hub, with venues such as the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and the Trout Museum of Art. Lawrence University sits adjacent to downtown, adding to the civic and cultural life. The city has a network of parks and trails and is recognized as a Tree City USA. Housing in Appleton is more affordable than the state median, with home values that have risen steadily in recent years, and rents are moderate relative to incomes. The broader Fox Cities metro area provides a range of employment and amenities.

The district itself has not recently undertaken major referendums, boundary shifts, or curriculum changes that would affect families, based on available information. Classical School’s position as a charter within the district gives it a degree of autonomy in its approach, but it remains part of the Appleton Area system for resources and high school articulation.

For a family choosing a school, Classical offers a consistently strong academic record with high proficiency across subjects, a diverse student body, and a manageable school size. The charter structure means admission is not guaranteed by address, so interested families should check the district’s application process and lottery if oversubscribed. The school’s performance in the top tier of Outagamie County makes it a strong option for families who value proven academic outcomes in a K-8 setting.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 377%

School 77% · District 54% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 53% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 568%

School 68% · District 54% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 670%

School 70% · District 49% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 770%

School 70% · District 53% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 884%

School 84% · District 51% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 371%

School 71% · District 50% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 50% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 53% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 670%

School 70% · District 54% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 763%

School 63% · District 54% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 878%

School 78% · District 50% · ▲ 28 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Science

Grade 469%

School 69% · District 49% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 886%

School 86% · District 49% · ▲ 37 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 489%

School 89% · District 60% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 892%

School 92% · District 62% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

This schoolAppleton Area School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income44%Higher-income76%32 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income67%Higher-income84%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income60%Higher-income65%5 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income42%Higher-income77%35 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income25%Higher-income69%44 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income56%Higher-income81%25 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income78%Higher-income82%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income60%Higher-income70%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income75%25 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income38%Higher-income75%38 pp gap