The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Social studies. The lowest is 44% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Jack Young Middle
Jack Young Middle School serves grades six through eight in Baraboo, Wisconsin, as the single middle school within the Baraboo School District. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its enrollment numbers place it at a size that is typical for a middle school serving a community of this scale.
Baraboo itself is the county seat of Sauk County, a community with a walkable downtown centered on the Sauk County Courthouse square known for its historic buildings and the Al. Ringling Theatre. The city markets itself as “Circus City” due to its history as the Ringling Brothers Circus winter headquarters, and it hosts the Circus World Museum and the International Crane Foundation. Outdoor recreation is a major draw, with Devil’s Lake State Park, Mirror Lake State Park, and the Baraboo River nearby. The city has shown modest population growth in recent years, and its housing market has typical pricing for the region. The Baraboo School District has recently undergone a leadership transition, with an interim superintendent named as the permanent superintendent starting in the summer of 2025, a change that could shape the district’s direction going forward. The district also reported a significant capital outlay in a recent fiscal year, pointing to investment in facilities that would include this middle school.
The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial share of students identifying as Hispanic. Just over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common measure of economic need. Data on the proportion of students with Individualized Education Programs or English Learner status was not available for this profile, so a family with a student in those categories may want to reach out to the school directly to understand the support available.
On academic performance, the school participates in Wisconsin’s Forward Exam, and results are reported for all three middle school grades. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above increased slightly from grade six to grade eight, with the eighth-grade figure being the strongest of the three. In English language arts, the seventh-grade result was the highest, though performance across grades was relatively consistent. Eighth graders also take state assessments in science and social studies; in science, about half of students reached proficiency, while in social studies, a clear majority did. Placing the school in context, its overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades sits in the bottom quarter when compared with the other six districts in Sauk County. This comparison set is based on county membership, not on a wider state or national benchmark. A parent considering the school may want to learn how the school’s academic approach and support systems are being shaped to address this relative standing.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Likewise, data on discipline, course access, and staffing were not available in the profile, leaving gaps in the picture of the school environment that a family might want to explore through a visit or a conversation with the school office. The school’s participation rates on the state tests were very high, reflecting strong compliance with testing requirements.
Jack Young Middle is the only middle school in the Baraboo system, so nearly all local students in the district attend here. For families living in Baraboo who value the historic downtown, access to outdoor recreation, and a district that has recently invested in its facilities and appointed new leadership, this school is the natural option for the middle-grade years. The academic data point to a school where performance varies by subject and is below the midpoint of the county’s districts, and a family would be well served by inquiring about the specific programs and interventions the school uses to move those numbers.
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