The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in Social studies. The lowest is 35% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Benton High
Benton High serves grades nine through twelve as a regular public school within the Benton School District, located in the small rural village of Benton in the southwest corner of Lafayette County, Wisconsin. The village is surrounded by open farmland and rolling hills typical of Wisconsin’s dairy country, near the borders of both Illinois and Iowa. The school is a modest, community-focused high school whose enrollment is small. The student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic and Asian students, and a trace of two or more races.
Roughly a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places the school within a moderate range for economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and supports.
The most recent state testing data available for Benton High comes from several years ago and captures grades seven and eight only, not the high school grades the school now serves. That test data showed proficiency rates in math and English language arts that were below what many families would hope to see, with fewer than half of students scoring proficient or above in each subject. Science and social studies performance was stronger, with a solid majority of students reaching proficiency in science and an even larger share doing so in social studies. Because the data comes from earlier grades and is not current, it offers only a partial and dated picture of what academic performance looks like in the high school years today.
The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Lafayette County, based on the same older assessment data. A graduation rate for Benton High was not available in the data provided, so that key measure of student outcomes cannot be assessed here.
No information about course offerings, Advanced Placement, dual credit, or career and technical education programs was available. This is a notable gap for a high school, particularly for families considering whether the school can provide the academic breadth or postsecondary preparation they want. It is worth contacting the school to learn what pathways are available.
The community context is one of slow, steady growth. Benton’s population has increased modestly since the last census. The village covers a very small area and is walkable in principle, with a compact grid of streets, local businesses, and civic buildings. Street life is quiet and typical of a small rural village, with community activity concentrated around events like the annual Labor Day weekend celebration in the village park. Key civic anchors include St. Patrick Catholic Church, whose grounds hold historical significance, and the Fever River running past the village boundary. The median home value and household income are consistent with a rural area that is more affordable than the state or national benchmarks.
No recent changes to the school district that would have a lasting impact on families were found in publicly reported information. The district operates public schools for the village and the surrounding area, and the school board meets at a local business incubator space.
For a family considering Benton High, the picture is one of a small, rural school where current academic performance data is thin and dated. The available numbers from earlier grades suggest weaker areas in math and reading and stronger areas in science and social studies, but that information is not from the high school years and not recent. Without current high school testing data, a graduation rate, or details on course offerings, a parent has limited information to judge the academic experience a student would actually receive. The school fits a family seeking a very small, community-anchored high school in a quiet, rural village with affordable housing and a slow-growth environment. A family with specific academic or postsecondary goals will want to investigate further with the school.
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