The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in Social studies. The lowest is 57% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Boscobel Elementary
Boscobel Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in the Boscobel Area School District, a small southwestern Wisconsin district whose community sits along the lower Wisconsin River. The school occupies a historic downtown context: the district’s Old Rock School building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, houses younger grades downtown, while Boscobel Elementary itself is located on Buchanan Street. The city is a compact mix of residential blocks, a historic commercial corridor, and an industrial park, with the Wisconsin Secure Program Facility located just north of town. Civic anchors include a public library, city parks with a swimming pool and river access, a restored railroad depot museum, and a preserved Civil War veterans’ meeting hall. The population has seen modest growth over recent decades, though the census count includes the prison’s incarcerated population, which affects demographic figures. Housing values in the area are below the national median, and the typical home in the zip code is priced lower than the state average.
The school’s student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of students identifying as Hispanic, Black, Asian, or two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment runs from prekindergarten through fifth grade, with class sizes that are moderate for an elementary school of its type. The school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet status, and it operates within the Boscobel Area School District, which in April 2025 approved an operating referendum that allows the district to exceed state revenue limits for several years, funding technology, curriculum materials, building maintenance, and extracurricular programs.
On the Forward state assessments for the most recent school year, Boscobel Elementary’s results show a pattern of rising proficiency as students move through the grades. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above increases from about half of third graders to roughly two-thirds of fourth graders and three-quarters of fifth graders. In English language arts, proficiency rates start just above half of third graders and climb to around two-thirds of fifth graders. Science, tested only in fourth grade, shows close to three-fifths of students meeting the bar. Social studies, also tested in fourth grade, shows a notably higher share of students at or above proficiency, nearly three-quarters. Participation rates were at or near full participation across all tested grades and subjects.
When compared to other districts in Grant County, Boscobel Elementary’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among the county’s districts. This means the school is performing in the upper half relative to its county peers. The school’s grade span, PK through 5, means there is no graduation rate to report, and no high school course access data applies here. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data were not available in the provided information. Special education and English learner counts were also absent from the data; a parent who wants to know about those supports would need to ask the school directly.
The academic picture is one of steady improvement across elementary grades, with math and social studies standing out as areas where the school’s results are solidly above half of students meeting the state’s proficiency standard. English language arts starts lower but catches up by fifth grade. For a family considering Boscobel Elementary, the school offers a traditional public elementary education in a small Wisconsin river town where housing is relatively affordable compared to the state and national markets. The district’s recent operating referendum suggests a community that has chosen to invest in its schools at the ballot box, supporting basic operations and programs. The school itself does not offer high school programs, so families looking ahead would need to consider the district’s secondary schools separately. There is no available data on advanced coursework, arts programming, or extracurricular offerings at this school.
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