The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Social studies. The lowest is 49% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cashton Middle/high
Cashton Middle/High is a regular public school serving students in grades six through twelve in the village of Cashton, Wisconsin. The school sits in a small, rural community with a strong agricultural identity rooted in dairy and organic farming, anchored by the presence of the Organic Valley cooperative. The village itself is compact, with a traditional Main Street civic core and a mix of residential and agricultural surroundings. The school and village functions are within close proximity given the small footprint. Cashton describes itself as a growing rural community, and housing values here sit below both state and national benchmarks, making it a comparatively affordable entry point for families looking for a rural setting in western Wisconsin.
Academically, the school’s performance across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among the four districts that make up Monroe County. This is a clear marker of relative strength within the local landscape, though the picture varies considerably by grade level and subject. In math, proficiency rates for sixth and seventh graders are solidly above the midpoint of what is typical, but eighth-grade math proficiency is softer. A similar pattern appears in English language arts, where sixth and eighth graders show strong results but seventh graders dip noticeably. Science proficiency for eighth graders, the only tested grade for that subject, is below the midpoint. Social studies, also tested only in eighth grade, is the school’s strongest showing within the middle school years. The overall proficiency index combines these results into a composite that is the highest among the county’s districts, which signals that even with some grade-level unevenness, the school’s academic foundation is competitive for the area. A parent considering the school will want to examine the specific grade-level results closely and discuss with the school how they address the dips evident in seventh-grade ELA and eighth-grade math and science.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and very small numbers of Black and multiracial students. Slightly more than a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that is modest relative to many rural Wisconsin schools. The school enrolls around three hundred students across seven grades, making it small enough that students are likely to be known individually by staff. Enrollment by grade is fairly even through the middle and high school years. The school serves both middle and high school under one roof, which can create a cohesive environment but also means younger students share a building with older teens.
A notable absence in the data is the school’s four-year graduation rate, which was not available. Given that the school includes twelfth grade, this is a meaningful gap. A parent should ask the district directly for that figure, along with information on college enrollment, career pathways, and Advanced Placement or dual-credit offerings, none of which were reported here. The district’s strategic plan, publicly reported, includes goals to update school facilities and implement an aligned, challenging curriculum, and a capital referendum was on the ballot near the time of that planning. These suggest a district actively investing in its physical and academic infrastructure, which could benefit students currently enrolled.
The school also lacks reported data on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, and special education or English learner populations. That means a family relying solely on this profile cannot fully assess student support structures or school climate. For a small rural school, those details often come best from a direct visit and conversation with administrators and current families.
Cashton Middle/High is best suited for families who want a small, community-grounded school in an agricultural village where housing is more accessible than in many parts of Wisconsin. The academic record is solid within the county, but the unevenness by grade and the missing graduation rate warrant a closer look. The school’s size and setting offer the kind of close-knit environment where a student can be known, but the absence of program and outcome detail means a parent should not rely on this profile alone to gauge the full high school experience.
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