The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Math. The lowest is 59% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Cassville Elementary
Cassville Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the small Mississippi River village of Cassville. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The school sits within the Cassville School District, which covers a single rural community in Grant County, about as far southwest as Wisconsin goes before the river bends into Iowa. For a parent trying to understand this place, the first thing to know is its size: enrollment is small, each grade containing just enough students to fill a couple of classrooms. The school feels like the kind of neighborhood elementary that many rural families remember—intimate, local, and central to the town.
On state assessments, Cassville Elementary posts results that place it above most other schools in Grant County. Its overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades ranks in the top quartile among districts in the county. That is a solid position, especially for a school of this scale. Math performance is a particular strength. In fifth grade, every student who took the test met the state proficiency bar. Fourth and sixth graders also turned in strong showings, with solid majorities scoring proficient or above. Third grade math was similar, with a clear majority proficient. In English language arts, the picture is more uneven. At every tested grade except sixth, roughly half of students reached the proficient level. That is a soft spot, and a parent may want to ask the school what kind of literacy support is in place, especially in the early elementary years. Sixth grade ELA was stronger, with a sizeable majority proficient, which suggests that students who stay in the building through its final year are gaining ground. Fourth graders take science and social studies tests, and here the school performs well: a large majority proficient in science, and a clear majority in social studies.
The student body is nearly all white. A substantial share of students—approaching half—qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, making this a school where economic need is not uncommon. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available, so it is not possible to assess those dimensions from the provided information. Because the school ends at sixth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. This is typical for an elementary school.
Cassville itself is a quiet village of modest size, tucked between river bluffs and the Mississippi. Its history includes a brief boom era when speculators hoped it would become the territorial capital, but that never happened, and growth halted long ago. Two coal-fired power plants that were once the town’s largest employers both closed some years ago, leaving the local economy diminished. The village website describes it as having “the quiet and peace of days gone by.” That rings true. The community assets are natural and historical: Nelson Dewey State Park, Riverside Park with a boat launch and river walk, Stonefield Historic Site, and a seasonal car ferry to Iowa. But commercial activity is limited, and there is no sign of new housing developments or population growth. For a family considering Cassville, the housing market is relatively affordable compared to the state and national benchmarks, but the economic context is one of stagnation rather than expansion.
The district itself appears stable. Published information turned up no recent referendums, curriculum overhauls, or major property tax shifts. That means a parent is unlikely to find sudden disruptions, but also may not find new programs or facilities improvements coming soon. What Cassville Elementary offers is a straightforward, small-town elementary education with above-average test results by county standards, particularly in math, set against a backdrop of a quiet river town with a modest local economy and limited growth. Families who value a close-knit school in a setting with strong natural amenities and don’t mind a slow pace of community life will find this a natural fit. Those looking for more academic variety, economic opportunity, or a diverse student body will likely want to look further.
See more original research from School Decision →