The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Science. The lowest is 40% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Drummond Junior High
Drummond Junior High is a small regular public school serving just two grade levels, seventh and eighth, in the unincorporated community of Drummond, Wisconsin. The school sits within the Drummond Area School District and is the only middle-grades building in the district, feeding into Drummond High School. The student body is very small, composed of a few dozen students, and is predominantly white, with a modest share of students identifying as Hispanic or with two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that reflects the economic profile of the surrounding area.
The community itself is a rural, unincorporated town and town in Bayfield County, set within the Chequamegon National Forest. Drummond originated as a lumber town and remains oriented toward outdoor recreation—hunting, fishing, boating—with very limited commercial activity. The built environment is sparse, with a cluster of civic buildings along U.S. Highway 63, which serves as the main route. There is no traditional downtown; the post office, library, and historical museum sit near the highway corridor. Population growth has been modest over the past decade, though more recent estimates suggest a possible flattening or slight decline. No major new housing or commercial developments were identified in publicly available sources. Walkability and street life are minimal, consistent with the area’s low density and highway-oriented layout.
On state assessments, Drummond Junior High shows a mixed picture that varies by subject and grade. In mathematics, the seventh-grade class had about two in five students scoring proficient or above, while the eighth-grade class had roughly two in three at that level. In English language arts, proficiency was lower: about one in three seventh graders and just under half of eighth graders met the benchmark. Where the school stands out is in science and social studies for eighth graders, the only grade tested in those subjects. In science, roughly four out of five students were proficient, and in social studies, about three out of four. These are strong results for a school of this size and setting. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint of the four districts in Bayfield County. Because the school serves only early middle school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available in the school’s profile.
Like many small rural schools, Drummond Junior High operates with a limited set of data points. Information on course access, staffing, discipline, and programs such as advanced coursework or career pathways was not present in the source material. The district brief found no lasting parent-relevant changes—no referendums, curriculum shifts, or property-tax developments could be confirmed in publicly reported sources. That absence is not itself a concern but means a parent or resident would need to contact the school or district directly for details on what is offered beyond the core academic program.
For a family considering this school, the setting is central to the experience. The school is physically part of a very small, forested community where life revolves around the highway corridor and the outdoors. The student peer group is small and largely homogeneous, which may suit some families and feel limiting to others. Academically, the school delivers solid results in science and social studies at the eighth-grade level, while math and English proficiency rates are more mixed and sit below the county median overall. A parent may want to look into how the school supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks in reading and math, and whether any enrichment or intervention resources are available given the school’s size. The absence of detailed program data means the best next step is a conversation with the school principal or a visit to the building during a school day.
See more original research from School Decision →