Drummond Elementary, Drummond WI

Original Research by School Decision on Drummond Elementary

Drummond Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the very small, rural town of Drummond, Wisconsin, a community set within the Chequamegon National Forest. The school is part of the Drummond Area School District and operates as a regular public school. With a total enrollment that places it among the smaller elementary schools in the region, the student body numbers just over a hundred and sixty children across eight grade levels. The school draws its students from a town that was founded as a lumber settlement and remains oriented toward outdoor recreation, with a sparse highway-based cluster of civic buildings and no traditional downtown.

The student population is predominantly white, with small shares of students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic, or of two or more races. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic makeup of this rural area. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the records we reviewed, so a parent seeking details on those supports should follow up directly with the school.

On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Drummond Elementary shows a notably mixed picture that is worth understanding by grade level. In mathematics, the school performs at a strong level across the tested grades. Proficiency rates are solid in third, fourth, and fifth grades, and climb to a very high level in sixth grade. English language arts results are more uneven. Third and fifth grade proficiency rates are well below the school’s math performance, while fourth grade reaches a moderate level. Sixth grade, however, posts an exceptionally high proficiency rate in ELA, matching its math strength. For fourth graders, who also take science and social studies assessments, both subjects show respectable proficiency rates, with social studies particularly strong.

When compared with other districts in Bayfield County, the school’s overall proficiency index measurement places it in the top quartile. This comparison accounts for the fact that Bayfield County has a small number of districts, so the top quartile designation signals that performance sits above the midpoint among those peers. The strength in math, especially the strong sixth-grade results, pulls the overall index upward.

The school does not serve grades that produce a graduation rate, so that metric does not apply. No data on chronic absenteeism was reported. Housing in the Drummond area reflects a market where typical home values are below the statewide Wisconsin benchmark, with a modest year-over-year increase. The area’s economy is tied to recreation and national forest land; no major employers were identified in research, and the town shows little evidence of new development activity.

For a family considering Drummond Elementary, the school offers a very small, rural setting with a clear academic strength in mathematics across all tested grades. The variability in English language arts in the earlier grades is something a parent may want to discuss with teachers to understand how the school supports literacy growth. The school’s position relative to other Bayfield County districts is favorable, and the surrounding community is defined by its natural environment rather than commercial density. The district’s recent history shows no major referendums or policy changes publicly reported, so the school’s offerings appear stable. This is a place that fits families looking for a small-town elementary path with a math-forward performance profile and a close connection to outdoor life.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 369%

School 69% · District 69%

▲ 13 pts above state median

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 72%

▲ 18 pts above state median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 69%

▲ 18 pts above state median

Grade 695%

School 95% · District 95%

▲ 42 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 38%

▼ 15 pts below state median

Grade 464%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 12 pts above state median

Grade 544%

School 44% · District 44%

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 691%

School 91% · District 91%

▲ 37 pts above state median

Science

Grade 460%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 9 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 476%

School 76% · District 76%

▲ 11 pts above state median

This schoolDrummond Area School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income33%Higher-income40%7 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income58%Higher-income69%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income38%Higher-income50%13 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income89%Higher-income92%3 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income80%30 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income75%Higher-income69%6 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income50%Higher-income88%38 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income89%Higher-income100%11 pp gap