Fond Du Lac Stem Academy, Fond Du Lac WI

Original Research by School Decision on Fond Du Lac Stem Academy

Fond du Lac STEM Academy is a charter school within the Fond du Lac School District, serving students from fifth grade through twelfth grade. It is a regular public school that operates under a charter, meaning families choose to enroll and the school has its own focus. As the name signals, the academic emphasis is on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, though the school also teaches the full range of subjects required by the state.

The school’s enrollment is small, and it draws from the city of Fond du Lac and the surrounding area. About half of the students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is similar to many mid-sized Wisconsin districts. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable share of students who identify as two or more races and a smaller representation of Hispanic, Black, and Asian students. Data on students with individualized education plans or English learner status was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how it serves those populations.

Academically, the picture is mixed when compared with other districts in Fond du Lac County. On a combined measure of proficiency across math, English language arts, science, and social studies, this school sits below the midpoint of the county’s districts. Looking at individual grade levels, seventh graders posted strong results in both math and reading, with large majorities scoring at proficient or above. Sixth graders also had solid numbers, though not as high. Eighth grade, by contrast, showed a notable drop: fewer than half of students reached proficiency in math, English, science, or social studies. That pattern is worth exploring. It may reflect the nature of the cohort, a shift in curriculum, or something else; a parent considering this school should ask how the middle school years are structured and what supports are in place for students as they move into eighth grade.

Because the school serves grades five through twelve, a high school graduation rate would normally be expected, but that data was not reported here. The school may be too small or too new for the state to have released that figure; a family should check with the school for its most recent graduation and postsecondary outcomes.

The broader community context matters. Fond du Lac is a mid-sized city with a manufacturing-centered economy. Major employers include Mercury Marine and other industrial firms. The city has a historic downtown, a large lakeside park, and two colleges—Marian University and Moraine Park Technical College—that add an educational presence. The housing market in the area shows that home prices are lower than the state average, and rents have been rising at a faster pace than the national average. For a family, the area offers a relatively affordable cost of living compared to many parts of Wisconsin, especially the Milwaukee or Madison metros.

The Fond du Lac School District itself did not have any publicly reported parent-relevant changes in the recent period, such as boundary shifts or program overhauls, so a family should assume the district is operating on a steady course.

For a family weighing this school, the core appeal is the small, focused environment and the STEM label. The academic results, however, are uneven, especially in eighth grade, and the school overall trails the county average on proficiency. A parent should investigate what the middle-to-high school transition looks like, what advanced coursework or career pathways are available in the upper grades, and how the school supports students who arrive below grade level. The school’s small size could be a strength for personal attention, but it also means fewer course options than a large comprehensive high school. This is a school that probably fits a student who is already drawn to STEM and who may benefit from a tight-knit setting, but the academic numbers warrant a closer look.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=50%Cohort of 8 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

528 schools plotted. 25 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 666%

School 66% · District 58% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 778%

School 78% · District 57% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 63% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 672%

School 72% · District 54% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 784%

School 84% · District 54% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 61% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Science

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 51% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 842%

School 42% · District 60% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

This schoolFond du Lac 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 6Lower-income67%Higher-income79%12 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income80%Higher-income88%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income33%Higher-income69%36 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income61%Higher-income71%10 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income90%Higher-income65%25 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income44%Higher-income54%10 pp gap