The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Math. The lowest is 47% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Black Hawk Middle
Black Hawk Middle serves a small rural community in Lafayette County. It is a regular public school for grades six through eight, located in the village of South Wayne. The village itself is small and has seen a modest population decline in recent years; the 2020 census recorded one figure and an estimate for 2024 shows a further drop. The community was originally a railroad town, and the old rail line has been repurposed as the Cheese Country Trail, a recreational path that passes through and draws visitors. The school shares a central street with the Village Hall, Black Hawk Elementary, and Black Hawk High School, so the civic and school life is clustered in a compact village center. No major new housing or commercial developments were identified, and home values have risen with broad market trends rather than local growth.
The school is part of the Black Hawk School District. Research did not uncover any recent district-level change that meets the bar for a lasting impact on families, such as a referendum, curriculum overhaul, or tax shift, so no such developments are reported here.
Academically, Black Hawk Middle's performance shows a mixed picture across subjects and grade levels. In math, the percentage of students scoring proficient or above was strong in sixth grade, somewhat lower in seventh grade, and again lower in eighth grade. In English language arts, sixth graders also performed well, but seventh graders reached proficiency at a notably lower rate, and eighth graders were between the two. Eighth graders were tested in science and social studies, and the proficiency rates in both subjects fell in a moderate range. When compared to other districts in Lafayette County on an overall proficiency index, Black Hawk Middle sits below the midpoint of that group. The school participated fully in testing, with full participation rates recorded for all assessments.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small number of Black and Hispanic students enrolled. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves a relatively small enrollment. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available. No discipline, staffing, or course access data was reported.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate. State testing data is available because Wisconsin administers the Forward exam in grades three through eight, and these results are reported. Because this is a middle school that does not serve tested grades outside the six-to-eight band, the science and social studies results are based on the single grade eight assessment.
For a family considering this school, the core takeaway is a small, rural middle school in a stable but not growing village, with academic performance that varies by grade and subject and sits below the county median overall. The school shares a campus and central street with the village's other schools, creating a contained and walkable corridor within the village. The village's limited size means few commercial or recreational amenities, though the Cheese Country Trail provides outdoor access. A parent may want to look into the seventh-grade ELA result further with the school to understand what supports are in place. The district did not show any recent major change, so the school's programming and approach are likely stable from year to year.
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