The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Social studies. The lowest is 79% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on New Directions Learning Community
New Directions Learning Community is a charter school within the Kaukauna Area School District serving students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. As a public charter school, it operates as part of the district but with a distinct identity, and the data available does not specify a particular instructional model or theme beyond its general regular school classification. The school is a relatively small elementary program, with an enrollment that reflects a typical primary school of this size in the region.
The student body is predominantly white, with a much smaller share of Hispanic students and a very small number of Black students and students identifying as two or more races. About one in six students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that is lower than many public schools across the state. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent interested in those support structures would want to ask the school directly.
Academically, New Directions Learning Community posted strong results on the Wisconsin Forward assessments for the 2024-25 school year. In third and fourth grade math, a large majority of students scored at the proficient or advanced level. English language arts results were similarly high, with a very large share of third graders and a strong majority of fourth graders meeting the proficiency bar. Science results for fourth graders were solid, and social studies results for that grade were particularly strong. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the top quartile among the eight districts in Outagamie County. This is a clear strength for the school.
Because the school only serves PK through fourth grade, it does not produce a high school graduation rate, and measures like chronic absenteeism were not reported in the available data. Families considering this school for the long term would need to look ahead to the middle and high school options within the Kaukauna Area School District, since New Directions itself is an elementary-only program.
The school is located in Kaukauna, a mid-sized city on the Fox River in Outagamie County that is part of the Appleton metropolitan area. Kaukauna has a historic downtown along Second Street, an active farmers market, and several parks and riverfront areas. The dominant local employer is a paper mill that has changed hands multiple times over the years, most recently to Ahlstrom-Munksjö. The city has seen steady population growth, and the housing market shows a mix of single-family homes and rentals. The median home value in the area is above the national average, and rents are moderate. Kaukauna is an auto-oriented city overall, but the downtown core and riverfront are walkable.
In the spring of 2024, voters in the Kaukauna Area School District approved an operational referendum that allows the district to exceed state revenue limits for several years. The stated purpose is to maintain educational programming and small class sizes. This is a recent financial context that may matter to families following the district’s budget decisions. No other major changes or disruptions were reported in the available information.
For a parent weighing options, New Directions Learning Community offers a strong academic start in the early elementary years, with proficiency rates that stand out among neighboring districts. The school’s charter status and small size may appeal to families looking for an alternative to a larger traditional elementary, though the specific nature of the charter’s approach was not described in the data. The student population is not highly diverse, and the share of families facing economic disadvantage is relatively low. The school is part of a district that recently secured additional funding through a referendum, which may provide some stability. Families who need special education or English learner services should contact the school directly, as those counts were not reported.
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