Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln High
Lincoln High is a regular public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, part of the Manitowoc School District. It is a comprehensive high school, not a charter or magnet, and it operates as an open, non-selective public school. The school’s setting is a mid-sized Great Lakes port city with a deep manufacturing heritage—shipbuilding, commercial ice machines, food processing, and metal fabrication remain central to the local economy. Downtown Manitowoc has seen a resurgence in recent years, with new restaurants, a completed riverwalk trail, and new condominium development along the Manitowoc River. Home values in the area fall below the state median, making the housing market relatively affordable compared to much of Wisconsin. The city’s downtown core along Eighth Street is walkable, and a paved recreational trail runs along the Lake Michigan shore to neighboring Two Rivers, but the city is largely car-dependent outside the central area.
The student body is large and diverse. The majority of students are white, with a sizable Hispanic population and smaller groups of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a mid-range economic profile among high schools in the area. Enrollment is spread relatively evenly across all four grades, typical for a stable comprehensive high school. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and the supports available.
State testing data for Lincoln High was not available in the sources we reviewed, so we cannot characterize student proficiency in reading, math, or other tested subjects. The graduation rate was also missing. Without these outcomes, it is not possible to offer a picture of academic performance or compare the school to others on those standard measures. A family evaluating Lincoln High would need to seek this information from the school or district directly, as the public record does not supply it. The absence of these metrics is a significant gap for a parent trying to assess how well the school prepares students for college or career.
No information was available about the school’s course offerings, such as Advanced Placement, dual-credit, or career and technical education programs. Similarly, data on staffing ratios, discipline, attendance, and student access to courses were not provided. This limits what we can say about the academic pathways available within the building, though comprehensive high schools of this size typically offer a range of options. A parent may want to confirm program availability with the school.
The district context includes one notable recent change: the Manitoba County Comprehensive Charter School, which served grades one through eight, closed in 2023. That closure reduces the public school choice options for elementary and middle-grade families within the district, though it does not directly affect Lincoln High as a high school.
For a family considering this school, Lincoln High is a large, traditional comprehensive public high school in a city with an industrial and port heritage, affordable housing relative to the state, and a downtown that is actively reinvesting in its riverfront and commercial core. The student body is economically diverse and includes a meaningful share of students from Hispanic and Asian backgrounds. The main unknowns are the school’s academic outcomes, which are not available in the data we examined. A parent moving to Manitowoc or choosing among high school options would need to follow up with the school or district for test scores, graduation rates, and program specifics.
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