The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Math. The lowest is 60% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Northwestern Middle
Northwestern Middle serves grades six through eight in Poplar, a small and low-density rural village in Douglas County about a short drive east of Superior along a main highway. The village is primarily residential with scattered rural properties and farmland, and very limited commercial activity. Walkability is very low given the setting, and the built environment consists of homes along rural roads rather than a compact grid. Schools in the Maple School District are situated within or near the village; Northwestern Middle and Northwestern Elementary are in Poplar, while the district’s high school is in the neighboring community of Maple. The village has seen modest but steady population growth over the past decade, though no major new housing developments were identified in publicly reported sources. The housing market in the area carries a typical price relative to the state benchmark, and the national unemployment picture is fairly steady.
The school has an enrollment that is relatively small for a middle school, and its student body is predominantly white, with a small share of students identifying as two or more races and very modest numbers from other racial and ethnic groups. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a meaningful level of economic need in the community. Information on the share of students with individualized education plans and the share classified as English learners was not available in the data provided. Discipline data, staffing data, and attendance data were also absent, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its approach to student supports and school climate.
State testing results are available for the Wisconsin Forward exam, and the school reported full participation in all tested grades and subjects. In math, results varied across grade levels, with a solid majority of students scoring at or above the proficient threshold in each grade tested, and the strongest performance showing a large majority of eighth graders meeting that bar. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was lower than in math across all three grades, with roughly three in five students proficient in grade six and grade eight, and a bit over half in grade seven. In science, only eighth graders are tested, and about three in five scored proficient or above. In social studies, again tested in grade eight, a large majority of students scored at the proficient level or above. When compared against other districts in Douglas County, Northwestern Middle’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades lands in the top quartile. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
The data provided does not include information on course access, program offerings, or enrichment activities, so it is not possible to say what music, arts, athletics, or advanced coursework may be available. A parent interested in those areas would need to follow up with the school directly.
For a family living in or moving to the Poplar area, Northwestern Middle offers a small-school setting with a rural character and a student body that is largely homogeneous in background. Academic results show a mixed picture: math and social studies scores are strong relative to the county, while English language arts and science results are weaker, which a parent may want to investigate further with the school. The absence of data on student support programs, discipline, attendance, and course offerings leaves open questions about the full experience a child would have, so prospective families would be well served by a visit and a conversation with staff.
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