The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Social studies. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Markesan Middle
Markesan Middle serves grades six through eight in the Markesan School District, a small rural district in Green Lake County, Wisconsin. The school building sits on a campus at 100 E Vista Blvd, set apart from the downtown core of Markesan, where civic anchors such as City Hall and the public library are found on Bridge Street. The community itself is a small, predominantly rural city with an agricultural heritage, situated next to Little Green Lake and near Lake Puckaway. The local population has been essentially flat to slightly declining, and the housing market remains well below the state median home value, consistent with the area's rural character.
The school’s enrollment is small for a middle school, drawing students from Markesan and the surrounding agricultural area. The student body is predominantly white, with a significant Hispanic/Latino representation and small numbers of students who are Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or of two or more races. About two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that reflects the moderate-income character of the community. Data on special education identification and English learner status was not available in the record.
On the 2024-25 Wisconsin Forward assessments, Markesan Middle’s results show a range of performance depending on the grade level and subject. In mathematics, just over half of students scored proficient in seventh and eighth grade, with a slightly lower share reaching that bar in sixth grade. In English language arts, about half of sixth and seventh graders were proficient, while a higher share of eighth graders met that standard. Eighth graders were tested in science and social studies as well; half were proficient in science, while a larger share were proficient in social studies. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among districts in Green Lake County, though it does not reach the top of that small, four-district cohort. A parent may want to follow up with the school about how individual student groups are performing, since the snapshot here is for all students combined.
The school is a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet. No information was available about course access, staffing ratios, or discipline data. The district brief reveals that voters approved two revenue limit override referendums in 2024 and early 2025, authorizing the district to exceed state revenue caps by an additional amount per year for four years, with stated purposes including funding educational programming, maintaining class sizes, attracting and retaining quality staff, and maintaining facilities. The district’s tax rate is proposed to decrease, according to publicly reported district communications. These referendums signal active community investment in the district’s financial stability and program offerings.
For a family, Markesan Middle offers a small-school setting in a rural, agricultural community with stable to slightly declining population and a housing market that is more affordable than many parts of Wisconsin. Academic performance is mixed but generally sits in the middle range among neighboring rural districts. The school and district have recently secured additional local funding, which may support programming and staffing in the coming years. A family considering this school should inquire directly about course offerings, student support services, and how the school serves students with different academic needs, as several data points such as special education rates and staffing details were not available in the record.
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