Lincoln Elementary, Marshfield WI

Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary

Lincoln Elementary is a regular public school in Marshfield, part of the Marshfield Unified School District, serving students from prekindergarten through sixth grade. It is one of several elementaries in this central Wisconsin city, a place that functions as a regional hub for healthcare and commerce. Marshfield’s economy is anchored by a large clinic and medical center, and the city has a downtown historic district, public library, and arts facilities, though its layout is largely car-oriented. The population has seen a modest decline in recent years, and the housing market in the zip code reflects a market that is less expensive than the state benchmark for home values, with rents also below the national typical cost. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure many families use to gauge economic need at the school.

The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller Hispanic population and a handful of students identifying as Black, two or more races, or American Indian. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available in the source information. Because Lincoln is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not offer high school pathways such as Advanced Placement, dual credit, or career programs. State testing is conducted in grades three through six, and the results show a mixed picture across subjects and grade levels.

In reading and math, third-grade proficiency levels are around the midpoint for the school’s own spread, while fourth grade stands out with a notably higher share of students meeting state standards in both subjects. Fifth grade shows a softer spot, with a lower proportion of students scoring proficient in reading and a moderate result in math. Sixth grade lands somewhere in the middle for both subjects. Science and social studies are tested only in fourth grade, and the results there are strong, with a large majority of students scoring at or above the state’s proficiency threshold. Across all tested subjects and grades, Lincoln’s overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Wood County, meaning that on average its students perform somewhat better than the typical district in the county.

The school environment data, including chronic absenteeism rates and discipline counts, was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about attendance patterns and school climate. No information on staffing ratios, teacher credentials, or class sizes was provided in the source material either. Similarly, the district brief did not turn up recent changes such as referendum results, curriculum shifts, or property tax adjustments that would alter the overall picture for families.

For a family evaluating Lincoln Elementary, the key considerations are its position as a mid-performing school within a county context, with a notable strength in fourth grade and a weaker spot in fifth grade reading. The student body is not highly diverse, and the economic background of many families is lower-income, as measured by meal program eligibility. The surrounding community offers a stable, modestly priced housing market and a regional employment base centered on healthcare. The school’s grade span means children will move on to a middle school after sixth grade, so looking ahead to that transition and to the high school pathway in the Marshfield district is worth doing. Because the data on special education and English learner services is missing, any family with a child who has an IEP or is learning English should follow up with the school directly to understand available supports. Overall, Lincoln Elementary fits a family looking for a neighborhood school in a small city with relatively affordable housing, where fourth graders show strong results but where other grade levels are more mixed and merit a closer conversation with the school.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 346%

School 46% · District 63% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 68% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 558%

School 58% · District 60% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 652%

School 52% · District 58% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 60% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 65% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 56% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 652%

School 52% · District 59% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 479%

School 79% · District 71% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 474%

School 74% · District 81% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

This schoolMarshfield Unified School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income33%Higher-income71%38 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income67%Higher-income77%10 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income33%Higher-income58%25 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income39%Higher-income68%29 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income33%Higher-income62%29 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income67%Higher-income77%10 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income67%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income35%Higher-income74%39 pp gap