The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Social studies. The lowest is 57% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Knapp Elementary
Knapp Elementary is a regular public school serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the village of Knapp, Wisconsin. It belongs to the Menomonie Area School District, about a short drive west of Menomonie and roughly midway between Eau Claire and the Twin Cities metro area. The school’s small enrollment and rural setting shape nearly every aspect of what a family would experience here.
Knapp itself is a very small village with a population that has ticked up only modestly over recent decades. Residents have told planners they want to keep the community much as it is, with slow, controlled growth. The village has limited commercial development, and most families likely commute to nearby cities for work. The housing stock reflects this rural character: home values in the area sit below the state and national medians, and the monthly cost of owning is a bit less than renting, which may matter for families weighing whether to buy. A recent capital referendum for the district passed in late 2024, authorizing borrowing for safety upgrades, roofing, and HVAC improvements, so school facilities are a known public investment.
The student body is very small, with just under a hundred children enrolled. The vast majority are white, with a small share of students identifying as two or more races or Hispanic. Just over a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is typical for a rural school in this part of Wisconsin. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and state testing data covers only the tested grades of three through five.
On state assessments, results vary by grade and subject. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or above climbs steadily from third grade to fifth grade, with the fourth- and fifth-grade results landing in a solid range. Reading and language arts follow a similar pattern. In science and social studies, which are tested only in fourth grade, proficiency rates are higher, suggesting that students in that grade are performing well in those subjects. Overall, when compared to other districts in Dunn County, Knapp Elementary’s combined proficiency across all tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint of the county. This is a meaningful reference point because the county includes a mix of rural and small-town districts. A family might still want to ask the school about how individual student growth is tracked, given that the small cohort sizes can make year-to-year comparisons less reliable.
The Menomonie Area School District, which runs Knapp Elementary, has made two recent changes that affect the classroom. In 2022, voters approved a recurring operational referendum that allows the district to exceed state revenue limits for several years to fund programs and operations. Then in 2024, voters passed two more referendums: one for capital improvements and another for additional operational funding through the end of the decade. These measures have a direct impact on property taxes and on what the district can offer. Separately, the district has begun transitioning to standards-based grading at the elementary and middle school levels, a shift from traditional letter grades to proficiency-based indicators. That change was phased in starting with the 2023–2024 school year and families enrolling now will encounter report cards that reflect that approach.
For a family considering Knapp Elementary, the picture is of a small, rural school where class sizes are likely very small and the community is stable and slow-growing. Academic results are generally solid relative to nearby districts, and the district has made recent financial commitments to facilities and operations. The village offers limited commercial services, so daily errands and activities may require a drive. The school’s size means fewer program bells and whistles than a larger suburban elementary, but also a setting where students are well known. A parent who values a close-knit, rural environment and wants to understand the district’s newer grading system would find this a straightforward fit.
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