The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in English language arts. The lowest is 47% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Central Wisconsin Stem Academy
Central Wisconsin STEM Academy is a small charter middle school in Nekoosa, serving grades six through eight under the Nekoosa School District. With a total enrollment that is very small for a middle school, this is an environment where students and staff are likely to know one another well. The school’s stated focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics shapes its identity, though it is important to note that the data does not provide details on what specific STEM programs or curricula are in place.
The student body is entirely white, based on state-reported data. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a significant portion of families are working-class or lower-income. This economic profile aligns with Nekoosa itself, a small city shaped by the paper industry and manufacturing, where median household income is below the national average. The school’s demographics are therefore not representative of broader racial or ethnic diversity.
State testing results are available for the sixth and seventh grades in math and English language arts, while eighth-grade results in all subjects were suppressed, likely due to a very small number of test-takers. In sixth-grade math, about half of students scored at the proficient or advanced level. In sixth-grade ELA, the figure was slightly lower, with fewer than half reaching that threshold. Seventh-grade results show a different pattern: math proficiency dipped to a lower share, while ELA proficiency was substantially higher, with roughly three-quarters of students scoring proficient or above. This means that reading and writing performance in seventh grade was notably stronger than math performance in either grade. For a STEM-focused school, the math results are mixed, and a parent may want to ask the school how it supports students who are not yet proficient, especially as they move toward high school preparation.
The overall proficiency index, which averages performance across all tested subjects and grades, places the school above the midpoint among Wood County districts. That is a respectable position, but given the small number of test-takers, the index can shift meaningfully from year to year. Because the school covers only middle school grades, there is no high school graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available.
The community context is one of slow decline. Nekoosa’s population has been shrinking gradually, and the housing market is more affordable than state and national averages, with a typical home value well below the Wisconsin statewide benchmark. For families living in or moving to the area, this means homeownership is more attainable than in many parts of the state, but it also reflects limited local economic growth. The dominant employer is the Domtar paper mill, and manufacturing is the largest industry, followed by health care and retail.
A parent considering this school should weigh several factors. The school is very small, which can be a strength for individualized attention but also means that students see the same peers every day and may have fewer options for electives or specialized courses than a larger middle school would offer. The test results show a bright spot in seventh-grade reading but uneven math performance. The charter STEM label gives the school a distinct academic identity, but without course access data, it is unclear what that means in practice. The broader community is affordable and stable, though not growing, and the paper-mill economy continues to anchor the area. Families who value a focused STEM program in a close-knit setting may find this school worth a closer look, particularly if they follow up on the specific opportunities the school provides beyond the core academic offerings.
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