New London Middle, New London WI

Original Research by School Decision on New London Middle

New London Middle School serves students in fifth through eighth grade as a regular public school within the New London School District. It is the only middle school in the district, located on West Washington Street in a central part of the city. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population making up the next largest group. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a moderate level of economic diversity among families. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.

Academically, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among districts in Waupaca County. That positions it slightly above the typical performance for the area. In math, proficiency rates across grades five through seven are broadly consistent at just above half of students meeting the bar, while eighth-grade math stands out with a notably higher share of students scoring proficient. English language arts results show a similar pattern: fifth, sixth, and eighth grade hover around or just above half proficient, but seventh-grade ELA dips below that level. Science and social studies, tested only in eighth grade, both show a majority of students reaching proficiency. Participation rates on the state assessments were very high across all grades, meaning the results give a reliable picture of student performance. The dip in seventh-grade reading may be worth a conversation with school staff to understand what interventions are in place.

The school is part of a district that spans the city of New London and surrounding rural areas. New London itself is a small city at the confluence of the Wolf and Embarrass Rivers, historically a lumber and steamboat center. Today it blends residential neighborhoods, a downtown commercial core, and a recreation economy built around fishing, boating, and trails. The population has been relatively stable in recent years, with no major growth or decline. Housing values in the area are lower than the state median, and home prices have seen some upward movement recently, but the overall cost of buying a home remains more manageable than in many parts of Wisconsin. The district operates several elementary schools, this middle school, and a high school on a separate campus. No recent district-level changes affecting parents were identified in publicly available records.

Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available. Program offerings such as electives, music, or athletics were not detailed in the data provided. Families looking for that information will want to check the school’s website or contact the office directly. The school’s location on West Washington Street places it within a reasonable distance of downtown amenities, but most daily transportation requires a car given the city’s layout.

New London Middle offers a solid academic baseline that compares favorably with other schools in the county, with particular strength in eighth-grade math and a majority of eighth graders reaching proficiency in science and social studies. The seventh-grade reading results suggest an area where some students may need additional support, and that is worth exploring. For a family seeking a mid-sized middle school in a stable small city with lower housing costs and an outdoor recreation lifestyle, this school fits that profile.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 559%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 658%

School 58% · District 57% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median

Grade 759%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 874%

School 74% · District 74%

▲ 23 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 552%

School 52% · District 52%

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 658%

School 58% · District 57% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 45%

▼ 7 pts below state median

Grade 860%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 8 pts above state median

Science

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 12 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 70%

▲ 6 pts above state median

This schoolNew London 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 5Lower-income44%Higher-income58%14 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income44%Higher-income67%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income41%Higher-income49%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income40%Higher-income70%30 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income40%Higher-income73%32 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income38%Higher-income71%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income49%Higher-income67%18 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income58%Higher-income83%25 pp gap