The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Social studies. The lowest is 62% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Pepin Elementary
Pepin Elementary is a small public school serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the village of Pepin, a lakefront community on Lake Pepin in western Wisconsin. The school is part of the Pepin Area School District, which is the only district in the village and covers the town’s elementary through high school grades. Pepin itself is a compact village that blends residential life with tourism tied to Lake Pepin recreation and Laura Ingalls Wilder heritage. The population has seen a gradual decline over the past several decades, though the village reports an increase in summer and part-time homeowners. The school sits in a setting where the local economy mixes small businesses, a marina, and seasonal visitors, and where a large share of residents are retired.
Academically, Pepin Elementary’s state assessment results on Wisconsin’s Forward exam show a pattern that prospective families will want to examine across grade levels. In the most recent testing year, third and fourth graders posted proficiency rates that the school can point to as a clear strength, with particularly strong results in both math and English language arts. Fourth graders also performed well on the science and social studies assessments. Sixth graders showed solid results as well, with a majority meeting proficiency in math and ELA. However, the fifth grade cohort recorded a sharp drop, with only a small share of students reaching the proficient or above level in both math and ELA. This dip stands out against the otherwise strong performance in neighboring grades. A family considering this school may want to ask the school directly about the fifth grade experience, instruction, and any support strategies in place. Because the school serves only through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism was available. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, placed Pepin Elementary in the top quartile relative to districts in Pepin County. That county contains only two school districts, so the comparison set is small; still, within that narrow field the school’s academic showing is the stronger of the two.
Enrollment at the school is modest, with a student body that is predominantly white and includes a small Hispanic population. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that reflects the economic mix of the village and surrounding area. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported in the available records, so those aspects of student support are not detailed here.
The housing market in Pepin’s ZIP code reflects a community with home values that sit below both the Wisconsin state median and the national median. For a family considering a move, the moderate home prices relative to the broader state may be a factor, especially given the area’s slower population growth and limited new development.
The school’s environment is that of a close-knit, rural village school. No recent district-level changes or initiatives were noted in publicly reported sources, so the district appears stable. Pepin Elementary is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not listed in the data. Because the school serves only the elementary grades, families will need to consider the middle and high school options within the same district for later years.
Overall, Pepin Elementary offers generally strong early elementary performance with an unexplained dip in fifth grade that a parent would want to understand. The school fits a family seeking a small, rural community school where the village itself provides a recreational and tourist-oriented lifestyle, and where housing is relatively affordable for the region.
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