The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in Social studies. The lowest is 80% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Saint Croix Falls Elementary
Saint Croix Falls Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in the Saint Croix Falls School District. Because the school ends at fourth grade, it has no graduation rate and no high school-level data such as college readiness or advanced coursework; those outcomes belong to the district's secondary school. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet.
The elementary school sits in Saint Croix Falls, a small historic river town along the St. Croix River in western Wisconsin, roughly an hour northeast of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The town functions as a mix of residential community and tourism and recreation hub, known as the City of Trails. It abuts Taylors Falls, Minnesota, across the river, and shares cultural events with it. Originally a logging town that later shifted to agriculture, Saint Croix Falls today has an economy and identity shaped by outdoor recreation, including the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Interstate Park, and a network of trails such as the Gandy Dancer Trail and the Ice Age Trail. The town has a compact downtown area near the river and main highway junctions. The location of the elementary school within or apart from that downtown core was not specified in available sources.
State testing data for the most recent school year shows the school performed well on Wisconsin's Forward assessments. In third-grade math, a strong majority of students scored at the proficient level or above. In fourth-grade math, the share was also high. In English language arts, third graders posted a similarly strong result, and fourth graders did as well. Fourth-grade science and social studies results were also strong. The school overall, measured across tested subjects and grades, placed in the top quartile among the districts in Polk County for proficiency, a notably high position. That comparison places the school well above the county midpoint, reflecting consistently solid academic performance in the early grades.
The student body is small, as is typical for a pre-K through fourth-grade building in a town of this size. The majority of students are white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and a smaller share of students of two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a common indicator of economic need in many Wisconsin school districts. Data on the number of students with individualized education plans or English learner status was not available, so parents seeking specific information about special education or language support programs would need to follow up directly with the school.
The Saint Croix Falls School District, which operates this elementary school, recently received voter approval for two referendums in early 2024. One was a five-year operating referendum that allows the district to exceed its state revenue limit for a set period, funding building and grounds maintenance, curriculum and instruction, technology, and student transportation. The other was a capital referendum to fund major facility improvements, including capital maintenance, accessibility upgrades, safety and security enhancements, HVAC and electrical work, classroom renovations and additions, and new spaces for career and technical education and agricultural science labs. These investments carry implications for families in the district, as they will modernize school facilities and expand certain program offerings over the coming years.
Housing values in the area are near the statewide benchmark for Wisconsin, and mortgage rates at the national level have been in a moderate range. The school itself is neighborhood-based for families living in Saint Croix Falls and the surrounding district attendance area. For parents considering this school, the academic picture is clear: early-grade proficiency is strong across subjects, placing the school among the higher-performing elementary schools in Polk County. The town provides a small, outdoors-oriented setting with modest street life but extensive trail access. The main open questions are those not covered in the available data, such as specific special education staffing levels, class sizes, and the range of enrichment offerings beyond the core curriculum. A parent may want to ask the school directly about those details.
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