Tower Rock Elementary, Prairie Du Sac WI

Original Research by School Decision on Tower Rock Elementary

Tower Rock Elementary is a regular public school in the Sauk Prairie School District, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. This small village sits along the Wisconsin River in Sauk County, roughly a half-hour drive north of Madison. The area combines residential and light industrial uses, with employers like Culver’s headquarters and Mueller Sports Medicine nearby. Housing values in the zip code run above the state median, and the community has seen steady growth as part of the greater Madison metropolitan area.

The school itself is one of the district’s elementary buildings, and it draws from a surrounding population that is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic enrollment. A substantial share of students, about half, qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a commonly used indicator of household income. The grade-level enrollment is moderate, with each grade from kindergarten through fifth holding between roughly two dozen and three dozen students, plus a small pre-kindergarten group.

On the state’s Forward assessments, which are given in grades three through five, Tower Rock Elementary shows a pattern where results vary by grade and subject. In third-grade math, fewer than half of students scored at or above the proficient level, and the same was true for third-grade English language arts. Fourth-grade math results were stronger, with a majority of students reaching proficiency, while fourth-grade reading remained at a lower level. Fifth grade marked a clear difference between subjects: math proficiency stood at the midpoint, while English language arts proficiency was notably higher, with a solid majority of students meeting that bar. In science, tested only in fourth grade, a bit under half of students were proficient. Social studies, also tested in fourth grade, saw a majority of students score proficient. Overall, when all tested subjects and grades are averaged together, Tower Rock Elementary’s proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the six districts in Sauk County. The county median sits higher, so families looking at this school may want to ask the school or district about specific initiatives in early literacy and math.

The high school facility in the district was extensively renovated not long ago, which represents a lasting investment in the learning environment that students will eventually move into. No other major district changes, such as recent referendums or curriculum shifts, were publicly reported in available searches, so that part of the picture is incomplete.

For a family considering this school, a few characteristics stand out. It is a reasonably small elementary school, with class sizes that likely allow for personal attention. The socioeconomic mix is moderate, with a significant share of students from lower-income households. The community itself is a small village with a downtown core, a river setting, and suburban-style access to Madison. Academically, the school has clear bright spots in fifth-grade reading and in fourth-grade math and social studies, but lower performance in the early elementary years suggests that a parent may want to investigate reading and math support in the primary grades. The peer environment is largely homogeneous, families should weigh whether the demographic makeup aligns with their preferences. For those who value a small-town, riverfront community with proximity to a metropolitan area, Tower Rock Elementary fits that context, but its academic standing relative to other county schools warrants a closer look.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 58% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 458%

School 58% · District 62% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 4 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 67% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 53% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 52% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 563%

School 63% · District 59% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Science

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 56% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 456%

School 56% · District 69% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

This schoolSauk Prairie 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 3Lower-income8%Higher-income77%69 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income25%Higher-income37%12 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income20%Higher-income82%62 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income16%Higher-income85%69 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income63%13 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income30%Higher-income59%29 pp gap