Merrimac Community, Merrimac WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Merrimac Community

Merrimac Community is a regular public elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the small village of Merrimac, Wisconsin, part of the Sauk Prairie School District. It is the only school in the village and sits at the northern edge of Lake Wisconsin, surrounded by the Baraboo Bluffs, a setting that is both rural and scenic.

The student body is small for a school covering this grade span, drawing from a village that itself is small and low-density. The enrollment is heavily homogenous in terms of race and ethnicity, with a white student population making up the vast majority and small numbers of Hispanic and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is typical for a rural community where many families work in retail, manufacturing, and health care. Data on students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available; families with children in those categories may want to ask the school directly about programming and resources.

Academically, the school posts consistently strong results on the Wisconsin Forward assessment across the grades it tests. In math, at every tested grade level, a high proportion of students scored at proficient or advanced levels, with performance particularly strong in fourth grade. English language arts results, while a bit more varied, also show a majority of students reaching proficiency in each grade, with fourth and fifth graders achieving notably high rates. Science and social studies results, tested in fourth grade only, are also strong. Across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the districts of Sauk County, a clear signal that academic achievement here is above the county median and on par with the strongest schools in the area. Participation rates were full, so the reported results reflect the entire tested cohort.

Because the school ends at fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. Students continue to Sauk Prairie Middle School and later to Sauk Prairie High School, which completed a major renovation in 2020, a lasting improvement to the district’s core facility that serves all secondary students from the area.

The community context shapes what this school feels like day to day. Merrimac is a car-dependent village of modest population, where the economy is a mix of small local businesses and commutes to larger towns such as Sauk City, Prairie du Sac, and Madison. The village center near the ferry landing holds the few civic functions, and the school is integrated into that fabric rather than set apart on a campus. There is no traditional walkable main street; families navigate by car. The housing market, based on available data, shows home values above the state median, and the village has seen modest population growth over recent decades, with a mix of year-round homes and seasonal cottages along the lake. This combination of a rural lakeside atmosphere, above-average home prices, and a small but academically strong elementary school tends to appeal to families who value a tight-knit community and are comfortable with a commute for work or for secondary school activities.

For a parent or resident evaluating Merrimac Community, the picture is straightforward. Academically, this is a high-performing elementary school by any measure within its county, and the small enrollment means children are in a setting where teachers likely know every student. The lack of certain civil rights data and program offerings makes it harder to assess the depth of support for students with disabilities or English learners, so families in those situations should follow up directly with the school. The broader district context is stable, with a renovated high school awaiting students after fifth grade. The village itself is quiet and low-key, suited to those who prefer a slower pace and lakeside recreation over urban amenities.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 375%

School 75% · District 58% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 494%

School 94% · District 62% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 582%

School 82% · District 67% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 356%

School 56% · District 53% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 488%

School 88% · District 52% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Grade 582%

School 82% · District 59% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Science

Grade 475%

School 75% · District 56% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 494%

School 94% · District 69% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above 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-income33%Higher-income70%37 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income50%Higher-income100%50 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income50%Higher-income90%40 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income50%Higher-income100%50 pp gap