The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Social studies. The lowest is 36% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Brener Elementary
Brener Elementary is a regular public school serving grades three through five in Shawano, Wisconsin, as part of the Shawano School District. The school is located on Union Street on the south side of the city, a setting that is separate from the downtown core where civic buildings sit but within the broader residential fabric of this small county seat.
Shawano itself sits roughly forty miles west of Green Bay in northeastern Wisconsin. It is a place shaped by the Wolf River and Shawano Lake, which anchor recreation and give the community a waterfront dimension. The racial makeup of the city includes a significant Native American population, reflecting proximity to the Menominee Nation to the north, alongside a predominantly White majority. Modest but steady population growth has been recorded in recent years, and the city describes itself as having a reemerging downtown and healthy economic activity. Home values in Shawano have risen measurably, with the typical home now valued at a level below the state average but above the national median at a similar point in time.
Attendance at Brener is moderate for an upper-elementary school serving only three grade levels. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse. About half the students identify as White, with a substantial American Indian or Alaska Native population, a sizable share of students identifying with two or more races, and a Hispanic population of roughly one in ten. Asian and Black students each make up a very small share. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing this school in a context where economic need is the norm rather than the exception.
State testing results from the most recent school year give a mixed picture. In mathematics, the share of students meeting state standards was highest in third grade, where roughly half scored proficient or above, and then dropped to a lower level in fourth and fifth grades. English language arts results were softer overall, with third grade showing the lowest proficiency rate, fourth grade a higher one, and fifth grade falling back again. Science, tested only in fourth grade, saw a minority of students reaching proficiency. Social studies, also a fourth-grade subject, was the strongest area, with a clear majority of students meeting the bar. The school’s combined proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it below the midpoint among the six districts in Shawano County.
Because Brener serves only grades three through five, it has no graduation rate. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and course access were not available in the records reviewed, so a full picture of the school environment and support structures remains incomplete. A parent may want to ask the school directly about how it addresses attendance and student behavior.
No recent district-level changes of note were found in publicly reported sources.
Brener Elementary fits a family looking for a standard public school in a small city with a strong outdoor recreational identity and a student population that reflects the area’s racial and economic diversity. The academic data suggests that English language arts is an area where the school is still finding its footing, particularly in third and fifth grades, while social studies stands out as a relative strength. For those weighing options, the housing market in Shawano has been appreciating, and the community shows signs of steady, if not rapid, growth.
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