The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in Social studies. The lowest is 54% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on P J Jacobs Junior High
P J Jacobs Junior High sits in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, serving grades seven through nine as a regular public school. It is one of two junior highs in the Stevens Point Area Public School District, feeding into Stevens Point Area Senior High (SPASH) for grades ten through twelve. The school is on Main Street, within the city’s residential fabric, close to the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point campus and the downtown Public Square area.
Academically, the school performs above the midpoint among districts in Portage County. Its overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile of that comparison set. State testing results for the most recent year show that in math, a solid majority of seventh and eighth graders met or exceeded the state proficiency standard. Eighth-grade social studies posted the highest proficiency rate among the tested subjects, with about two-thirds of students reaching that level. Science, tested only in eighth grade, saw a little more than half of students proficient. English language arts results were softer: in both seventh and eighth grades, roughly half of students scored at the proficient level. A parent may want to ask the school about literacy support and how it addresses this gap relative to math.
The school’s enrollment of roughly seven hundred students is moderate for a junior high serving three grades. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students, followed by students who identify as two or more races, Asian, and Black. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of moderate economic diversity. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a family with specific needs in those areas should follow up directly.
Stevens Point itself is a mid-sized city with a college-town character. The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and Mid-State Technical College anchor the community, and major employers include Sentry Insurance, Skyward, and Delta Dental of Wisconsin. The downtown area, rebuilt around a public square, hosts restaurants, shops, and a farmers’ market. The city has twenty developed parks and a twenty-six-mile Green Circle Trail for biking and walking. Housing values in the area are moderate compared to the state as a whole, and rents have been stable.
The district recently passed a significant capital referendum that will directly affect P J Jacobs. Funds are designated for additions and renovations at the junior high, along with safety and security upgrades, HVAC improvements, and districtwide accessibility work. A separate operational referendum gives the district authority to exceed its state revenue limit for ongoing maintenance and staffing. Both measures passed with roughly fifty-three percent of the vote, so the community has committed to these investments. Families moving into the district can expect construction activity and facility improvements in the coming years.
Because P J Jacobs serves only grades seven through nine, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available. The school’s participation rates on state assessments were high, indicating that nearly all students took the tests. The available academic picture is one of a school where math proficiency is a clear strength, social studies also shows solid performance, and ELA is an area where the school is working to bring more students to proficiency. The combination of a supportive college-town community, a recent infrastructure investment, and a junior high that feeds into a comprehensive high school gives a family a clear sense of the academic pipeline from middle school through graduation.
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