Tomah Area Montessori School, Tomah WI

Original Research by School Decision on Tomah Area Montessori School

Tomah Area Montessori School is a public charter school within the Tomah Area School District, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. It is one of the educational options the district offers, sitting alongside its traditional elementary, middle, and high schools. The school’s Montessori approach is its defining characteristic, and for a family considering it, that pedagogical method is the first thing to understand. This is a school that emphasizes self-directed, hands-on learning, mixed-age classrooms where that applies, and a focus on a child’s individual developmental pace rather than a uniform curriculum delivered to all.

Academically, the state test results available for recent years paint a picture that varies by grade and subject. In English language arts, the school shows a clear pattern of students performing at higher levels as they move up through the grades, with the strongest results seen in the fifth and sixth grades. Math results are more mixed, with the third and fourth grades showing lower performance, while the fifth and sixth grades again trend stronger. The fourth-grade science results were a softer spot. A parent looking at these outcomes would want to discuss with the school how the Montessori method maps to state testing expectations, especially in the earlier elementary years where the proficiency picture is less consistent. The school’s overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades placed it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Monroe County, a strong showing compared to its local peers.

The school is small, with a total enrollment typical of a school that serves a targeted educational niche. The student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Black and Hispanic students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which means the school serves a population with economic diversity. The school’s participation rate on state assessments was full, indicating that nearly all enrolled students were tested.

Because the school only serves through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. That is a natural consequence of its grade band, not a reflection of its program. The school is a charter school within its district, which in this case means it is a public school of choice. Families in the Tomah Area School District can choose to enroll their child here rather than at a neighborhood elementary, provided there is space.

Tomah itself is a small city that functions as a regional transportation hub where Interstates 90 and 94 meet. This gives the community a broader range of services, restaurants, and lodging than many towns its size. The local economy is anchored by the Tomah VA Medical Center, Tomah Health hospital, and a mix of industrial parks with manufacturing and distribution employers. The city’s housing market, based on recent data, shows home values that are below the statewide typical figure, which can be a practical consideration for families moving to the area. The school district’s governing board recently passed a budget that reduced the property tax rate, a financial change that lowers the cost of living for homeowners in the district.

For a family, this school fits a specific profile. It is for those who are actively seeking a Montessori education and want it within a public school setting, without the tuition of a private Montessori program. The academic profile is solid, especially in the upper elementary grades, but the early elementary math results are a point a parent would want to understand better through direct conversation with the school. The setting is a small charter school inside a mid-sized rural district, with a student body that reflects the broader community’s demographics. The school’s small size means a parent can likely expect a close-knit environment where teachers and families know each other well.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 37% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 429%

School 29% · District 33% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 557%

School 57% · District 52% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 671%

School 71% · District 36% · ▲ 36 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 356%

School 56% · District 43% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 37% · ▲ 34 pts above district

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

Grade 586%

School 86% · District 47% · ▲ 39 pts above district

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

Grade 6100%

School 100% · District 46% · ▲ 54 pts above district

▲ 47 pts above state median

Science

Grade 443%

School 43% · District 43%

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 486%

School 86% · District 51% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

This schoolTomah Area 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.