Union Grove Elementary, Union Grove WI

Original Research by School Decision on Union Grove Elementary

Union Grove Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, making it the single school within the Union Grove J1 School District. As a regular public school, it covers the full span of elementary and middle school years before students move on to high school elsewhere. The school sits in the village of Union Grove, a small crossroads community in central Racine County where US Highway 45 and Wisconsin Highway 11 intersect, with easy commuter access to Milwaukee and Chicago via nearby Interstate 94. The village describes itself as a growing community with a mix of small businesses, longtime families, and new residents, retaining a small-town character while serving as a regional throughway. No recent district-level changes of lasting impact were found in publicly available sources.

Academic performance at Union Grove Elementary is solid. Across the tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index lands above the midpoint among the districts in Racine County. In math, proficiency rates are consistently strong from third through eighth grade, with the highest share of students meeting or exceeding state standards in fourth grade and eighth grade. English language arts results show more variation: grades three, four, and six post solid numbers, while fifth grade and seventh grade have somewhat lower shares reaching proficiency. Science is tested in grades four and eight; fourth graders show a strong result, while eighth graders are lower, a pattern a parent may want to discuss with the school. Social studies, tested in the same two grades, is a clear strength, particularly in fourth grade where a large majority of students are proficient. Because the school ends at eighth grade, there is no graduation rate to report.

The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population representing roughly one in ten students and small shares of students who are Asian, Black, or multiracial. About three in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places the school in a moderate range for economic disadvantage. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the records provided. Enrollment is spread relatively evenly across grades, with a typical pre-kindergarten cohort below kindergarten and then fairly consistent class sizes through eighth grade. The school does not have charter or magnet status, and no information on Title I eligibility was published in the available data.

The housing market in Union Grove reflects the village’s appeal as a commuter-friendly community. Home values sit above the state benchmark and have been rising, while rents are moderate relative to incomes. A typical mortgage payment would be higher than a typical rent payment, which is common for the area. The national unemployment rate has been stable, and recent mortgage rates have trended around a level that affects buying power. For a family moving to the area, Union Grove offers homes in a range that is neither the most expensive in Racine County nor the most affordable.

Union Grove itself is a village of modest size with a traditional downtown along Main Street, though the built environment is auto-oriented and shaped by the highway crossings. Major employers include American Roller, Custom Truck One Source, Oak Ridge Care Center, and Shepherds Ministries, and the Racine County Fairgrounds provides a civic anchor within the village. Schools are on separate campuses rather than integrated into the downtown core. The former railroad corridor has been removed, and plans for a bike path have not yet been realized. No dedicated walkability score was found, and pedestrian street life appears limited.

For a family considering Union Grove Elementary, the picture is of a stable, moderately diverse school with above-average academic performance in its county, set in a small village with a commuter orientation. The math results are a clear asset, while some dips in reading and science at certain grade levels may warrant a closer look. The absence of high school grades means families will need to consider the receiving high school options later. The village’s steady growth and accessible location to two major metropolitan areas make it a practical choice for families who want small-town surroundings without being far from urban opportunities.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 367%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 478%

School 78% · District 78%

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

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 66%

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 665%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 11 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 764%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 874%

School 74% · District 74%

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 361%

School 61% · District 61%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 466%

School 66% · District 66%

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 552%

School 52% · District 52%

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

Grade 669%

School 69% · District 69%

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

Grade 759%

School 59% · District 59%

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

Grade 858%

School 58% · District 58%

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Science

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 72%

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

Grade 856%

School 56% · District 56%

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

Social studies

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 82%

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Grade 863%

School 63% · District 63%

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

This schoolUnion Grove J1 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-income52%Higher-income65%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income73%23 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income41%Higher-income57%16 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income74%Higher-income68%6 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income50%Higher-income62%12 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income40%Higher-income64%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income64%Higher-income68%5 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income68%Higher-income82%14 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income44%Higher-income74%30 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income48%Higher-income70%22 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income54%Higher-income68%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income68%Higher-income76%8 pp gap