Rib Mountain Elementary, Wausau WI

Original Research by School Decision on Rib Mountain Elementary

Rib Mountain Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade as part of the Wausau School District, and it is one of the schools that was listed for potential closure in a 2020 district consolidation proposal. The district’s current website shows nine elementary schools, down from the thirteen or fourteen it previously operated, suggesting that some consolidation did take place, though the exact outcome of the proposal for Rib Mountain specifically is not confirmed by the available data. Families moving into the area or those already in the district may want to check directly with the district about whether Rib Mountain’s long-term status as an operating school is settled.

The school serves a student body that is predominantly white, with a meaningful Asian student population, and smaller shares of students who are two or more races, Hispanic, or Black. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places it in a moderate range for an elementary school in this part of Wisconsin. The school is located in a residential area of Wausau at the base of Rib Mountain, a notable geographic feature that also gives the school its name and provides nearby recreational amenities like Rib Mountain State Park and Granite Peak Ski Area.

On state assessments, Rib Mountain Elementary posts results that position it solidly among its peers. Across the tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index lands in the top quartile relative to other districts in Marathon County. In math, proficiency rates across third, fourth, and fifth grade all fall in the sixty to seventy percent range, with fifth grade showing the strongest results. In English language arts, third grade sits at about sixty percent proficient, with fourth and fifth grades a few points higher. In science, tested only in fourth grade, a little more than half of students reached the proficient level. Social studies, also tested only in fourth grade, shows a stronger result, with more than seventy percent of students scoring proficient. These are consistently above the median for the county, and the school performs well compared to other elementary schools in the Wausau district and the broader region.

Because Rib Mountain Elementary serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism data was available in the data provided. The school’s participation rates on the state tests were near one hundred percent, which lends confidence to the proficiency results as a complete picture of student performance.

The school’s setting is the city of Wausau, the county seat of Marathon County, a community of a size that functions as a regional hub for commerce and healthcare. The local economy has deep roots in manufacturing, particularly paper and home manufacturing, and insurance remains a legacy industry. Housing in the area has seen appreciation, with values and rents both rising at a pace that outpaces the national trend, though home values remain below the state average. The area’s housing stock is still relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks, and the combination of moderate prices and a stable local economy may appeal to families looking for a mid-sized Midwestern city with access to outdoor recreation and cultural amenities like the 400 Block, the Grand Theater, and the Woodson Art Museum.

For a family considering Rib Mountain Elementary, the picture is one of a school with solid academic outcomes in a community that offers a range of civic and recreational assets. The open question about the district’s consolidation plans is the main point of uncertainty, and a prospective parent would be well served by confirming the school’s long-term enrollment projections and whether the attendance boundaries are stable. The school itself, based on the available data, delivers a consistent academic experience that compares favorably to other elementary options in the county.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 361%

School 61% · District 50% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 468%

School 68% · District 51% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Grade 570%

School 70% · District 51% · ▲ 19 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 360%

School 60% · District 51% · ▲ 9 pts above district

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

Grade 464%

School 64% · District 51% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 50% · ▲ 14 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 456%

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

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

Social studies

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 64% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

This schoolWausau 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-income40%Higher-income63%23 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income29%Higher-income78%49 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income50%Higher-income68%18 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income33%Higher-income67%33 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income43%Higher-income78%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income63%Higher-income72%10 pp gap