Birnamwood Elementary, Birnamwood WI

Original Research by School Decision on Birnamwood Elementary

Birnamwood Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the rural village of Birnamwood, a small community in Shawano County, Wisconsin. The school is part of the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District, which formed years ago when Birnamwood’s independent school consolidated with the neighboring district. The elementary building shares a facility with the public library, a practical arrangement that reflects the village’s compact, small-town character.

The student body is small, with an enrollment that stays consistent across grade levels. The population is overwhelmingly white, with modest shares of students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic, or American Indian. About a quarter to nearly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a level that suggests a meaningful share of families face economic pressures. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.

On state assessments, academic results show a mixed picture that varies by grade and subject. In the early elementary grades, proficiency rates in English language arts are relatively strong, with a clear majority of students meeting the state benchmark. In math, the early grades also show a majority proficient, though the share drops noticeably as students move into middle school, settling at roughly half or slightly below. Science and social studies results, available only for fourth and eighth grades, show solid proficiency, with a clear majority of students meeting the bar. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile among the six districts in Shawano County. That is a strong position relative to its immediate neighbors, though the county itself is not among the state’s high-performing regions.

Because Birnamwood Elementary only serves through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. Students go on to the district’s high school in Wittenberg for grades nine through twelve, and families interested in the full secondary pathway would want to examine that school separately.

The school does not appear to offer extensive program data: advanced coursework, career pathways, and arts programming were not included in the available information, so a parent looking for specialized offerings may need to check directly with the school or district.

Housing in the village is relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks. Home values have risen in recent years, which may matter for families deciding whether to buy. The village’s population has been stable to slightly declining, consistent with many small rural Wisconsin communities. The local economy includes a water and wastewater lab, a sawmill, and a handful of long-standing small businesses. Many residents likely commute to Wausau or other nearby towns for work. The district has seen two recent referendums pass—one in 2021 and a very close vote in 2024—allowing it to exceed state revenue limits for operations and facility maintenance, while the property tax mill rate has declined, easing the local tax burden.

For families, Birnamwood Elementary offers a small-school setting in a close-knit rural village. Academic performance is strongest in early literacy and tapers in middle-school math, an area where a parent might want to follow up. The school’s relative standing among county districts is favorable. The lack of detailed program and staffing data means that parents exploring options should ask about class sizes, enrichment, and support services directly. The village itself is quiet, with a traditional downtown, a library in the school building, and active civic groups—a fit for those who value a slow pace and community involvement over urban amenities.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 360%

School 60% · District 46% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median

Grade 469%

School 69% · District 53% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median

Grade 556%

School 56% · District 51% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 645%

School 45% · District 41% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 52% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median

Grade 845%

School 45% · District 35% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median

English language arts

Grade 376%

School 76% · District 54% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 58% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median

Grade 556%

School 56% · District 51% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 658%

School 58% · District 52% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median

Grade 749%

School 49% · District 54% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 52%

even with state median

Science

Grade 467%

School 67% · District 53% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median

Grade 858%

School 58% · District 56% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 475%

School 75% · District 69% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median

Grade 868%

School 68% · District 68%

▲ 4 pts above state median

This schoolWittenberg-Birnamwood 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-income60%Higher-income86%26 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income57%Higher-income82%25 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income41%Higher-income67%26 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income65%20 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income47%Higher-income50%3 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income65%38 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income27%Higher-income82%55 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income57%Higher-income77%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income41%Higher-income67%26 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income36%Higher-income50%14 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income50%15 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income9%Higher-income65%56 pp gap