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C+

Beaver Dam School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 5 towns

Serves Beaver Dam, Beaver Dam, Westford, Trenton and Calamus, and parts of Lowell, Oak Grove and Burnett.

Beaver Dam’s School Grade C+ better than 41% of Wisconsin school districts

Students
2,988
Schools
8
Spent per student
$15,130
WI $16,459
Students per teacher
13:1
Free or reduced lunch
48%
Debt
$38M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Beaver Dam School District

  • Its letter, C+: results better than 41% of Wisconsin districts
  • Spends 8% less per student than the WI average
  • 13 students per teacher
  • Enrollment down 10.5% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $38M, about $12,706 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C+: better than 41% of the 441 Wisconsin school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math close to the state, 2021–22
B−
GraduationFour-year graduation close to the state, class of 2023
C−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
C+Beaver Dam 16,542C+Beaver Dam 4,105C+Westford 1,312B−Trenton 1,212B−Calamus 1,035

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Beaver Dam. Grade by grade →

PK–55 elementary schoolsThis district
6–8Beaver Dam MiddleThis district
9–12Beaver Dam HighThis district

Test scores vs. WI

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency41%
State average 38.7% · 1,565 students tested
Reading / language arts36%
State average 38.1% · 1,561 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)90%
State average 90.5% · 295 in the class

98% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$15,130 per student · 8% below WI
Spending
Classroom instruction 58%Support & administration 41%Other 1%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 31%State 58%Federal 10%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
3,338’20
3,273’21
3,161’22
3,051’23
2,988’24

Down 10.5% since 2020–21.

Students
White 69%Hispanic 23%Two or more races 6%Black 1%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%

Schools in the district

8 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Wisconsin’s other public schools.

Prairie View Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Beaver Dam
A−
337 students12:1
Jefferson Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Beaver Dam
B−
328 students10:1
BDUSD4Kids
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Beaver Dam
157 students
Wilson Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Beaver Dam
A−
41 students4:1
Washington Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Beaver Dam
B−
260 students16:1
Lincoln Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Beaver Dam
B−
201 students10:1
Beaver Dam Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Beaver Dam
C+
633 students13:1
Beaver Dam High
High · Grades 9–12 · Beaver Dam
C−
1,031 students15:1

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Waupun School DistrictAlto, Chester, Fox Lake
$13,994per student
Randolph School DistrictCourtland, Fox Lake, Randolph
$15,542per student
Horicon School DistrictHoricon, Hubbard
$14,183per student
Columbus School DistrictElba
$15,320per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Wisconsin.