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Schools in Buena Vista · River Valley School District, Richland School District

Buena Vista’s public schools score below 67% of Wisconsin districts on tests and graduation

32% of students in Buena Vista’s public schools are proficient in math, below the Wisconsin average (39%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Buena Vista, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Wisconsin, not nationally.

K–12Where will my kid go?

From Wisconsin state tests taken in spring 2022, when 94% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
33%
▼ 6 pts vs WI 38%
2021–22
Math proficiency
32%
▼ 7 pts vs WI 39%
2021–22
Graduate on time
85–89%
▼ 2–6 pts vs WI 90%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$19.0K
▲ 16% vs WI $16.5K
FY2024 · Richland
Students per teacher
11.0
WI 13.6 · smaller classes
Schools in town
0
1,767 students on the public path
In brief

Buena Vista’s schools, in brief

Results trail the state

In spring 2022, 33% of tested students were proficient in reading and 32% in math, against 38% and 39% statewide; 94% of students in the tested grades sat the tests. The grade ↓

Graduation

85–89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 90% across Wisconsin (the state reports Buena Vista’s rate as a range). Districts ↓

Spending and class size

River Valley spends $17,263 per student and Richland $19,011, against $16,459 across Wisconsin (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Buena Vista’s grade

C Test scoresD Graduation

C: better than 33% of Wisconsin school districts. Both inputs trail the Wisconsin average; test scores are the closer of the two to typical.

Wisconsin school districts we grade (441)Better than 33%
Lower resultsHigher results
Wisconsin towns with similar household incomes (1236)Better than 35%
Towns in Richland County (16)Better than 88%
C−B−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,085 test results and a graduating class of 117 could put Buena Vista anywhere from C− to B−. The tests are from spring 2022, when 94% of Buena Vista’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,085 in math, 1,084 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Buena Vista, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–22 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressD
3–62 schoolsDepends on your addressC to B
7–122 schoolsDepends on your addressC to B+

Buena Vista runs its own schools through grade 12 (River Valley School District). From grade PK, students attend the Richland School District, shared with Akan, Boaz, Dayton, Eagle, Henrietta, Marshall, Orion, Richland Center, Richland, Rockbridge and Sylvan. Its elementary school is in Richland Center. Parts of Buena Vista (11% of its land) are served by Ithaca instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Buena Vista

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

River Valley School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 4 schools · 1,043 students, down 7% since 2020–21 · 11.6 per teacher (WI 13.6)
$17,263WI $16,459 · FY2024
B
Richland School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 5 schools · 1,121 students, down 1% since 2023–24 · 10.5 per teacher (WI 13.6)
$19,011WI $16,459 · FY2024
D
Test scores · 2021–22

Well below the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, River Valley School District38%
State average 38.1% · 548 students tested
Math · PK–12, River Valley School District37%
State average 38.7% · 547 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Richland School District27%
State average 38.1% · 536 students tested
Math · PK–12, Richland School District26%
State average 38.7% · 538 students tested

Buena Vista vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Wisconsin towns that share Buena Vista’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Buena VistaCRiver Valley PK–12 · Richland PK–12
Clyde—River Valley
Lone Rock—River Valley
Pulaski—Riverdale
Orion—Richland PK–12 · Riverdale PK–12
Spring Green—River Valley
Ithaca—Ithaca
Bear Creek—River Valley

4 of the 7 neighbors share River Valley with Buena Vista for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Buena Vista

6 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Wisconsin’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving Buena Vistain other towns
Richland Center Primary School
Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Richland Center
D
301 students10:1Rate it →
River Valley Early Learning Center
Elementary · Grades PK–K · Plain
97 students12:1Rate it →
River Valley Elementary
Elementary · Grades 1–4 · Spring Green
B
258 students11:1Rate it →
Richland Center Intermediate School
Elementary · Grades 3–6 · Richland Center
C
275 students9:1Rate it →
River Valley Middle
Middle · Grades 5–8 · Spring Green
C
324 students11:1Rate it →
Richland Center High
High · Grades 7–12 · Richland Center
B+
512 students12:1Rate it →

Questions about Buena Vista’s schools

Are Buena Vista’s schools good?

On Wisconsin’s tests they score below most of the state: the public schools Buena Vista children attend score below 67% of Wisconsin’s school districts on tests and graduation, a C Schools grade. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 35%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Buena Vista in?

Two districts: River Valley School District runs grades PK–12, and Richland School District runs grades PK–12, shared with Akan, Boaz, Dayton, Eagle, Henrietta, Marshall, Orion, Richland Center, Richland, Rockbridge and Sylvan.

What is Buena Vista’s graduation rate?

85–89% of the class of 2023 in Richland School District graduated in four years, against 90% across Wisconsin.

How much does Buena Vista spend per student?

$17,263 in River Valley School District and $19,011 in Richland School District (FY2024), against $16,459 across Wisconsin. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Buena Vista families are saying about school.

Town Square →
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Looking for colleges? Colleges near Buena Vista → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Wisconsin. Stars are from neighbors.