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Schools in Cedar Lake · Rice Lake Area School District, Birchwood School District

Cedar Lake’s public schools outscore 63% of Wisconsin districts

The grade covers the two public school districts serving Cedar Lake, 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 99% 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
40%
▲ 2 pts vs WI 38%
2021–22
Math proficiency
42%
▲ 4 pts vs WI 39%
2021–22
Graduate on time
95–100%
▲ 4–10 pts vs WI 90%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$15.6K
▼ 5% vs WI $16.5K
FY2024 · Rice Lake Area
Students per teacher
11.3
WI 13.6 · smaller classes
Schools in town
0
2,256 students on the public path
In brief

Cedar Lake’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 1314 Wisconsin towns with household incomes within a quarter of Cedar Lake’s, its schools beat 69%, higher than their 63% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 40% and math 42% across both districts in spring 2022, against 38% and 39% statewide; 95–100% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 90%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Rice Lake Area spends $15,567 per student and Birchwood $22,819, 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 Cedar Lake’s grade

B Test scoresB Graduation

B: better than 63% of Wisconsin school districts. Test scores and graduation are both above the Wisconsin average; graduation is the stronger of the two.

Wisconsin school districts we grade (441)Better than 63%
Lower resultsHigher results
Wisconsin towns with similar household incomes (1314)Better than 69%
Towns in Barron County (25)Better than 76%
B−B+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,191 test results and a graduating class of 156 could put Cedar Lake anywhere from B− to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 99% of Cedar Lake’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,192 in math, 1,191 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

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

The path, start to finish
PK–44 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressB− to B
5–82 middle schoolsDepends on your addressC to B+
9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressC− to C

Cedar Lake runs its own schools through grade 12 (Rice Lake Area School District). From grade PK, students attend the Birchwood School District, shared with Birchwood, Birchwood, Edgewater, Meteor, Sand Lake, Wilkinson and Wilson. Its elementary school is in Rice Lake. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Cedar Lake

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

Rice Lake Area School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 6 schools · 2,096 students, down 5% since 2020–21 · 12.1 per teacher (WI 13.6)
$15,567WI $16,459 · FY2024
B+
Birchwood School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 5 schools · 217 students, down 22% since 2020–21 · 7.1 per teacher (WI 13.6)
$22,819WI $16,459 · FY2024
C−
Test scores · 2021–22

Above the state in reading

Reading · PK–12, Rice Lake Area School District41%
State average 38.1% · 1066 students tested
Math · PK–12, Rice Lake Area School District44%
State average 38.7% · 1067 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Birchwood School District32%
State average 38.1% · 125 students tested
Math · PK–12, Birchwood School District27%
State average 38.7% · 125 students tested

Cedar Lake vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Wisconsin towns that share Cedar Lake’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Cedar LakeBRice Lake Area PK–12 · Birchwood PK–12
Birchwood—Birchwood PK–12 · Spooner Area PK–12
Wilson—Birchwood
Oak Grove—Rice Lake Area
Doyle—Rice Lake Area

2 of the 4 neighbors share Birchwood with Cedar Lake for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Cedar Lake

8 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 Cedar Lakein other towns
Tainter Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Rice Lake
B−
445 students11:1Rate it →
Birchwood Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Birchwood
B
86 students8:1Rate it →
Haugen Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Haugen
B
83 students10:1Rate it →
Hilltop Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–4 · Rice Lake
B
251 students11:1Rate it →
Rice Lake Middle
Middle · Grades 5–8 · Rice Lake
B+
622 students12:1Rate it →
Birchwood Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Birchwood
C
36 students6:1Rate it →
Rice Lake High
High · Grades 9–12 · Rice Lake
C
674 students14:1Rate it →
Birchwood High
High · Grades 9–12 · Birchwood
C−
59 students7:1Rate it →

Questions about Cedar Lake’s schools

Are Cedar Lake’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of Wisconsin: the public schools Cedar Lake children attend outscore 63% of Wisconsin’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B Schools grade. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 69%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Cedar Lake in?

Two districts: Rice Lake Area School District runs grades PK–12, and Birchwood School District runs grades PK–12, shared with Birchwood, Birchwood, Edgewater, Meteor, Sand Lake, Wilkinson and Wilson.

Where do Cedar Lake kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: Rice Lake High and Birchwood High.

What is Cedar Lake’s graduation rate?

95–100% of the class of 2023 in Rice Lake Area School District graduated in four years, against 90% across Wisconsin.

How much does Cedar Lake spend per student?

$15,567 in Rice Lake Area School District and $22,819 in Birchwood School District (FY2024), against $16,459 across Wisconsin. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Cedar Lake families are saying about school.

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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.