New Glarus School District continues to see scores rise on the state report cards and now ranks in the top 25 4K-12 school districts in the state of Wisconsin. Each year all schools and districts are given a star rating by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), and this year New Glarus School District and each of the individual schools in the district earned 4 or 5 stars on the state report cards.

Based on the star rating, New Glarus Elementary School significantly exceeds expectations for educating students and earned a 5-star rating. The New Glarus School District, New Glarus Middle School, and New Glarus High School all exceed expectations for educating students and earned 4-star ratings. New Glarus School District’s scores have risen past pre-pandemic levels and are now the highest in the Capital Conference and Green County, and second highest compared to all Dane County districts, trailing Waunakee School District by one point.

Superintendent Jennifer Thayer noted, “It is reaffirming to see these scores and know that our students are being academically successful, despite the recent pandemic. All the hard work of our staff to serve students during that unprecedented time has paid off. We are more tight-knit and collaborative than ever before, and are seeing first-hand the positive impact on our students.”

Report cards are issued based on four priority areas: student achievement in reading and mathematics on statewide assessments; student growth in those assessed areas; target group outcomes for low-performing student populations; and measures of readiness for graduation and postsecondary success.

It should be noted that DPI urges caution when interpreting scores and ratings due to impacts resulting from the pandemic. Also, while school and district report cards provide information to the community, they do not represent a full picture of the work happening in any school or district.