Merrill Area School District

1111 N Sales St
Merrill, WI 54452-3198
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Merrill Area School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Wisconsin for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 4 public elementary schools serving 1,877 students in Merrill Area School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Wisconsin.
Public Elementary Schools in Merrill Area School District have an average math proficiency score of 39% (versus the Wisconsin public elementary school average of 42%), and reading proficiency score of 39% (versus the 38% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 14% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Wisconsin public elementary school average of 35% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (WI)
# Schools
7 Schools
1,584 Schools
# Students
2,830 Students
535,326 Students
# Teachers
180 Teachers
40,386 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Merrill Area School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 443 school districts in Wisconsin (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 70% has decreased from 91% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (WI)
#243 out of 447 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
37%
40%
39%
38%
43%
44%
70%
90%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.23
0.55
% American Indian
1%
1%
% Asian
1%
4%
% Hispanic
4%
14%
% Black
1%
10%
% White
87%
65%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
6%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $16,609 in this school district is less than the state median of $17,045. The school district revenue/student has grown by 24% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $15,602 is less than the state median of $17,017. The school district spending/student has grown by 21% over four school years.
This School District
This State (WI)
Total Revenue
$47 MM
$13,869 MM
Spending
$44 MM
$13,846 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,609
$17,045
Spending / Student
$15,602
$17,017

Best Merrill Area School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Kate Goodrich Elementary School
(Math: 50-54% | Reading: 40-44% )
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
505 W 10th St
Merrill, WI 54452
(715) 536-5233
Gr: K-2 | 358 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Washington Elementary School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1900 E 6th St
Merrill, WI 54452
(715) 536-2373
Gr: 3-4 | 249 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 13%
Rank: #33.
Bridges Virtual Academy
Charter School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 56% )
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1201 N Sales St
Merrill, WI 54452
(715) 539-8360
Gr: PK-12 | 747 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 20%
Rank: #44.
Prairie River Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
106 N Polk St
Merrill, WI 54452
(715) 536-9593
Gr: 5-8 | 541 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 10%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 7 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,830 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 13%
  • : 70% (Top 50% in WI)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 37% (Btm 50%)
  • : 39% (Top 50%)
  • : 43% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), WI Dept. of Education

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