Six Wisconsin Schools Win State Honors for Student Growth

Six schools in Wisconsin's Fox Cities just proved that the right support can help every student succeed, no matter their background.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction honored these Title I schools for outstanding student achievement during the 2024-25 school year. Title I schools serve communities where at least 40% of students come from lower-income households.

Four schools from Appleton Area School District took home High Impact awards. Badger Elementary, Johnston Elementary, Ronald C. Dunlap Elementary, and Stephen Foster Elementary Charter School all showed better outcomes than similar schools across the state.

Westside Elementary in the Kimberly Area School District earned a High Progress award for significant growth in student outcomes. Buttes des Morts Elementary in Menasha Joint School District received a High Impact award.

Three of these schools are repeat winners. Badger, Buttes des Morts, and Stephen Foster earned High Impact honors for the second year running.

The state's Schools of Recognition program started in 2003 and has celebrated academic excellence ever since. This year, 95 schools statewide earned awards across three categories: High Achieving, High Progress, and High Impact.

State Superintendent Jill Underly praised the winning schools in the announcement. She credited strong teaching, supportive families and communities, and a shared commitment to helping all students learn.

The Ripple Effect

These awards matter beyond the trophy case. When schools serving economically disadvantaged students show strong results, they prove that zip codes don't determine futures.

The recognition also highlights successful strategies that other schools can learn from. Each winning school becomes a model for how to close achievement gaps and lift up every learner.

Teachers and staff at these six schools are creating environments where students can thrive regardless of the challenges they face at home. Their success shows what's possible when communities invest in education and refuse to accept that any child should be left behind.

These Fox Cities schools are turning the promise of equal opportunity into reality, one student at a time.