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Below Average

#1866 of 2,105 schools in WI

Merrill High

High School · Merrill Area School District · Merrill, WI

A Merrill Area School District high school where students score 21 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1201 N Sales St, Merrill, WI 54452

  • Math 27% proficient (2021)
  • Reading 32% proficient (2021)
  • 95%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress2.0Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-4.03 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2021
TrendDeclining
Academics3.7Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency27% (2021 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency32% (2021 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency30% (2021 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)51% (model expectation from 2021 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-21.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile18th
College Readiness7.6Very Good30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate95%+
AP Participation15.5%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.0Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.3:1
District spending per student$13,547
Chronic Absenteeism28.8%

Students at Merrill High score 30% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 50%).

How we calculate scores →

2021 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WI average.

Math Proficiency27%(2021 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2021 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency32%(2021 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2021 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 44 points across the 13-year record (2009–2021) and has held near 30% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
73%
ELA
73%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
42%
2012
Math
59%
ELA
35%
2013
Math
57%
ELA
40%
2014
Math
44%
ELA
49%
2015
Math
40%
ELA
32%
2016
Math
32%
ELA
27%
2017
Math
30%
ELA
33%
2018
Math
28%
ELA
31%
2019
Math
28%
ELA
31%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
32%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2021) · reading/ELA 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2021)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 26 test records from WI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

36.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Merrill High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 27Car-Dependent
  • Bike 35Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,620/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Merrill), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$65,522

Median home value

$162,500

Median rent

$777/mo

College educated

19.3%

Homeownership

76.5%

Poverty rate

12.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 54452; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
15.5% participation·State avg: 2.4 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics12sports offered
5 boys'·7 girls'·26 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Bridges Virtual AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified5.0PK–120.0 mi697Compare →
Merrill Adult Diploma AcademyCharter · enrollment unverifiedNot rated10–120.9 mi25Compare →
Ntc Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.0privatePK–121.1 mi30Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Merrill Area School District

Schools in district
7
Rank in district
#4 of 6
District spending per student
$13,547NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Merrill High is listed in Merrill Area School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Merrill High

Merrill High is a public high school in Merrill, WI, part of Merrill Area School District, serving approximately 795 students in grades 9th-12th with a 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,866 of 2,105 schools in WI. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Merrill High

What grades does Merrill High serve?

Merrill High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Merrill High?

Merrill High has an enrollment of approximately 795 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Merrill High?

The student-teacher ratio at Merrill High is 17.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Merrill High rank in WI?

Merrill High ranks #1,866 of 2,105 schools in WI.

What is Merrill High's MySchoolScout rating?

Merrill High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Merrill High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Merrill High has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021).

Is Merrill High a charter school?

No, Merrill High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Merrill High a Title I school?

No, Merrill High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Merrill High?

36.4% of students at Merrill High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
795
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
46
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Lincoln County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
28.8%
4-Year Graduation
95%+
Area population (ZIP 54452)
18,949
Area average commute
21.1 min
Area median age
47.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2021 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2021 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2021 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2021 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 54452; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2021; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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