Hamilton among highest performing districts on Wisconsin School Report Card

SUSSEX -- Wisconsin School Report Card data were released Nov. 17, and the Hamilton School District’s performance once again was among the highest in the state. Hamilton was the highest rated school district in Waukesha County and was in the top 3 percent among Wisconsin’s 367 K-12 school districts.

School Report Cards are based on four priority areas: student achievement in English language arts and mathematics; student growth; closing gaps between student populations; and measures of readiness for graduation and post-secondary success.

Using all these measures, Hamilton ranked 10th among 367 Wisconsin school districts and was one of only 36 district to earn the top designation of “significantly exceeds” expectations for performance.

Hamilton’s student achievement scores were most impressive. Among the 367 K-12 school districts in the state, Hamilton:

• tied for third highest mathematics score;
• had the fourth highest overall student achievement score; and
• was fifth highest in reading and language arts results.

The 2015-16 report cards underwent major changes from previous ones that include variable weighting to

address the impact of poverty on student achievement, a new model for measuring student growth and implementation of a new state-standardized test.

In addition to the district earning the highest designation possible, Lannon, Maple Avenue, Marcy and Woodside elementary schools and Templeton Middle School also earned “significantly exceeds expectations” at the school level. Hamilton High School earned an “exceeds expectations” rating.

“We have ambitious goals identified through our Strategic Plan that puts student learning and achievement as our top priority," said Hamilton Superintendent Paul Mielke, Ph.D. "These results confirm that we have talented, hard-working staff members who are helping students reach their potential every day.”

The overall accountability score rates schools on a scale of 0 to 100 and places them in one of five categories: significantly exceeds expectations (83-100), exceeds expectations (73-82.9), meets expectations (63-72.9), meets few expectations (53-62.9) and fails to meet expectations (52.9 and below).

Each Hamilton school was rated as “exceeds expectations” or “significantly exceeds expectations.”

Hamilton School District 2015-16 School Report Card data

School Overall scores:

• Lannon 85.2 Signif. exceeds
• Maple Ave. 87.9 Signif. exceeds
• Marcy 92.1 Signif. exceeds
• Woodside 88.3 Signif. exceeds
• Templeton 83.8 Signif. exceeds
• Hamilton High 75.8 Exceeds
• District 86.3 Signif. exceeds

Among Waukesha County K-12 school districts, Hamilton was:

• first for the overall accountability score;
• first for overall student achievement;
• first for reading and language arts achievement;
• tied for first for mathematics achievement.