Shell Lake Elementary (3-6)

Set in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) is a compact elementary-level community, run under Shell Lake School District. It instructs 153 students across grades 3 through 6. Enrollment runs roughly 53% leaner than the state mean of about 323.

Within Shell Lake School District, which oversees 3 schools and 584 students, Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) records that the student body is overwhelmingly White (92%). The remainder reads as 5% Hispanic. That composition is broadly in line with Washburn County as a whole.

On the income-and-resources front, Staff filings list 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 9.6:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.7:1, putting Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 53% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

After controlling for student poverty, Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) sits in the top 10% of Wisconsin schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 45.2%; actual is 68.8%, +23.6 points clear of the demographic baseline.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Washburn County indicate the typical household earns roughly $63,441 per year, about 26% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. Across Washburn County's 16 public schools (combined enrollment of about 2,097 students), Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) is one campus in the mix.

Shell Lake Primary (K-2) is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.0 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 2 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) ranks 1st on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 53.4%.

Geographically, the school is in an outlying area.

Looking at the recent track record. Shell Lake Elementary (3-6)'s enrollment has fell 24% since 2018, when it stood at 202 (now 153). Class-load math has tightened: from 12.0:1 in 2018 to 9.6:1 in 2025.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.