Valley New School

Valley New School, a very small high school in Appleton, Wisconsin, part of Appleton Area School District, educates 68 students, covering grades 7 through 12. That puts it 86% leaner than the typical public school in Wisconsin, which averages around 475 students.

Appleton Area School District comprises 38 schools with combined enrollment of 14,994 students; Valley New School is among them.

Demographically, Valley New School reports that 79% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 9% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 4% multiracial.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school reports having 4 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 16.6:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.6:1, putting Valley New School higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 32% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Valley New School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 57.8% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 45.4%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Outagamie County) shows that median household earnings sit near $85,069, 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 4%. In all, Outagamie County runs 73 public schools (combined enrollment of about 31,330 students), of which Valley New School is one.

Nearest neighbor: Appleview, around 0.2 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Valley New School ranks 4th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 47.1%.

Valley New School operates from an inner-city location. Valley New School operates as a public charter school, meaning it is publicly funded but governed independently of the surrounding district's traditional schools.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Valley New School has showed little movement, going from 67 students in 2018 to 68 in 2025. The White share of enrollment edged down from 94% to 79% over that span.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Valley New School typically covers pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.