SC Wisconsin News

Among the many ethnicities represented in Columbia County schools, white was the most prevalent ethnicity among Columbia County students in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Of the 8,696 students attending Columbia County schools, 85.6% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 8.1% of Columbia County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Columbia County, representing 85.8% of the student body.

Cambria Friesland Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools which included 82.3% white students, 15% Hispanic students, 1.4% multiracial students, 0.7% Asian students, and 0.7% Black students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 0.7% compared to the previous year.

White students were more likely to graduate from high school than any other ethnic group in Wisconsin. According to recent US Census data, nearly 95% of white students in the state successfully graduated in 2021.

Graduation rates for Black and multiracial students lagged behind white students by 10%.

Even further behind, only 71.6% of Hispanic students completed their high school education during the same period, one of the lowest graduation rates in the state.

School name	Most Represented ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Cambria Friesland Elementary School	White	82.3%	147
Cambria Friesland Middle/High School	White	80.9%	162
Columbus Elementary School	White	84.5%	438
Columbus High School	White	87%	385
Columbus Middle School	White	83.4%	265
Discovery Charter School	White	82.2%	73
Fall River Elementary School	White	85.5%	234
Fall River High School	White	86.4%	265
Lewiston Elementary School	White	93.6%	94
Lodi Elementary School	White	88.7%	230
Lodi High School	White	91.1%	451
Lodi Middle School	White	90.2%	335
Lodi Primary School	White	90.4%	395
Muir Elementary School	White	78.4%	422
Ouisconsing School of Collaboration	White	90%	80
Pardeeville Elementary School	White	93.2%	355
Pardeeville High School	White	92.9%	266
Pardeeville Middle School	White	94.7%	244
Portage Academy of Achievement	White	76%	25
Portage High School	White	84.6%	706
Portage Partnering Preschool	White	85.8%	148
Poynette Elementary School	White	91.3%	412
Poynette High School	White	94.8%	307
Poynette Middle School	White	91.7%	276
Rio Elementary School	White	95.3%	170
Rio Middle/High School	White	92.6%	190
Spring Hill Elementary School	White	70.9%	608
Wayne Bartels Middle School	White	83%	406
Wisconsin Dells Middle School	White	66.2%	387
Woodridge Elementary School	White	81.4%	220