Northwoods Reporter

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

Of the 6,694 students attending Polk County schools, 90.6% were white. Ethnicities <5% students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 9.4% of Polk County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Polk County, representing 91% of the student body.

Amery High School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools which included 91.2% white students, 3.7% multiracial students, 3% Hispanic students, 1.5% Black students, 0.4% American Indian students, and 0.2% Asian students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 0.6% 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
Amery High School	White	91.2%	465
Amery Intermediate School	White	90.9%	285
Amery Middle School	White	89.3%	300
Clayton Elementary School	White	94.9%	137
Clayton High School	White	97.9%	93
Clayton Middle School	White	100%	56
Clear Lake High School	White	89.5%	181
Clear Lake Junior High School	White	91%	100
Dresser Elementary School	White	96.3%	54
Frederic 6-12 School	White	87.3%	221
Frederic Elementary School	White	92.8%	208
Gaylord A. Nelson Educational Center	White	91.9%	284
Lien Elementary School	White	90.5%	347
Luck Elementary School	White	92.6%	190
Luck High School	White	94.1%	118
Luck Middle School	White	88.4%	86
Osceola Elementary School	White	91.7%	397
Osceola High School	White	92.2%	551
Osceola Intermediate School	White	90.9%	307
Osceola Middle School	White	92%	339
Saint Croix Falls Elementary School	White	92.5%	347
Saint Croix Falls High School	White	92.4%	342
Saint Croix Falls Middle School	White	91%	332
Unity Elementary School	White	84.3%	396
Unity High School	White	86.5%	296
Unity Middle School	White	81.7%	262