Northwoods Reporter

Among the many ethnicities represented in Sawyer County schools, white was the most prevalent ethnicity among students in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Of the 2,116 students attending Sawyer County schools, 71.1% were white. American Indian students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 15.5% of Sawyer County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Sawyer County, representing 69.9% of the student body.

Countywide, Hayward Center for Individualized Learning had the most even distribution of races, which included 95.1% white students, 2.1% American Indian students, 0.8% Hispanic students, 0.8% Pacific Islander students, 0.8% multiracial students, and 0.4% Asian students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 1.8% compared to the previous year.

According to the NAEP's 2022 results, there was a significant achievement gap between ethnic groups in Wisconsin. On average, white students outperformed Black students by 40 to 50 points in mathematics and reading. Hispanic students also scored lower than their white peers in both subjects, with an average gap of about 20 points.

School Name	Most Represented Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Hayward Center for Individualized Learning	White	95.1%	244
Hayward High School	White	65.6%	512
Hayward Intermediate School	White	63.9%	346
Hayward Middle School	White	66.9%	344
Hayward Primary School	White	64.5%	403
Northern Waters Environmental School	White	76.2%	42
Winter Elementary School	White	81.6%	103
Winter High School	White	88.5%	78
Winter Middle School	White	90.9%	44