Northwoods Reporter

White students were the most represented ethnic group within Washburn County schools in the 2024-25 school year, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Of the 2,097 students attending Washburn County schools, 90.5% were white. Ethnicities <5% students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 9.5% of Washburn County students.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Washburn County, representing 89.5% of the student body.

Countywide, Birchwood Elementary School had the most even distribution of races, which included 90.7% white students, 4.7% multiracial students, 3.5% Hispanic students, and 1.2% American Indian students.

In the 2024-25 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county dropped 3.4% compared to the previous year.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2024 Mathematics Snapshot Report for Wisconsin Grade 8, there remains a significant achievement gap between ethnic groups in Wisconsin. White students outperformed Black students by an average of 50 points, and Hispanic students scored on average 32 points lower than their white peers.

School Name	Most Represented Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Birchwood Elementary School	White	90.7%	86
Birchwood High School	White	94.9%	59
Birchwood Middle School	White	100%	36
Birchwood Public Montessori	White	92%	25
Bobcat Virtual Academy	White	100%	11
NorthStar Community Charter School	White	100%	20
Northwood Elementary School	White	87.2%	133
Northwood High/Middle School	White	90.7%	140
Northwood Virtual Charter School	White	100%	3
Shell Lake Elementary (3-6)	White	91.5%	153
Shell Lake Junior/Senior High School	White	90.7%	300
Shell Lake Primary (K-2)	White	90.8%	131
Spooner Elementary School	White	88.4%	363
Spooner High School	White	90.9%	361
Spooner Middle School	White	89.5%	276