The Hamilton School District has been recognized nationally for exceptional academic growth in mathematics in the newly released Education Recovery Scorecard developed by researchers from Harvard University and Stanford University. Hamilton is named a ‘District on the Rise’ for showing unusual progress relative to similar districts in Wisconsin post pandemic.
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, staff, families and community,” said Hamilton School District Superintendent Paul Mielke. “While many districts across the country continue working to recover academically from the pandemic, Hamilton’s students and educators have demonstrated sustained growth and achievement in mathematics. We are proud of the collaborative effort behind this success.”
The Education Recovery Scorecard provides a detailed look at academic recovery following the pandemic. It analyzes achievement data from approximately 35 million third to eighth grade students across 43 states. Researchers combined results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) with state assessment data from 2019, 2022, 2024 and 2025 to measure district-level changes in student achievement nationwide.
Researchers noted that the recognition is intended to identify districts that have not simply rebounded from pandemic declines, but have “demonstrated sustained improvement outpacing their peers across a six-year window.”
Among the findings, Wisconsin ranked 33rd out of 38 states in math recovery and 30th out of 35 states in reading recovery between 2022 and 2025. Against that statewide backdrop, Hamilton stood out as one of more than 100 districts nationwide identified as improving faster than their peers.
According to the Education Recovery Scorecard methodology, districts recognized as “Districts on the Rise” must meet rigorous criteria, including:
- Enrollment of more than 1,200 students in grades 3-8
- Valid achievement data available for 2019, 2022 and 2025
- Demonstrated improvement compared to similar districts within the same state
- Stable demographic trends to ensure gains are not attributable to enrollment or population shifts
- Positive academic growth from 2022 to 2025
- Sustained improvement across both the 2019-2025 and 2022-2025 time periods
Hamilton’s recognition highlights the district’s continued commitment to academic excellence, evidence-based instruction and student success. District leaders credit the progress to the strong partnership among educators, students, families and the broader Hamilton community.