Best Special Needs Schools in Onalaska, Wisconsin (2026)

Acton Midwest is a transformative educational environment dedicated to empowering students, particularly those with unique learning needs, to become the heroes of their own stories. With a focus on fostering independence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning, this school serves children across various age ranges and diagnoses, including language-based learning disabilities and twice-exceptional learners. The school's mission emphasizes the discovery of individual strengths, the development of real-world skills, and the cultivation of strong character traits such as integrity and empathy. Acton Midwest employs a learner-driven approach that encourages students to set personal goals, manage their time effectively, and engage in reflective practices. Key methodologies include Socratic discussions that promote critical thinking and hands-on projects that apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. What sets Acton Midwest apart is its commitment to nurturing meaningful relationships among students through collaborative studios that foster peer mentorship and multi-age group interactions. This supportive community not only inspires personal accountability but also instills resilience in students as they tackle challenges with grit and determination.

• School
• Learning differences
• Twice-exceptional
• Micro-school

Irving Pertzsch Elementary was the first elementary school in Onalaska and is named for Irving Pertzsch, who served as the city's mayor for more than 30 years. The building has grown over the decades, and a 2015 addition brought a new gymnasium and three more classrooms. Today our 19 classrooms serve about 390 students from PreK through fifth grade, with three classes at each grade level plus a morning PreK class and an afternoon PreK class. We are one of three elementary schools in the Onalaska district, along with Eagle Bluff and Northern Hills. Our building includes a library, music room, art room and gymnasium, and breakfast is served in the cafeteria each morning. Fourth graders take a trip to Henry Vilas Zoo and the State Capitol building.

• Public elementary school (PreK-5)
• Public school

Our mission at Onalaska High School fits in three words: Learning for ALL. We serve grades 9 through 12 in Onalaska, and our students regularly earn Wisconsin State Scholarships, National Merit Scholarships and Kohl Scholarships. Advanced Placement and Honors courses run alongside summer school and a Youth Apprenticeship option. Academic help has its own home here. Our Resource Department brings together special education and cross-categorical teachers, and our Academic Support Department includes alternative education, a GED coordinator and a teacher for multilingual and at-risk learners. Student Services guides each class from freshman year through college, scholarship and career planning. Students also fill band, choir and show choir, varsity and JV teams, and an athletic training program, and our food pantry supports families who need it.

• Public high school
• Advanced Placement courses
• Honors courses
• Public school