Best High Schools in Racine, WI

The city of Racine, Wisconsin is home to 6 high schools, including Case High, Horlick High, Park High, Walden III High, Racine Youthful Offender Warren Young High, and Racine County Jail. These schools serve students in grades 9-12 and are part of the Racine Unified School District, with the exception of Racine Youthful Offender Warren Young High and Racine County Jail, which are part of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Among the Racine high schools, Walden III High stands out as the top performer. It is ranked 208 out of 431 Wisconsin high schools and is the only school in the area rated 3 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger. Walden III High has significantly higher test scores compared to the Racine Unified School District and the state of Wisconsin averages, with 59.09% of 10th graders proficient or better in ACT English Language Arts, compared to 25.93% for the district and 48.62% for the state. The school also has a lower percentage of students receiving free/reduced lunch at 44.12%, and a higher student-teacher ratio of 15.9, suggesting more resources per student.

In contrast, the other 4 Racine Unified high schools (Case, Horlick, Park, and Walden III) have very similar metrics in areas like graduation rates, dropout rates, and chronic absenteeism, but their test scores and other measures are well below the state averages. These schools serve a predominantly economically disadvantaged student population, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 50% to over 70%. The wide range in spending per student, from $12,645 to $16,366, may also contribute to the performance differences between the schools, with higher spending potentially enabling Walden III High to provide more resources and support for its students.