Elementary Schools in Milwaukee School District

Milwaukee School District serves 106 elementary schools, most of them PK–5 or PK–8 buildings that include neighborhood schools, Montessori programs, immersion schools, charter schools, and specialized academies. Enrollment varies widely, from 125 students at Keefe Avenue Elementary to 859 at Milwaukee Parkside School. The district itself ranks 418th of 432 districts statewide — the 3rd percentile with 0 stars — which is important context for every school below.

The strongest options are Milwaukee German Immersion, the clear academic leader at the 85th percentile with 4 stars, ELA of 67.19%–74.24%, math of 56.25%–75.00%, and only 7.6% chronic absenteeism. Whittier Elementary is also a 4-star school (74th percentile) despite a 54.11% free/reduced lunch rate, showing that poverty does not automatically mean low performance. Maryland Montessori and Fernwood Montessori hold 3 stars with very low absenteeism and low poverty rates. At the other end, Clarke Street Elementary, Sherman Elementary, Franklin Elementary, Starms Discovery, and Gaenslen Elementary sit at the 0th percentile with 0 stars.

District-wide, chronic absenteeism is 46.2% versus 17.3% statewide, and the dropout rate is 4.0% versus 1.1%. Math is the weakest subject, with many schools reporting 0% proficiency in multiple grades, while Social Studies is often the relative bright spot. Notably, higher spending does not guarantee results: Sherman Elementary spends the most at $32,242 per student yet ranks near the bottom, while Milwaukee German Immersion spends $16,301 and performs best. Student-teacher ratios follow the same pattern — top schools like Bay View Montessori (23.1) have high ratios, and low performers like Sherman (8.6) have very low ones. Only two schools have 4 stars, two have 3 stars, and the large majority have 0 or 1 star.