Summary
Bradford High is a large public high school serving grades 9–12 in Kenosha, WI, enrolling 1,453 students as part of the Kenosha School District. Its 2025–26 school rank is 470th of 533 Wisconsin high schools (12th percentile, 1 star), placing it in the bottom eighth of the state, while the district itself ranks 340th of 432 (21st percentile). Test proficiency trails both district and state: in 2025–26, 26.42% of students were proficient in ELA, 20.42% in social studies, 18.35% in science, and just 16.35% in math — roughly 1 in 6 students — compared with 42.93% statewide in math. Bradford sits well below nearby Kenosha peers, including Tremper High, Indian Trail High School and Academy, Harborside Academy, and Lakeview Technology Academy (73.81% ELA, 60.71% math), though it outperforms Reuther Central High and Park High in Racine.
Outcomes are improving but still behind. The graduation rate rose from 79.9% in 2023–24 to 86.2% in 2024–25, and the dropout rate fell from 4.0% to 2.3%, yet both remain below district (91.4% graduation) and state (92.0%) averages. Chronic absenteeism is the standout concern at 42.7% — more than double the state's 17.3% and far above nearby Lakeview (20.3%) and Harborside (20.9%). Only Reuther Central High (66.2%), Park High (57.6%), Hillcrest School (55.6%), and Case High (43.2%) are comparable or higher.
Subgroup effectiveness ranks low across the board: students from low-income families rank in the 9th percentile statewide, special education students 18th, English Language Learners 34th, and male and female students around the 10th–12th percentile — suggesting broad instructional and support challenges rather than a gap isolated to one group. Resources are not an obvious explanation: Bradford spends $14,745 per student and has a 16.8 student-teacher ratio, both more favorable than Lakeview and Indian Trail, which achieve far more. Recent gains are real but fragile, since ELA, math, and science proficiency all declined from 2024–25 to 2025–26.
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