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Whittier Elementary

Q: Is Whittier Elementary a good school?

Whittier Elementary ranks 272 nd of 1039 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-5

272^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,039 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Better than 74% of Wisconsin elementary schools

Summary

Whittier Elementary is a small PK–5 school at 4382 S 3rd St on Milwaukee's south side, enrolling 146 students in the Milwaukee School District. In 2025-26 it ranked 272 of 1039 Wisconsin elementary schools — the 74th percentile, with 4 stars — even though its district ranks 418 of 432 (3rd percentile, 0 stars). That makes it a bright spot locally: the next-closest same-district school, Bay View Montessori School, sits at the 41st percentile with 2 stars, while Cooper Elementary, Lowell International Elementary, Clement Avenue Elementary, Milwaukee Parkside School, Burdick Elementary, Humboldt Park Elementary, Morgandale Elementary and Zablocki Elementary fall between the 5th and 29th percentiles with 0–1 stars.

On the 2025-26 Forward Exam, Whittier scored above the district in every listed subject and grade and above the state in most. Fourth-grade ELA and social studies were strongest at 82.61% each; the relative weak spot is 3rd-grade math at 47.37% — above the district's 22.62% but below the state's 54.75%. Averaged across the eight reported results, Whittier is about 66.7%, versus about 54.8% statewide and 23.5% in the district. Chronic absenteeism is 9.7%, far below the district's 46.2% and the state's 17.3%, and among the lowest nearby; only Bay View Montessori School (3.1%) and Cooper Elementary (9.4%) are lower.

Whittier also ranks at the 91st percentile or higher for low-income students, English language learners, and several racial and ethnic student groups. It does this with mid-range resources: $19,648 per student and a 17.3 student-teacher ratio, with 54.11% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Zablocki Elementary spends $25,787 per student with a ratio of 11.0 yet ranks in the 5th percentile with 46.3% chronic absenteeism. Two things to watch: at just 146 students, results can swing sharply from year to year, and chronic absenteeism rose from 5.5% in 2023-24 to 9.7% in 2024-25. Willow Glen Primary School, in the neighboring Saint Francis School District, posts strong 3rd-grade scores but serves only PK–3, so it isn't a full comparison.

146

Students ?

17.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,648

Per pupil spending ?

54.1%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

4382 S 3rd St
Milwaukee, WI 53207-4968

(414) 294-1400

District: Milwaukee School District

Students who attend Whittier Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	King International Baccalaureate Middle
	Lincoln Middle
	Roosevelt Middle
High:	Audubon Technology and Communication High
	Bay View High
	Bradley Technology High
	Hamilton High
	More...
	King International
	Milwaukee High School of the Arts
	Milwaukee School of Languages
	Reagan College Preparatory High

Racial breakdown:

White:

33.6%

Hispanic:

26.7%

African American:

22.6%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare Whittier Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2016 → 74th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (67% vs 55% meeting standards)

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Milwaukee School District

✓Above the Wisconsin median (74th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 17 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school67%

District avg23%

Wisconsin avg55%

272^nd of 1,039

Wisconsin public elementary schools ?

Top 26%▼ down 17 pts since 2016

From top 9% (2016) to top 26% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 105Elementary Schools in the Milwaukee School District

418^th of 432Milwaukee School District among Wisconsin districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	73.0	272 of 1039	73.8%	★★★★☆
2025	67.9	348 of 1044	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.4	279 of 1061	73.7%	★★★★☆
2023	73.4	244 of 1067	77.1%	★★★★☆
2022	60.5	441 of 1067	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.4	707 of 1050	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	72.1	260 of 1037	74.9%	★★★★☆
2018	53.7	518 of 1025	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	90.0	41 of 1071	96.2%	★★★★★
2016	84.8	96 of 1075	91.1%	★★★★★
2015	82.5	99 of 1076	90.8%	★★★★★
2014	72.1	228 of 1061	78.5%	★★★★☆
2013	77.6	147 of 1053	86.0%	★★★★☆
2012	76.1	137 of 1045	86.9%	★★★★☆
2011	80.6	81 of 1046	92.3%	★★★★★
2010	88.9	6 of 1045	99.4%	★★★★★
2009	77.5	145 of 1030	85.9%	★★★★☆
2008	81.6	61 of 1021	94.0%	★★★★★
2006	79.1	106 of 712	85.1%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	83.3	13 of 150	91.3%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	85.8	24 of 255	90.6%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	64.3	349 of 986	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.2	383 of 1001	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	66.6	344 of 1011	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	77.1	181 of 1010	82.1%	★★★★☆
2022	58.4	442 of 1017	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.0	692 of 1004	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	72.3	236 of 1002	76.4%	★★★★☆
2018	53.3	502 of 997	49.6%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	86.6	32 of 347	90.8%	★★★★★
2025	80.0	38 of 322	88.2%	★★★★☆
2024	83.1	38 of 331	88.5%	★★★★☆
2023	73.6	60 of 290	79.3%	★★★★☆
2022	64.1	88 of 296	70.3%	★★★★☆
2021	53.0	103 of 274	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	54.1	100 of 266	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.2	82 of 271	69.7%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	80.0	78 of 848	90.8%	★★★★★
2025	70.8	172 of 870	80.2%	★★★★☆
2024	78.9	95 of 866	89.0%	★★★★☆
2023	87.2	36 of 871	95.9%	★★★★★
2022	86.6	36 of 859	95.8%	★★★★★
2021	35.5	591 of 847	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	72.9	148 of 874	83.1%	★★★★☆
2018	70.3	158 of 854	81.5%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	77.4	179 of 989	81.9%	★★★★☆
2025	70.0	299 of 1000	70.1%	★★★★☆
2024	74.3	228 of 1012	77.5%	★★★★☆
2023	66.3	322 of 1011	68.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.2	379 of 1017	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.2	639 of 1003	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	70.7	255 of 1002	74.6%	★★★★☆
2018	54.8	480 of 997	51.9%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2021	43.1	407 of 746	45.4%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	91.4	20 of 697	97.1%	★★★★★
2025	77.6	126 of 718	82.5%	★★★★☆
2022	50.3	373 of 704	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.1	536 of 699	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	61.0	275 of 718	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.4	395 of 686	42.4%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2026)97th percentile+23 vs school

African American (2026)91st percentile+18 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)91st percentile+17 vs school

Hispanic (2026)91st percentile+17 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)91st percentile+24 vs school

Male (2026)82nd percentile+8 vs school

Female (2026)65th percentile-9 vs school

Special Education (2021)45th percentile+13 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies83%+17 vs state

English Language Arts71%+18 vs state

Science65%+12 vs state

Mathematics59%+6 vs state

5.0

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★3

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, January 26, 2016

I have two children attending Whittier. I LOVE this school! This school is a hidden gem. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, May 14, 2013

My daughter has been a student since 2008 and I absolutely love Whittier. The teachers are amazing along with the rest of the staff. I would recommend this school to anyone. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, April 23, 2010

I absolutely love this school. My son is excelling, well behaved and so are the other students!!! Close Quote

Schools Near Whittier Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2026)						Forward Exam Mathematics (2026)						Forward Exam Social Studies (2026)		Forward Exam Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Forward Exam English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 4th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 5th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 3rd Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 4th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 4th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Science 4th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Whittier Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	4382 S 3rd St	Milwaukee	53207	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(414) 294-1400	146	8	17.3	54.1%	49 (33.6%)	33 (22.6%)	39 (26.7%)	12 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (8.9%)	73	272^nd of 1039 public elementary schools	73.8%		67.9	348^th of 1044 public elementary schools	66.7%	76	52.6	82.6	76.2				47.4	65.2	61.9				82.6		65.2		$19,648	$2,646	$17,002
Burdick Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	4348 S Griffin Ave	Milwaukee	53207	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 294-1200	527	25	21.2	58.1%	168 (31.9%)	80 (15.2%)	216 (41.0%)	25 (4.7%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (6.6%)	19.1	871^st of 1039 public elementary schools	16.2%		22.8	855^th of 1044 public elementary schools	18.1%	16	36.6	21.2	41.5	30.2	45.2	49.2	36.6	18.2	41.5	29.0	47.5	35.4	36.4	63.1	27.3	58.5	$18,622	$2,434	$16,188
Bay View Montessori School	Public	PK, KG-8	357 E Howard Ave	Milwaukee	53207	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 935-0700	449	19	23.1	36.5%	256 (57.0%)	23 (5.1%)	117 (26.1%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (10.2%)	48.7	616^th of 1039 public elementary schools	40.7%		56.6	504^th of 1044 public elementary schools	51.7%	112	42.0	54.2	59.0	78.8	87.5	76.0	32.0	31.3	25.6	51.5	72.5	48.0	83.3	72.0	62.5	60.0	$17,110	$2,130	$14,981
Lowell International Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4360 S 20th St	Milwaukee	53221	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 304-6600	209	15	13.8	80.4%	28 (13.4%)	42 (20.1%)	97 (46.4%)	18 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (11.5%)	26.2	823^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	20.8%		44.8	659^th of 1044 public elementary schools	36.9%	164	22.2	37.9	52.2				11.1	31.0	60.9				55.2		34.5		$23,645	$2,672	$20,973
Clement Avenue Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	3666 S Clement Ave	Milwaukee	53207	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 294-1500	238	18	13.1	77.7%	68 (28.6%)	27 (11.3%)	101 (42.4%)	10 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (13.0%)	22	853^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	17.9%		27.8	823^rd of 1044 public elementary schools	21.2%	30	25.0	60.7	28.6	16.7	26.3	31.0	30.0	28.6	21.4	12.5	15.8	20.7	60.7	34.5	35.7	24.1	$21,827	$2,859	$18,968
Morgandale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	3635 S 17th St	Milwaukee	53221	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 902-9900	624	32	19.3	86.2%	26 (4.2%)	82 (13.1%)	301 (48.2%)	199 (31.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.4%)	4.5	981^st of 1039 public elementary schools	5.6%		6.1	964^th of 1044 public elementary schools	7.7%	17	5.9	10.7	15.3	24.2	29.7	23.5	10.3	5.4	13.6	22.7	21.9	20.9	19.6	32.4	10.5	22.1	$17,695	$2,568	$15,127
Humboldt Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	3230 S Adams Ave	Milwaukee	53207	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 294-1700	604	31	19.4	83.1%	88 (14.6%)	77 (12.7%)	151 (25.0%)	259 (42.9%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.3%)	17.4	888^th of 1039 public elementary schools	14.5%		19.7	875^th of 1044 public elementary schools	16.2%	13	16.1	32.1	37.3	36.2	43.9	32.8	22.6	26.8	37.3	36.2	43.9	34.5	33.9	34.5	28.6	27.6	$18,331	$2,624	$15,707
Cooper Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	5143 S 21st St	Milwaukee	53221	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 304-6300	447	25	18.1	55.5%	134 (30.0%)	80 (17.9%)	157 (35.1%)	42 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (7.4%)	37.9	739^th of 1039 public elementary schools	28.9%		45.7	644^th of 1044 public elementary schools	38.3%	95	68.3	47.6	50.0	40.0	70.4	55.9	48.8	42.9	40.5	33.3	57.7	50.0	50.0	58.8	35.7	38.2	$18,999	$2,588	$16,410
Zablocki Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1016 W Oklahoma Ave	Milwaukee	53215	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 294-2200	250	23	11.0	90.0%	21 (8.4%)	29 (11.6%)	118 (47.2%)	57 (22.8%)	6 (2.4%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (7.2%)	4.2	987^th of 1039 public elementary schools	5.0%		16.3	900^th of 1044 public elementary schools	13.8%	87	3.2	18.0	11.4				6.5	15.4	4.4				33.3		18.0		$25,787	$3,407	$22,380
Willow Glen Primary School	Public	PK, KG-3	2600 E Bolivar Ave	Saint Francis	53235	Milwaukee County	Saint Francis School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 486-6300	263	17	15.6	45.6%	133 (50.6%)	16 (6.1%)	93 (35.4%)	6 (2.3%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.8%)								(n/a)	70.5						72.7										$15,782	$766	$15,017

Frequently Asked Questions about Whittier Elementary

What district is Whittier Elementary in?

Milwaukee School District

How many students attend Whittier Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 146 students attended Whittier Elementary.

Is Whittier Elementary a good school?

Whittier Elementary ranks 272^nd of 1039 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Whittier Elementary?

Students at Whittier Elementary are 34% White, 27% Hispanic, 23% African American, 9% Two or more races, 8% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Whittier Elementary attend?

Students who attend Whittier Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : King International Baccalaureate Middle
Middle : Lincoln Middle
Middle : Roosevelt Middle
High : Audubon Technology and Communication High
High : Bay View High
High : Bradley Technology High
High : Hamilton High
High : King International
High : Milwaukee High School of the Arts
High : Milwaukee School of Languages
High : Reagan College Preparatory High

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Latest Wisconsin data All new data »

2025–26 ACT & Forward Exam scoresOct 1, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 school spending dataJul 16, 2026

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2024–25 ACT & Forward Exam scoresSep 25, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.