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Atwater Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-6

42^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,039 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Better than 96% of Wisconsin elementary schools

Summary

Atwater Elementary is a PK–6 school in Shorewood, Wisconsin, serving 474 students as part of the Shorewood School District. In 2025–2026, it ranked 42nd of 1,039 Wisconsin elementary schools, or the 96th percentile with 5 stars, placing it in the top 5% of the state. Its long-term trajectory is strongly upward, from the 61st percentile in 2015–2016 to 96th today. Among nearby schools, only Cumberland Elementary in the Whitefish Bay School District ranks higher, at 20th of 1,039 (98th percentile, 5 stars). Its same-district peer Lake Bluff Elementary ranks 93rd (91st percentile, 5 stars).

Academically, Atwater’s 2025–2026 Forward Exam results are exceptionally strong: every reported subject and grade is at or above 75% proficient. Its ELA average across grades 3–6 is about 80.4%, and its math average is about 79.0%—roughly 26–27 points above the state and 2–3 points above its own district. Even the lowest score, 75.0% in 4th grade math, is more than 22 points above the state mark. Chronic absenteeism fell to 3.6% in 2024–2025, far below the district’s 9.7% and the state’s 17.3%, and lower than Lake Bluff Elementary (4.8%) and Maryland Montessori (4.9%); Cumberland Elementary is lower at 1.9%. Atwater outperforms Lake Bluff Elementary in most 2025–2026 scores even though it serves a higher free/reduced lunch population (24.26% vs. 16.57%).

Atwater Elementary is also effective across different groups of learners. Special education students improved from the 76th to the 95th percentile, and low-income students improved from the 64th to the 84th percentile. English learners have ranked in the 92nd–99th percentile. The school spends $14,818 per student—more than Lake Bluff Elementary and Cumberland Elementary but less than Maryland Montessori and many Milwaukee School District schools—and its student–teacher ratio of 14.1 is lower than several high-performing neighbors. Social studies is a relative weak spot: 82.14% proficiency is below its district, Lake Bluff Elementary, Maryland Montessori, and Cumberland Elementary, but still 16.63 points above the state. Overall, Atwater Elementary is a strong, improving school with broad effectiveness.

474

Students ?

14.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,818

Per pupil spending ?

24.3%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

91%

Kindergartners meeting all minimum immunization requirements (2025-26)

2100 E Capitol Dr
Shorewood, WI 53211-2198

(414) 963-6962

District: Shorewood School District

Students who attend Atwater Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Shorewood Intermediate
High:	Shorewood High

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.5%

African American:

14.1%

Hispanic:

7.8%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare Atwater Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 61st percentile in 2016 → 96th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (80% vs 55% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 4% of Wisconsin elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 35 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school80%

District avg78%

Wisconsin avg55%

42^nd of 1,039

Wisconsin public elementary schools ?

Top 4%▲ up 35 pts since 2016

From top 39% (2016) to top 4% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2Elementary Schools in the Shorewood School District

22^nd of 432Shorewood 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	89.3	42 of 1039	96.0%	★★★★★
2025	84.2	104 of 1044	90.0%	★★★★★
2024	82.2	131 of 1061	87.7%	★★★★☆
2023	88.7	56 of 1067	94.8%	★★★★★
2022	90.9	34 of 1067	96.8%	★★★★★
2021	84.3	108 of 1050	89.7%	★★★★☆
2019	79.6	155 of 1037	85.1%	★★★★☆
2018	80.3	137 of 1025	86.6%	★★★★☆
2017	72.1	258 of 1071	75.9%	★★★★☆
2016	61.3	420 of 1075	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2015	65.7	359 of 1076	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2014	78.9	137 of 1061	87.1%	★★★★☆
2013	79.4	128 of 1053	87.8%	★★★★☆
2012	69.6	290 of 1045	72.2%	★★★★☆
2011	76.9	146 of 1046	86.0%	★★★★☆
2010	68.0	319 of 1045	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	76.2	162 of 1030	84.3%	★★★★☆
2008	83.7	36 of 1021	96.5%	★★★★★
2007	83.4	48 of 689	93.0%	★★★★★
2006	81.6	74 of 712	89.6%	★★★★☆
2005	82.5	52 of 632	91.8%	★★★★★
2004	57.1	348 of 633	45.0%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	76.8	19 of 150	87.3%	★★★★☆
2025	76.8	14 of 144	90.3%	★★★★★
2024	82.7	11 of 137	92.0%	★★★★★
2023	87.0	7 of 138	94.9%	★★★★★
2019	50.1	63 of 161	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.7	47 of 165	71.5%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	90.6	11 of 121	90.9%	★★★★★
2024	89.9	13 of 123	89.4%	★★★★★
2023	94.5	3 of 116	97.4%	★★★★★
2022	92.5	7 of 110	93.6%	★★★★★
2019	76.8	31 of 122	74.6%	★★★★☆
2018	73.5	31 of 107	71.0%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	95.1	8 of 255	96.9%	★★★★★
2022	99.6	2 of 248	99.2%	★★★★★
2018	88.2	22 of 287	92.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	88.5	47 of 986	95.2%	★★★★★
2025	87.1	54 of 1001	94.6%	★★★★★
2024	81.6	111 of 1011	89.0%	★★★★☆
2023	87.6	58 of 1010	94.3%	★★★★★
2022	89.4	46 of 1017	95.5%	★★★★★
2021	81.7	126 of 1004	87.5%	★★★★☆
2019	80.3	124 of 1002	87.6%	★★★★☆
2018	81.0	125 of 997	87.5%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2024	74.2	67 of 331	79.8%	★★★★☆
2023	85.2	33 of 290	88.6%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	73.2	136 of 848	84.0%	★★★★☆
2025	69.1	187 of 870	78.5%	★★★★☆
2024	60.8	311 of 866	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.5	180 of 871	79.3%	★★★★☆
2022	67.7	193 of 859	77.5%	★★★★☆
2021	53.4	352 of 847	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	35.1	631 of 874	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	59.4	288 of 854	66.3%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	88.8	41 of 989	95.9%	★★★★★
2025	81.6	133 of 1000	86.7%	★★★★☆
2024	80.2	144 of 1012	85.8%	★★★★☆
2023	87.6	54 of 1011	94.7%	★★★★★
2022	89.7	33 of 1017	96.8%	★★★★★
2021	84.3	88 of 1003	91.2%	★★★★★
2019	76.6	171 of 1002	82.9%	★★★★☆
2018	76.3	176 of 997	82.3%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2024	60.8	44 of 119	63.0%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	87.8	38 of 791	95.2%	★★★★★
2025	77.0	111 of 802	86.2%	★★★★☆
2024	68.2	193 of 790	75.6%	★★★★☆
2023	64.7	206 of 770	73.2%	★★★★☆
2022	93.9	18 of 748	97.6%	★★★★★
2021	79.6	72 of 746	90.3%	★★★★★
2019	73.3	120 of 742	83.8%	★★★★☆
2018	66.2	163 of 721	77.4%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	93.3	10 of 697	98.6%	★★★★★
2025	89.3	29 of 718	96.0%	★★★★★
2024	84.5	55 of 727	92.4%	★★★★★
2023	91.3	22 of 715	96.9%	★★★★★
2022	90.6	21 of 704	97.0%	★★★★★
2021	86.0	47 of 699	93.3%	★★★★★
2019	81.1	85 of 718	88.2%	★★★★☆
2018	81.1	84 of 686	87.8%	★★★★☆

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)99th percentile+3 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)97th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2026)96th percentile~ school

Female (2026)95th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)95th percentile~ school

Asian (2026)91st percentile-5 vs school

African American (2026)87th percentile-9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)84th percentile-12 vs school

Hispanic (2024)80th percentile-8 vs school

Multi-racial (2024)63rd percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies82%+17 vs state

English Language Arts80%+27 vs state

Science80%+27 vs state

Mathematics79%+26 vs state

★

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Schools Near Atwater 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 Vaccination 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)		Vaccination (2025-26)		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	Vaccination: Kindergartners meeting all minimum immunization requirements	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Atwater Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	2100 E Capitol Dr	Shorewood	53211	Milwaukee County	Shorewood School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 963-6962	474	33	14.1	24.3%	301 (63.5%)	67 (14.1%)	37 (7.8%)	34 (7.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.5%)	89.3	42^nd of 1039 public elementary schools	96.0%		84.2	104^th of 1044 public elementary schools	90.0%	62	84.8	76.8	76.5	83.6			82.0	75.0	75.4	83.6			82.1		80.4		91%		$14,818	$604	$14,215
Lake Bluff Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1600 E Lake Bluff Blvd	Shorewood	53211	Milwaukee County	Shorewood School District	No	No	No	No	(414) 963-6972	531	32	16.4	16.6%	343 (64.6%)	41 (7.7%)	58 (10.9%)	24 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (12.2%)	85.1	93^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	91.0%		83.9	110^th of 1044 public elementary schools	89.5%	17	73.3	76.7	75.0	79.7			83.3	65.8	66.2	79.7			84.9		72.6		≥ 95%		$13,117	$304	$12,813
Hartford Avenue Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	2227 E Hartford Ave	Milwaukee	53211	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 906-4700	256	16	15.6	93.0%	4 (1.6%)	214 (83.6%)	13 (5.1%)	3 (1.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (8.2%)	2.2	1021^st of 1039 public elementary schools	1.7%		3.5	997^th of 1044 public elementary schools	4.5%	24	0.0	9.1	14.3	8.0	9.5	10.5	0.0	0.0	4.8	8.0	10.0	5.3	27.3	21.1	0.0	10.5	67%		$21,290	$2,994	$18,296
Cumberland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4780 N Marlborough Dr	Whitefish Bay	53211	Milwaukee County	Whitefish Bay School District	No	No	No	No	(414) 963-3943	624	38	16.3	—	481 (77.1%)	23 (3.7%)	33 (5.3%)	40 (6.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (7.4%)	92.1	20^th of 1039 public elementary schools	98.1%		89.6	35^th of 1044 public elementary schools	96.6%	15	78.5	80.0	93.1				81.4	81.0	86.1				92.0		85.0		≥ 95%		$11,935	$380	$11,555
Gaenslen Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	1250 E Burleigh St	Milwaukee	53212	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 267-5700	641	55	11.6	88.3%	19 (3.0%)	521 (81.3%)	58 (9.0%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.8%)	1.3	1034^th of 1039 public elementary schools	0.5%		1.3	1040^th of 1044 public elementary schools	0.4%	6	1.8	2.1	8.9	4.5	2.0	12.0	1.8	0.0	3.6	3.0	6.1	4.0	6.4	22.0	0.0	10.0	77%		$25,310	$3,135	$22,175
Fratney Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	3255 N Fratney St	Milwaukee	53212	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 267-1100	459	23	19.8	62.3%	45 (9.8%)	65 (14.2%)	333 (72.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.5%)	5.2	973^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	6.4%		7.6	954^th of 1044 public elementary schools	8.6%	19	14.1	21.6	24.0	16.1			13.6	7.7	12.0	16.1			25.0		17.3		71%		$18,527	$2,808	$15,720
Riverwest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2765 N Fratney St	Milwaukee	53212	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 267-4400	244	15	16.2	88.5%	12 (4.9%)	179 (73.4%)	38 (15.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.3%)	2.9	1004^th of 1039 public elementary schools	3.4%		3.1	1006^th of 1044 public elementary schools	3.6%	2	11.1	12.1	10.3				7.4	9.1	5.1				18.2		15.2		23%		$22,740	$2,670	$20,070
King Junior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	3275 N 3rd St	Milwaukee	53212	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 267-1500	277	18	15.0	92.1%	0 (0.0%)	243 (87.7%)	20 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.1%)	4	990^th of 1039 public elementary schools	4.7%		2.8	1010^th of 1044 public elementary schools	3.3%	20	0.0	13.6	16.0	12.0	12.5	6.7	0.0	22.7	4.0	12.0	6.3	0.0	22.7	13.3	18.2	0.0	66%		$20,322	$3,216	$17,106
Maryland Montessori	Public	PK, KG-8	2418 N Maryland Ave	Milwaukee	53211	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 906-4800	470	23	20.2	24.9%	281 (59.8%)	69 (14.7%)	49 (10.4%)	17 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (11.3%)	69.5	319^th of 1039 public elementary schools	69.3%		67.4	355^th of 1044 public elementary schools	66.0%	36	75.5	69.4	81.1	66.7	70.6	85.7	51.0	40.8	51.4	64.1	70.6	60.0	83.7	88.6	65.3	82.9	56%		$18,583	$2,195	$16,388
LaFollette Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	3239 N 9th St	Milwaukee	53206	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 267-5200	216	11	20.0	94.9%	0 (0.0%)	191 (88.4%)	15 (6.9%)	4 (1.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.3%)	1.4	1033^rd of 1039 public elementary schools	0.6%		1.4	1037^th of 1044 public elementary schools	0.7%	4	0.0	0.0	10.0	14.3	5.3	10.0	0.0	0.0	10.0	0.0	5.6	0.0	5.3	30.0	0.0	10.0	79%		$22,481	$3,965	$18,516

Frequently Asked Questions about Atwater Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Atwater Elementary?

Students at Atwater Elementary are 64% White, 14% African American, 8% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 7% Two or more races.

How many students attend Atwater Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 474 students attended Atwater Elementary.

Is Atwater Elementary a good school?

Yes! Atwater Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 42^nd of 1039 Wisconsin elementary schools.

What district is Atwater Elementary in?

Shorewood School District

What schools do graduates of Atwater Elementary attend?

Students who attend Atwater Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Shorewood Intermediate
High : Shorewood High

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Latest Wisconsin data All new data »

2018–19 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 20, 2026

2016–17 through 2017–18 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 ACT & Forward Exam scoresOct 1, 2026

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

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.