Summary:
ZIP code 53404 in Racine, Wisconsin contains 7 schools serving about 3,508 students: 4 elementary, 2 high, and 1 alternative, with no middle schools at all — middle grades are folded into PK–8 campuses, and there is only one comprehensive high school. Six of the seven schools belong to Racine Unified School District, which ranks 411 of 432 districts statewide at the 5th percentile with 0 stars. The exception is 21st Century Preparatory School, run by Racine Charter One Inc, which ranks 428 of 432 at the 1st percentile.
Gilmore Fine Arts School is the clear standout: it is the only current 1-star school in the ZIP, with chronic absenteeism of 19.9% (close to the state's 17.3%), the lowest free/reduced lunch rate among conventional schools at 55.36%, and a simple test average of about 33.5% proficient — far above every other school here. Horlick High is by far the largest school at 1,212 students, but also the most challenged: 0 stars, chronic absenteeism of 56.7%, a graduation rate of 84.8%, and 10th grade math proficiency of just 7.05% versus the state's 42.93%. Julian Thomas Elementary and Wadewitz Elementary post simple test averages of roughly 13.4% and 16.8% proficient, with absenteeism near 40% and the ZIP's highest per-student spending — $19,960 and $21,740.
Three patterns stand out for families. First, proficiency is low almost everywhere: every conventional school trails the state in most subjects, often by 20–40 percentage points, and only Gilmore approaches state levels. Second, higher spending does not track with better results here — Wadewitz and Julian Thomas spend the most yet score the lowest, while Gilmore spends less and performs best, though student need differs across schools. Third, absenteeism is a major barrier: Horlick (56.7%), 21st Century Prep (45.9%), Julian Thomas (40.0%), and Wadewitz (38.1%) are all far above the state's 17.3%. Note that Racine County Detention Center (20 students) and Racine County Jail (10 students) are justice-involved programs in controlled settings, so their figures are not comparable to traditional schools; 21st Century Prep's spending figure is from 2020–2021.
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