Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives

Milwaukee School District

Wisconsin · Public School District
156
Schools
67,500
Students
$20,171
Per-Pupil Spend
+41% nat'l
82.4%
Free Lunch Rate
+30pp vs nat'l
75.2%
Graduation Rate
-11.3pp vs nat'l
District Overview

Milwaukee School District is a public school district in Wisconsin serving 67,500 students across 156 schools. It includes 109 elementary, 8 middle, 34 high schools, among them 19 charter schools. Its graduation rate of 75.2% is below the national average of 86.5%. Per-pupil spending of $20,171 is above average for a US public school district. 82% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic need in the community. Opportunity scores across its schools are limited, with a district median of 39/100.

⇄ Compare with another district
All Schools (156)
Elementary Schools109 schools
SchoolGradesStudents
Academy of Accelerated LearningPK–05563
ALBA - Academia de Lenguaje y Bellas ArtesCharterPK–08595
Alcott ElementaryPK–08293
Allen-Field ElementaryPK–05488
Auer Avenue ElementaryPK–05160
Barbee ElementaryPK–06300
Barton ElementaryPK–05234
Bay View Montessori SchoolPK–08469
Bethune AcademyPK–08549
Brown Street AcademyPK–05223
Browning ElementaryPK–05283
Bruce ElementaryPK–05280
Bryant ElementaryPK–05202
Burbank ElementaryPK–08488
Burdick ElementaryPK–08497
Carson AcademyPK–08350
Carver AcademyPK–08351
Cass Street ElementaryPK–08285
Clarke Street ElementaryPK–08192
Clemens ElementaryPK–05285
Clement Avenue ElementaryPK–08285
Congress ElementaryPK–08720
Cooper ElementaryPK–08461
Craig Montessori SchoolPK–08276
Curtin ElementaryPK–08309
Doerfler ElementaryPK–08520
Eighty-First Street ElementaryPK–05332
Elm Creative Arts ElementaryPK–05302
Emerson ElementaryPK–05207
Engleburg ElementaryPK–05295
Fairview ElementaryPK–08647
Fernwood MontessoriPK–08756
Fifty-Third Street ElementaryPK–08312
Forest Home ElementaryPK–05582
Franklin ElementaryPK–08326
Fratney ElementaryPK–05483
Gaenslen ElementaryPK–08687
Garland ElementaryPK–08564
Goodrich ElementaryPK–05300
Grant ElementaryPK–08545
Grant Gordon Learning CenterPK–KG35
Grantosa Drive ElementaryPK–08510
Greenfield BilingualPK–08542
Hampton ElementaryPK–05163
Hartford Avenue ElementaryPK–08399
Hawley Environmental SchoolPK–05283
Hawthorne ElementaryPK–05260
Hayes Bilingual SchoolPK–08664
Hi-Mount ElementaryPK–08149
Highland Community SchoolCharterPK–08420
Holmes ElementaryPK–08266
Honey Creek ElementaryCharterPK–05374
Hopkins Lloyd Community SchoolPK–05135
Humboldt Park ElementaryPK–08559
IDEALCharterPK–08245
Jackson ElementaryPK–05240
Kagel ElementaryPK–07215
Keefe Avenue ElementaryPK–05147
Kilbourn ElementaryPK–05230
King Jr ElementaryPK–08279
Kluge ElementaryPK–05325
La Causa Charter SchoolCharterPK–08623
LaFollette ElementaryPK–08183
Lancaster ElementaryPK–08320
Lincoln Avenue ElementaryPK–05442
Longfellow ElementaryPK–08673
Lowell International ElementaryPK–05213
Manitoba ElementaryPK–08440
Maple Tree ElementaryPK–05231
Maryland MontessoriPK–08501
Metcalfe ElementaryPK–08334
Milwaukee Academy of Chinese LanguagePK–08475
Milwaukee College Preparatory School -- 36th Street CampusCharterPK–08493
Milwaukee College Preparatory School -- 38th StreetCharterPK–08467
Milwaukee College Preparatory School -- Lloyd StreetCharterPK–08490
Milwaukee College Preparatory School: Lola Rowe North CampusCharterPK–08512
Milwaukee Environmental Science AcademyCharterPK–08299
Milwaukee French ImmersionPK–05450
Milwaukee German ImmersionPK–05561
Milwaukee Parkside SchoolPK–08838
Milwaukee Sign Language ElementaryPK–08429
Milwaukee Spanish ImmersionPK–05716
Mitchell ElementaryPK–08589
Morgandale ElementaryPK–08530
Neeskara ElementaryPK–05340
Next Door CharterCharterPK–KG175
Ninety-Fifth Street ElementaryPK–05414
Parkview ElementaryPK–05312
Pratt ElementaryPK–05316
Riley Dual Language Montessori SchoolPK–05296
River Trail ElementaryPK–08343
Riverwest ElementaryPK–05258
Rogers Street AcademyPK–08529
Sherman ElementaryPK–08281
Siefert ElementaryPK–05234
Starms Discovery01–08238
Starms Early ChildhoodPK–KG251
Story ElementaryPK–08359
Stuart ElementaryPK–05256
Thoreau ElementaryPK–08352
Thurston Woods ElementaryPK–08355
Townsend Street ElementaryPK–08280
Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes StudiesPK–08209
Victory ElementaryPK–08437
Vieau ElementaryPK–08615
Westside AcademyPK–05175
Whitman ElementaryPK–08319
Whittier ElementaryCharterPK–05143
Zablocki ElementaryPK–05308
Middle Schools8 schools
High Schools34 schools
District Finances
Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,171+41% nat'l avg
National avg $14,347
Revenue Sources
58%
27%
State
57.7%
Local (property tax)
27.3%
Federal
15.0%

State funding accounts for 58% of the budget — this district relies more on state aid than local tax revenue.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey. District-level data.
District Snapshot
156
Schools
67,500
Students
82%
Free Lunch
$20K
Per-Pupil
Graduation Rate75.2%
Opportunity Score39/100
Strengths & Considerations
High per-student investment
Spends $20,171 per pupil — 41% above the national average of $14,347.
Range of school options
With 156 schools including 19 charter schools, families have meaningful choice across programs and grade levels.
Below-average graduation rate
At 75.2%, graduation is 11.3 points below the national average of 86.5%.
High economic need in community
82% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch — above the national rate of 52.2% — reflecting broader economic challenges.
Location
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Milwaukee School District?
Milwaukee School District has 156 public schools, serving a total of 67,500 students.
What is the graduation rate for Milwaukee School District?
The graduation rate is 75.2%, which is below the national average of 86.5%.
How much does Milwaukee School District spend per student?
Milwaukee School District spends $20,171 per pupil — 41% above the national average of $14,347.
What percentage of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in Milwaukee School District?
82% of students in Milwaukee School District qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to the national rate of 52.2%.
Are there charter schools in Milwaukee School District?
Yes — 19 of the 156 schools in Milwaukee School District are charter schools.
What grade levels does Milwaukee School District serve?
Milwaukee School District serves grades PK through 12, covering elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the opportunity score for Milwaukee School District?
The median opportunity score across schools in Milwaukee School District is 39/100. The national median is 50/100. Opportunity scores reflect long-term economic mobility prospects for children who grow up in these communities.
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.