West Allis-west Milwaukee School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on West Allis-west Milwaukee School District

The West Allis-West Milwaukee School District serves a large, diverse student population of roughly seven thousand students in Milwaukee County, spanning kindergarten through grade twelve. Its community is an inner-ring suburban and urban mix, with parts of West Allis, West Milwaukee, and small portions of Milwaukee and surrounding municipalities. The housing stock in the district’s core is affordable for the region, with home values and rents well below the national median; a family buying in will find a relatively modest market. The county’s broader housing market shows a growing number of active listings, and prices have been steady, not surging.

Academically, this district sits in a specific position among Milwaukee County’s districts. On an overall proficiency index that averages performance across tested subjects and grades, the district lands below the midpoint of the county’s schools. The state assessment data tells the story in more detail: in math, proficiency rates across grades three through eight hover in the low-to-mid thirty percent range, with fifth grade reaching the high end and seventh grade the low. English language arts results are somewhat stronger, with most grade levels in the mid-thirty to mid-forty percent range; sixth graders posted the highest ELA proficiency, while third graders had the lowest. In science, tested in grades four and eight, roughly a third of students met proficiency. Social studies, tested at the same two grade levels, was a relative bright spot: nearly half of fourth graders and nearly six in ten eighth graders reached the proficient level.

The chronic absenteeism rate for the district is reported at a level that is also below the midpoint among Milwaukee County’s districts, meaning it is higher than many peers. A parent or resident concerned about student attendance and its link to learning may want to look into this further with the school or district office.

The district maintains a broad array of schools. There are multiple elementary schools serving the youngest grades, intermediate schools that bridge elementary and high school, and two comprehensive high schools: Central High and Nathan Hale High. There is also a project-based learning high school, James E. Dottke, and a virtual academy, Deeper Learning Virtual Academy. Two elementary schools, Longfellow and Madison, along with Lane Intermediate, have closed, and Shared Journeys, a separate program, is still listed as open.

A search for recent significant district changes such as a referendum, curriculum overhaul, budget shift, or school closure did not surface a confirmed four-year, lasting-impact change. The data available does not point to a transformative event or pivot; the district appears to have been operating steadily without a major publicly reported disruption or initiative over that time frame.

The student body is racially and ethnically diverse. White students make up the largest single group, followed by Hispanic students, who account for about three in ten. Black students make up roughly one in eight, and students who identify as two or more races about one in eleven. Smaller populations of Asian and American Indian or Alaska Native students are also present.

Per-pupil spending in the district sits in the upper half of the middle range among county districts that reported, which suggests that the district commits a slightly above-average level of financial resources per student relative to its Milwaukee County neighbors. What that spending buys in terms of specific programs, class sizes, or course access is not detailed in the available information.

For a family considering this district, the picture is one of an affordable, diverse, mid-sized urban-suburban system where academic proficiency is below the county midpoint in most subjects, with social studies being the strongest area. The district runs multiple school models including traditional high schools, a project-based option, and a virtual academy. Chronic absenteeism is a noted soft spot, and there are no recent major shifts in direction to point to. A parent who values a wide range of school types and a demographically diverse student body in a relatively affordable part of the metro will have options here, while those prioritizing top-tier test scores or a low-absenteeism environment will likely find stronger fits elsewhere in Milwaukee County.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

6,938

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 31%

Black 12%

White 43%

Asian 3%

Two+ 9%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

26%

52%

Gr 4

29%

52%

Gr 5

34%

67%

Gr 6

39%

66%

Gr 7

34%

53%

Gr 8

37%

56%

Math

Gr 3

25%

50%

Gr 4

24%

50%

Gr 5

26%

65%

Gr 6

27%

55%

Gr 7

27%

44%

Gr 8

26%

50%

Science

Gr 4

28%

48%

Gr 8

29%

52%

Social studies

Gr 4

40%

65%

Gr 8

50%

74%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

26%

50%

Gr 4

32%

54%

Gr 5

37%

67%

Gr 6

44%

63%

Gr 7

34%

55%

Gr 8

38%

54%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

27%

55%

Gr 4

30%

48%

Gr 5

32%

63%

Gr 6

38%

69%

Gr 7

36%

51%

Gr 8

38%

63%

Schools in this District

19 schools are officially reported under this district.

Central High

Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate

Franklin Elementary

Mitchell Elementary

Hoover Elementary

West Milwaukee Intermediate

Irving Elementary

Jefferson Elementary

Longfellow Elementary

Horace Mann Elementary

James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Shared Journeys

Lane Intermediate

Deeper Learning Virtual Academy

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

33%

Grade 3

32%

Grade 4

38%

Grade 5

36%

Grade 6

32%

Grade 7

34%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

34%

Grade 3

36%

Grade 4

44%

Grade 5

47%

Grade 6

40%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

34%

Grade 4

37%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

48%

Grade 4

58%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$287,723

Year-over-year change+3.9%

Range across 7 ZIP codes$222K to $455K

vs. state typical0.86x

vs. national typical0.78x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (7 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
53214	West Allis	$260K	+3.3%	38.8%
53227	West Allis	$294K	+4.6%	33.7%
53219	Milwaukee	$272K	+3.8%	16.6%
53151	New Berlin	$455K	+4.5%	7.7%
53215	Milwaukee	$222K	+2.6%	2.8%
53228	Greenfield	$357K	+5.2%	0.3%
53226	Wauwatosa	$411K	+4.1%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,383/mo

Year-over-year change+6.9%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$989 to $1,900/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
53214	West Allis	$1,510	+7.2%	38.8%
53227	West Allis	$1,199	—	33.7%
53219	Milwaukee	$1,283	+6.9%	16.6%
53151	New Berlin	$1,900	—	7.7%
53215	Milwaukee	$989	+2.3%	2.8%
53226	Wauwatosa	$1,661	+3.2%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,452/mo

Home price / national median income3.4x

Annual rent / national median income19.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$69/mo

Market Activity: Milwaukee County

Median listing price$279,900

Median listing price YoY+1.8%

Median price per sq ft$202

Median price per sq ft YoY+3.6%

Median days on market34.0 days

Median days on market YoY+17.2%

Active listings1,669

Active listings YoY+20.7%

New listings912

New listings YoY+3.2%

Pending listings309

Pending listings YoY+24.1%

Hotness: median listing price$269,900

Hotness: median listing price YoY-0.9%

Supply score89.5

Supply score YoY-4.4%

Demand score66.2

Demand score YoY-8.3%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$333,909 (+5.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.