Whitewater Unified School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on Whitewater Unified School District

Whitewater Unified School District serves a band of Walworth County communities anchored by the city of Whitewater, extending into portions of Delavan, Sugar Creek, Bradford, Fort Atkinson, and Milton. The district educates students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across six schools: three elementary buildings, one middle school, one high school, and a dedicated four-year-old kindergarten program. With an enrollment in the lower range for a district its grade span, Whitewater Unified is a mid-sized public system in southeastern Wisconsin.

The student body is diverse. Just over half of students are white, while a substantial share identify as Hispanic. African American, Asian, and multiracial students together make up a meaningful minority of the population. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, and information on students with disabilities and English learners was also missing. Families looking to understand the district's full socioeconomic and support-profile may want to follow up with the district directly.

State testing results for the 2024-25 school year show performance across grades three through eight. In math, proficiency rates ranged from a low in fourth grade to a high in fifth grade, with most grade-level cohorts falling below a midpoint benchmark. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, with the highest rate in seventh grade and the lowest in sixth grade. Science testing in grades four and eight showed around two-fifths and under half of students at proficiency, respectively. Social studies results were stronger: just over half of fourth graders and roughly two-thirds of eighth graders met the proficiency bar. When measured against other districts in Walworth County, Whitewater Unified's overall proficiency composite sits in the bottom quartile. That metric is a broad average across tested subjects and grades, and the district's position makes a clear statement about academic attainment relative to its neighbors.

Chronic absenteeism, a key indicator of student engagement and access to instruction, is a significant concern. The district's rate was reported at a level that places it in the bottom quartile among Walworth County districts, meaning a relatively high share of students are missing substantial school time. Parents may want to ask the district what strategies are in place to address attendance patterns.

Per-pupil current spending falls in the lower range among county peers. This figure does not by itself signal quality, but it offers a frame of reference for the resources the district has to work with in its classrooms. The absence of a reported graduation rate, likely because the metric was not available in the data provided, means that high school completion cannot be assessed from this data set. A reader with a high schooler may want to confirm the rate directly with the district.

Housing in the area spans a mix of communities. The weighted district-wide home value estimate sits above the statewide benchmark and near the national benchmark, reflecting a market that is neither low-cost nor at the top of the state. Values vary noticeably by zip code, with higher-priced homes in Sugar Creek and lower-priced ones in Fort Atkinson, while Whitewater itself falls in the middle of that range. The area's typical home values have risen moderately in the past year, in line with national trends.

The district brief, publicly reported, notes that a search for recent district changes found little of lasting impact to report. Whitewater Unified enters this period as a stable organization without major announced restructuring, leadership upheaval, or new program launches that registered in the research.

For a family weighing a move or a school choice, Whitewater Unified presents a picture of a district with a moderately diverse student body, academic performance that trails most of its Walworth County neighbors, a notable attendance challenge, and a steady administrative environment. The district's size and grade span mean that a student can move from pre-kindergarten through high school within the same system, with three elementary options potentially offering some choice at the building level depending on boundaries. A parent concerned about academic outcomes and chronic absenteeism may want to dig deeper into school-level data and ask about recent interventions. A family for whom the district's composition and stable governance are priorities may find a good fit here, provided they are comfortable with the academic profile as reported.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,939

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 38%

Black 3%

White 54%

Asian 1%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

37%

61%

Gr 4

34%

59%

Gr 5

20%

68%

Gr 6

36%

48%

Gr 7

38%

65%

Gr 8

35%

59%

Math

Gr 3

38%

71%

Gr 4

25%

57%

Gr 5

28%

73%

Gr 6

38%

44%

Gr 7

35%

69%

Gr 8

28%

59%

Science

Gr 4

30%

49%

Gr 8

29%

59%

Social studies

Gr 4

42%

62%

Gr 8

60%

78%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

29%

64%

Gr 4

34%

59%

Gr 5

28%

61%

Gr 6

37%

48%

Gr 7

40%

64%

Gr 8

37%

64%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

38%

63%

Gr 4

24%

60%

Gr 5

23%

67%

Gr 6

25%

44%

Gr 7

37%

62%

Gr 8

28%

56%

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

Whitewater Middle

Lakeview Elementary

Lincoln Elementary

Washington Elementary

Whitewater High

Whitewater 4K

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

52%

Grade 3

41%

Grade 4

53%

Grade 5

42%

Grade 6

50%

Grade 7

45%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

47%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

46%

Grade 5

42%

Grade 6

50%

Grade 7

48%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

39%

Grade 4

45%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

52%

Grade 4

70%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$364,192

Year-over-year change+5.4%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$326K to $395K

vs. state typical1.09x

vs. national typical0.99x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
53190	Whitewater	$365K	+5.7%	82.3%
53115	Delavan	$337K	+5.0%	8.8%
53121	Sugar Creek	$395K	+3.1%	3.7%
53505	Bradford	$384K	+1.3%	3.3%
53563	Milton	$380K	+7.2%	1.6%
53538	Fort Atkinson	$326K	+5.2%	0.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,838/mo

Home price / national median income4.3x

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.