Original Research by School Decision on Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center
The Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center is a high-school-level alternative school located in Franklin and operated by the Franklin Public School District. This is not a comprehensive neighborhood high school. It serves a small student population, all in twelfth grade, in a setting designed for students whose circumstances call for a different academic and behavioral structure than a traditional school provides.
The school’s enrollment is very small, and the demographic profile shows that a substantial share of students are Black, with a much smaller number of Hispanic students and very few students of two or more races. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which signals that the student body comes from households with limited financial resources. The data does not include counts for students with disabilities or English learners, so the share of those populations is not reported.
Because this is an alternative school serving students in a nontraditional pathway, state assessment results and a four-year graduation rate are not available in the data. Many alternative schools do not report these metrics in the same way comprehensive schools do, or their students may take assessments under different conditions. A parent or resident should understand that the absence of these numbers does not mean the school is unaccountable; it reflects the school’s classification and the nature of its students’ educational plans. The comparison set positions schools relative to districts in Milwaukee County, but because the Reintegration Center lacks the standard academic performance and graduation data, those comparisons could not be made.
The school is part of the Franklin Public School District, which has recently made significant changes. In 2024, voters approved two recurring referendums, one for operational expenses and one for facility improvements, which permanently raised the district’s revenue cap. The 2024-25 budget reflected a property tax levy increase, and the mill rate was set accordingly. A separate capital referendum passed in 2022, funding security upgrades, HVAC replacements, and classroom renovations at the high school and middle school, with projects completed during the 2023-24 school year. The district also adopted a new K-5 literacy curriculum aligned with Wisconsin’s science-of-reading law, implemented in the 2023-24 school year. These changes affect the entire district’s financial footing and instructional approach, but they apply indirectly to the Reintegration Center, which serves a different population than the district’s comprehensive schools.
Franklin itself is a suburban city that has experienced substantial growth, described by its mayor as one of the fastest-growing communities in Wisconsin. Its population has increased notably in recent decades, and a major new Costco warehouse is under construction, along with continued expansion of the Franklin Business Park. The city’s development model emphasizes mixed-use commercial centers and quality residential areas, and it lacks a traditional centralized downtown. The housing market in the area shows a median listing price and rents that are moderately above national benchmarks, and the local housing market has seen active listings rise.
For a family or a resident considering this school, it is essential to understand its purpose. The Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center is not a school that serves the general student population of Franklin. It is an alternative setting, likely for students who are involved with the juvenile justice system or who need a highly structured environment to complete their high school career. All students are in twelfth grade, which suggests the school functions as a place to earn a diploma or equivalent, often after disruptions in their education. The small size and the fact that no middle grades or younger students are served reinforce that this is a specialized program. A parent looking for a comprehensive high school experience for their child would look to the district’s other schools, not this one. For those whose child might need this kind of setting, the Reintegration Center offers a distinct pathway, but detailed information about its curriculum, counseling services, or transition supports is not available from the data provided. Anyone seeking to understand more about the school’s specific approach should contact the district directly.
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