Glen Hills Middle, Glendale WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Glen Hills Middle

Glen Hills Middle is a regular public school serving fourth through eighth grade in the Glendale-River Hills School District, located in the Milwaukee County suburb of Glendale. The school sits in a community that, as publicly reported, combines industrial and commercial sites with residential neighborhoods, a mix unusual among the northern Milwaukee suburbs. Single-family homes range from suburban executive lots along the Milwaukee River to older turn-of-the-century-style neighborhoods, and multi-family condominiums and apartments are also available. Interstate 43 divides the city east-west, and the built environment is fundamentally car-oriented, though Bayshore Town Center provides a concentrated retail and mixed-use hub on the eastern edge.

The school’s student body is diverse. White students make up the largest share of enrollment, followed by Black students, Hispanic students, students of two or more races, and Asian students. More than a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is an indicator of economic need. Data on special education and English learner enrollment was not available from the source materials.

Academically, Glen Hills Middle presents a mixed picture. On Wisconsin’s Forward assessments, overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint relative to other districts in Milwaukee County. Looking specifically at the school’s results by grade level, math proficiency rates show a general upward trend from fourth grade through seventh grade, with a noticeable dip in eighth grade. English language arts results follow a similar pattern, with the highest proficiency rate appearing in sixth grade and lower rates in fourth and seventh grades. Fourth-grade science proficiency is low, while eighth-grade science and social studies proficiency are higher. Given that this is a middle school, no high-school-level metrics such as graduation rate, AP course offerings, or dual-credit pathways apply here. A parent considering this school may want to ask the school directly about academic supports available in the earlier grades, where assessment results are softer, as well as about course access, staffing, and discipline data, all of which were absent from the available records.

The district that operates Glen Hills Middle recently saw voters approve a two-year operational referendum, a piece of publicly reported information families should weigh. The referendum allows the district to exceed state revenue limits by a certain amount for 2025 and 2026, replacing a prior referendum that ended in 2025. The new one expires after 2026, so the district will likely need to seek renewal or face budget reductions. At the same time, the district levied less for the 2025-26 school year compared to the prior year, due to the expiration of the earlier operating referendum and a significant increase in state aid. Both the City of Glendale and the Village of River Hills saw a lower school district tax levy.

Housing in the area reflects typical conditions for the region. Home values and rents are around the mid-range for Milwaukee County, with home values showing modest year-over-year growth and rents rising at a faster clip. Mortgage rates remain elevated by recent standards. The suburban setting, the school’s mid-sized enrollment, and the district’s financial situation all contribute to the context a family would consider when assessing whether Glen Hills Middle fits their priorities.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 443%

School 43% · District 43%

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 46%

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 656%

School 56% · District 56%

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 757%

School 57% · District 57%

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 51%

even with state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 435%

School 35% · District 35%

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 46%

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 663%

School 63% · District 63%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 48%

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 51%

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Science

Grade 436%

School 36% · District 36%

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 52%

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 451%

School 51% · District 51%

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 866%

School 66% · District 66%

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

This schoolGlendale-River Hills School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income20%Higher-income49%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income26%Higher-income57%31 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income41%Higher-income74%33 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income37%Higher-income58%21 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income15%Higher-income75%60 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income58%31 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income19%Higher-income60%41 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income22%Higher-income72%50 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income42%Higher-income70%29 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income27%Higher-income67%41 pp gap