The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in Social studies. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Glenwood Elementary
Glenwood Elementary is a regular public school in Greenfield serving students from four-year-old kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates within the Greenfield School District, one of three school districts whose boundaries cut across Greenfield. Greenfield itself is a bedroom community in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, primarily residential but with commercial corridors along major roads. The city has no traditional downtown; civic life centers on Konkel Park, which hosts a Sunday farmers market and community events. The Powerline Trail, a recreational path that opened in 2022, runs through the city. MCTS bus routes provide public transit, and the area is served by Interstates 41 and 43. Greenfield's population has been relatively stable, with a slight dip since its 2020 peak.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary building serving this grade band. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse. White students make up close to half of the enrollment, Hispanic students account for a substantial share, and smaller groups include Asian students, students who identify as two or more races, and Black students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which for a Wisconsin elementary school indicates a high level of economic need. The school sits on a campus within Greenfield's residential fabric, a pattern common to the district, which has four elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school, all on separated campuses.
State testing results from the Wisconsin Forward Exam are available for Glenwood Elementary in English language arts, math, science, and social studies for the most recent school year. In reading, student proficiency was strongest in third and fifth grades, where roughly half of students scored at or above the proficient level. Fourth-grade reading proficiency was lower, with just over a third of students reaching that bar. In math, fourth graders showed the highest proficiency, at about half of students, while third and fifth graders were below that mark. Science and social studies are only tested in fourth grade. In science, half of fourth graders were proficient. In social studies, just over half met the proficiency standard. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades places Glenwood Elementary above the midpoint when compared with other districts in Milwaukee County. That is a moderate performance position.
The school does not have a graduation rate, because it serves only elementary grades. Similarly, data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the information provided. A parent looking for details on special education or English language support services would need to ask the school directly. Chronic absenteeism data was also absent.
The housing market in the area reflects a mix of stability and recent activity. The typical home value in the school's ZIP code is in the range of a moderately priced suburban market, with values having increased recently. The median rent is at a level that makes renting more affordable than buying with a mortgage at current interest rates, given the monthly cost difference. The county-wide housing market shows a healthy number of active listings relative to the recent past, with homes selling after about a month on market.
A parent considering Glenwood Elementary should see it as a neighborhood school serving a diverse and economically varied community. The academic picture is mixed. Proficiency rates vary by grade and subject, with some bright spots in third-grade reading and fourth-grade math. Other grades and subjects, particularly fourth-grade reading and math in the lower grades of this elementary school, show room for growth. The school is not a high-performing outlier in the county, but it is squarely in the middle range of the districts that make up Milwaukee County. There is no recent publicly reported information about major changes in the district, such as new curriculum initiatives, referendum-funded construction, or shifts in policy. The district has not drawn attention for a significant budget or program change in the last several years.
For a family, this is a school whose student body reflects the broader community, where economic need is common, and where the academic results are in line with many other mid-range elementary schools in the Milwaukee County area. A family that values a diverse, moderately sized elementary school in a suburban setting with a stable housing market would find Glenwood worth a close look. A family that wants to see strong across-the-board test scores may want to visit, talk with the principal about academic support programs, and look at the other options within Greenfield and the two adjacent districts that serve parts of the same city.
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