Audubon Technology and Communication Middle, Milwaukee WI

Original Research by School Decision on Audubon Technology and Communication Middle

Audubon Technology and Communication Middle is a regular public school in the Milwaukee School District serving grades six through eight. It sits within the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest city, a place with a strong industrial and manufacturing history, a major lakefront, and a mix of commercial and residential districts. Milwaukee remains one of the most racially segregated cities in the U.S., and the school’s student body reflects that larger community context.

The school’s enrollment is small relative to many middle schools. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black cohort and smaller shares of White, Asian, multiracial, and American Indian students. The available data indicates that an overwhelming share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a high-poverty category. Data on English learner and special education populations was not reported.

State testing results are available for math, English language arts, science, and social studies. Across all tested grades and subjects, proficiency rates are low. In math, the share of students reaching the proficient or advanced level is very small in each grade. In English language arts, the share is somewhat higher but remains low. Science and social studies results for eighth grade show a similar pattern. A parent looking at these numbers will want to understand what academic supports the school offers, how the school approaches instruction for students performing below grade level, and what pathways to improvement exist. The school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile when compared against other schools in Milwaukee County, a cohort of roughly three dozen districts.

Because Audubon Technology and Communication Middle does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available in the provided information.

No specific program offerings were included in the data, so it is not possible to describe the school’s curricular focus beyond what is in its name. The “Technology and Communication” designation in the school’s title suggests a thematic emphasis, but without a course catalog or program list, a parent should confirm directly with the school what that specialization means in practice.

The school is part of the Milwaukee School District, which is currently navigating several large-scale changes. Voters recently approved a referendum for building accessibility projects, part of the district’s Long Range Facilities Plan that addresses aging buildings and ADA compliance and could lead to school closures or consolidations. The district is also facing a significant budget deficit for the coming school year, driven by declining enrollment and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds. Program cuts, staffing reductions, or other cost-saving measures are under consideration. These district-level pressures may affect Audubon Technology and Communication Middle directly, particularly around class sizes, program availability, and school assignments.

The housing market in the area shows home values near the median for the state and a rental market with relatively modest costs. The local economy has major employers including several Fortune 500 headquarters, but the city also has a significant poverty rate.

For a family considering this school, the central facts are straightforward. The school serves a high-poverty, majority-minority student population in a large urban district facing financial and facilities challenges. Academic proficiency on state assessments is low across all subjects and grades, and the school’s performance sits near the bottom of its county comparison. A parent will want to investigate the school’s specific academic intervention programs, its approach to technology and communication-themed instruction, and how the district’s budget situation might affect staffing and programming at this particular middle school.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 63%

School 3% · District 18% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 51 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 73%

School 3% · District 22% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 51 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 83%

School 3% · District 19% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 48 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 68%

School 8% · District 24% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 45 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 28% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 814%

School 14% · District 29% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 38 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Science

Grade 89%

School 9% · District 22% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 42 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 821%

School 21% · District 36% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 43 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

This schoolMilwaukee 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 6Lower-income4%Higher-income60%56 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income16%Higher-income29%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income1%Higher-income17%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income3%Higher-income0%3 pp gap