Curtin Elementary, Milwaukee WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Curtin Elementary

Curtin Elementary is a regular public school in Milwaukee serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, making it one of the K-8 schools families can consider for the full span of elementary and middle years in one building. It sits in the city's south side, in a neighborhood shaped by Milwaukee's industrial history and the diverse waves of immigration that have defined the city. The area's housing stock is a mix of older single-family homes and smaller multifamily buildings; home values and rents are in a range that aligns with the lower end of the Milwaukee market, and the broader county housing market shows a modest increase in active listings and a slight uptick in median listing prices, consistent with a slow but steady market.

The school serves a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with Asian, Black, and White students each making up smaller shares, along with a small number of multiracial students and a trace of Native American and Pacific Islander students. A large portion of families qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a signal that this is a school where economic need is the norm. Enrollment is relatively modest for a PK-8 school, with grade-level cohorts ranging from the mid-twenties to the high thirties, giving each grade a small-group feel.

State assessment results from the most recent school year show that proficiency rates in both math and English language arts are on the low side across nearly every tested grade. Third through eighth graders took the Wisconsin Forward Exam, and in math the proportion of students scoring proficient or advanced falls roughly between one-tenth and one-quarter, with the highest rates in third grade and the lowest in eighth grade. In English language arts, the pattern is similar: fourth, fifth, and sixth graders post somewhat higher rates than third, seventh, and eighth graders, but none exceed about a third of students. Science and social studies results from fourth and eighth grades also show low proficiency, with about one-fifth to one-quarter of students reaching the proficient bar. Compared to other school districts in Milwaukee County, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. It is worth noting that the comparison set includes districts of varied size and demographic makeup, and that the school's results reflect a student population with high economic need, which statewide is correlated with lower test scores.

The school is part of Milwaukee Public Schools, a large urban district that is navigating a set of well-publicized pressures. A recent voter-approved referendum will fund accessibility improvements in aging buildings, and the district's long-range facilities plan may lead to school consolidations or boundary changes in the coming years. The district is also facing a projected budget shortfall tied to enrollment declines and the end of federal pandemic relief, which could mean adjustments to staffing and programs. For Curtin families, this means the stability of the school's operations and course offerings may depend on decisions made at the central office.

Milwaukee itself is a city of strong cultural institutions, a major healthcare and financial sector, and a legacy of manufacturing that continues to shape the economy. It is also a city where economic disparities are pronounced and where racial segregation remains a fact of life. Families choosing a school like Curtin are likely looking for a neighborhood option where the building is a known presence in the community, and where the small size allows for personal relationships between students and staff. The academic numbers give a clear picture: this is a school where proficiency is an aspiration rather than the norm, and families who are considering it would do well to ask the school about the specific strategies it uses to support literacy and math growth, how it addresses the needs of its large economically disadvantaged population, and what enrichment or intervention programs are available in a building that serves students from age four through early adolescence. State testing data only tells part of the story, and for a school like this, the whole story requires a conversation with the principal and a visit to see the classrooms firsthand.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 327%

School 27% · District 24% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 19% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 39 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 18% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 28 pts below state median · even with county median

Grade 613%

School 13% · District 18% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 41 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 22% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 89%

School 9% · District 19% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 310%

School 10% · District 22% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 427%

School 27% · District 22% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 21% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 632%

School 32% · District 24% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 719%

School 19% · District 28% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 824%

School 24% · District 29% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Science

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 20% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 818%

School 18% · District 22% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 32% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 36% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 9 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.