The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Social studies. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Engleburg Elementary
Engleburg Elementary is a regular public school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Milwaukee School District, the state’s largest district. The school is located in the 53225 ZIP code on the city’s northwest side.
The student body is small for an urban elementary school, and the vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of concentrated economic need that is notably high even by the district’s own standards. Racially, the enrollment is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of Asian, Hispanic, white, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not available; a parent may want to ask the school about those supports directly.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, proficiency rates were low across all tested subjects and grade levels. In math, the proportion of students scoring proficient or above was well below state averages in third, fourth, and fifth grades. In English language arts, the pattern was similar. Science and social studies results, available only for fourth grade, showed proficiency levels that matched the low range seen in the other subjects. The school’s overall proficiency index — a composite measure across all tested grades and subjects — landed in the bottom quartile among the roughly three dozen districts in Milwaukee County. Participation rates were complete, so the results reflect the full tested population. There is no high school at this school, so no graduation rate applies.
The neighborhood surrounding Engleburg Elementary is part of a large, historically segregated city that has experienced long-term population decline and significant economic disparities. Home values in the ZIP code are moderate relative to the Milwaukee metropolitan area, and rents have been rising. The city’s economy is anchored by several Fortune 500 headquarters and major healthcare systems, but poverty rates in Milwaukee remain high, and the school’s own free-lunch rate reflects that reality for the families it serves.
The Milwaukee School District has been navigating a set of recent changes that families should be aware of. Voters approved a referendum in 2024 that dedicates funding over a multiyear period to make school buildings more accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act, part of a broader long-range facilities plan. The district is also projecting a significant budget shortfall for the coming school year, driven by declining enrollment and the end of federal COVID-19 relief money, and has signaled it may cut programs or staff. A reorganization that reduces the number of regional offices is set to take effect soon, and school closures or consolidations are a possibility as the district adjusts its footprint.
Engleburg Elementary is a small, high-poverty school where state test results are well below county and state norms. For a family considering this school, the academic profile is a central factor. The school offers no data on advanced coursework or enrichment programs — it is an elementary school, so those offerings are not expected in the same way as at a high school — but a parent may want to ask directly about what supplemental academic supports exist. The broader district context of budget pressure and facilities planning adds uncertainty. The school serves a population that is overwhelmingly low-income, and the peer environment reflects that. A family weighing this school should consider what kind of academic support their child may need and how the district’s financial challenges might affect services and staffing in the years ahead.
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