Fairview Elementary, Milwaukee WI

Original Research by School Decision on Fairview Elementary

Fairview Elementary is a regular public school serving students from prekindergarten through eighth grade in the Milwaukee School District. Because it does not include high school grades, there is no graduation rate reported, and the academic profile available is limited to state assessments administered in grades three through eight and one science and social studies test per tested grade span.

On the Wisconsin Forward exam, Fairview’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it slightly below the midpoint among the districts in Milwaukee County. That position reflects a school where performance varies noticeably by grade level and subject. In mathematics, proficiency rates range from about a quarter of students in grades four through six to around two-fifths or slightly over half in grades three, seven, and eight. English language arts results show a similar pattern: roughly a third to two-fifths of students in grades four through six meet the bar, while in grades seven and eight the share climbs closer to three-fifths. Science and social studies results are available only for fourth and eighth grades; in social studies, a solid majority of eighth graders scored proficient, while fourth-grade social studies and both grades’ science results landed around a third to two-fifths. The upward trend in the upper grades, especially in English language arts and social studies, is the most distinctive feature of the school’s academic picture. Parents may want to ask the school about the dip in middle-elementary math and reading and what supports are in place for those grade levels.

Fairview’s enrollment of roughly several hundred students is diverse. A little under half the student body identifies as Hispanic, about a third as White, and about an eighth as Black, with smaller shares of students who are Asian, American Indian, or of two or more races. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a high-poverty context. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available in the source material, so families looking into those supports should follow up directly with the school or district.

The school is part of Milwaukee Public Schools, the state’s largest district. The district recently secured voter approval for a long-term investment in building accessibility projects, part of a broader facilities plan that could lead to school closures or consolidations in the years ahead. At the same time, the district faces a significant budget shortfall driven by declining enrollment and the expiration of pandemic-era relief funds, with potential cuts to programs and staffing. These district-level uncertainties may affect Fairview’s resources and course offerings over time, though no specific changes at this school have been publicly cited yet.

Fairview sits within the city of Milwaukee, a major urban center on Lake Michigan with a diverse economy anchored by several Fortune 500 headquarters, a legacy manufacturing sector, and growing healthcare and financial services. The city’s population has been declining for decades, but its downtown and riverfront areas have seen redevelopment. Housing in the zip code is priced near the county median, and the local market shows steady activity with homes selling in about a month on average. The school’s location is in a mixed residential and commercial part of the city, with Lake Michigan shoreline and parks within reach.

For a family weighing this school, the key points are the grade-to-grade variation in test results, with relative strength in the upper grades, and the context of a large urban district undergoing financial and facilities restructuring. The school’s diversity and high poverty rate are characteristic of many Milwaukee elementary schools. The lack of available data on discipline, attendance, and special programs means those areas are worth a direct inquiry.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 355%

School 55% · District 24% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 431%

School 31% · District 19% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 18% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Grade 626%

School 26% · District 18% · ▲ 9 pts above district

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

Grade 746%

School 46% · District 22% · ▲ 24 pts above district

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

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 19% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 345%

School 45% · District 22% · ▲ 23 pts above district

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

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 22% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 541%

School 41% · District 21% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 639%

School 39% · District 24% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 758%

School 58% · District 28% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 862%

School 62% · District 29% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Science

Grade 434%

School 34% · District 20% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 22% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 446%

School 46% · District 32% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 869%

School 69% · District 36% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above 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 3Lower-income33%Higher-income91%58 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income47%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income64%29 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income36%Higher-income47%11 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income56%Higher-income63%8 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income55%Higher-income76%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income45%Higher-income91%46 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income41%14 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income28%Higher-income27%0 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income30%Higher-income18%12 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income44%Higher-income47%3 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income31%Higher-income62%31 pp gap