Fifty-third Street Elementary, Milwaukee WI

Original Research by School Decision on Fifty-third Street Elementary

Fifty-Third Street Elementary is a regular public school in Milwaukee that serves children from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It sits in a residential neighborhood on the city's north side, within the Milwaukee School District, one of the largest and most financially strained districts in Wisconsin. The school's enrollment is modest for a K-8 campus, and the student body is overwhelmingly composed of children from low-income households, with a very high share qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. Racially, the school serves a student population that is predominantly Black, with a smaller Hispanic presence and very small numbers of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports available for those groups.

State testing results for the most recent year show proficiency rates that are well below state averages and place the school in the bottom quartile among districts in Milwaukee County for overall performance across tested subjects and grades. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced ranged from negligible in the lower grades to single digits in the upper grades. In English language arts, the pattern was similar, with the highest proficiency rate reaching the mid-teens in eighth grade. Science and social studies results were also low, though eighth-grade social studies showed a slightly stronger outcome than other subjects. Participation rates on the assessments were high, so the results reflect nearly all students' performance. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was also unavailable.

A parent considering this school will want to understand the academic picture clearly. The low proficiency numbers across every grade and subject indicate that the vast majority of students are not meeting state benchmarks. This is not unusual in a school serving a high-poverty community, and the district as a whole faces similar challenges, but it is a reality that would need to be weighed against any supplemental supports a family might seek. The school's website or a direct visit might offer more detail on academic interventions, tutoring programs, or partnerships that could be in place.

Milwaukee itself is a large, economically diverse city with a history of racial segregation and significant income disparities. The school's immediate neighborhood is a mix of older housing stock and modest commercial corridors. Housing values in the area are below the state median, and rents are comparatively affordable. The Milwaukee School District is in the middle of a long-range facilities plan that includes a voter-approved referendum to fund accessibility upgrades in aging buildings. At the same time, the district is projecting a budget deficit and considering cuts to programs and staff, which could affect class sizes and services at schools like Fifty-Third Street. These district-level pressures are publicly reported and worth following for any family whose child is enrolled or considering enrollment.

Fifty-Third Street Elementary is a neighborhood school serving a community with significant economic need. Its academic outcomes, as measured by state assessments, are very low, and parents should investigate what additional academic supports the school provides. The absence of data on special education and English learner services is a gap worth clarifying. For families who prioritize a small, familiar school setting within the Milwaukee district, this is a local option, but one that comes with clear academic challenges that merit close attention.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 33%

School 3% · District 24% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 53 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 40%

School 0% · District 19% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 54 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 510%

School 10% · District 18% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 41 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 64%

School 4% · District 18% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 50 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 74%

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

▼ 50 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 19% · ▼ 19 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 36%

School 6% · District 22% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 47 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 43%

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

▼ 49 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 53%

School 3% · District 21% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 47 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 24% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Grade 78%

School 8% · District 28% · ▼ 21 pts below district

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

Grade 816%

School 16% · District 29% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Science

Grade 49%

School 9% · District 20% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

Grade 88%

School 8% · District 22% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 43 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 419%

School 19% · District 32% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 46 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 36% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 7 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 7Lower-income5%Higher-income17%12 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income5%Higher-income0%5 pp gap