U S Grant School, Milwaukee WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on U S Grant School

U S Grant School is a regular public elementary and middle school serving students from prekindergarten through eighth grade in the Milwaukee School District. It sits within a neighborhood in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest city, a place defined by its Lake Michigan shoreline, a mix of commercial and industrial history, and culturally distinct areas shaped by waves of settlement. The city has seen steady population decline over many decades, but its downtown and riverfront have experienced redevelopment, and its economy includes several major corporate headquarters alongside healthcare and public-sector employment. Housing in the school’s zip code is priced at a level that is well under both the national and state median figures, and rental costs follow a similar pattern, making this a more affordable part of the metropolitan area.

The school’s enrollment is large for a PK-8 building. The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Asian, together making up the large majority of the student population. White students, Black students, and students of two or more races each make up noticeably smaller shares. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a level of economic need that is extremely high. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the records we reviewed, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and supports.

State assessment results are available for most grades in math, English language arts, science, and social studies. Across tested grades and subjects, the overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quarter when compared with other schools in Milwaukee County. In math, proficiency rates vary widely by grade. The lowest share by a wide margin appears in fifth grade, where a very small portion of students met the bar. The highest appears in seventh grade, where a more substantial share scored proficient or above. In English language arts, the pattern is similar across grades, with all results in a moderate range; the highest is in eighth grade. Science results are available for grades four and eight, with both showing modest shares of proficiency. Social studies results follow a similar pattern. Across every tested subject and grade, the school’s participation rates in state testing were very high, which means the results are a complete picture of student performance.

Because the school serves only prekindergarten through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report, and no data on college readiness programs, Advanced Placement, or career and technical pathways. The school does not have a charter or magnet designation in the data. Information on discipline, chronic absenteeism, and staffing was also absent from the records. A parent who wants a full picture of the school’s environment and supports may need to gather that information directly.

Milwaukee Public Schools, the district that operates U S Grant, has been navigating several large-scale changes. In 2024, voters approved a substantial referendum to fund accessibility improvements in aging school buildings as part of a Long Range Facilities Plan, a commitment that signals ongoing physical plant investment. The district is also projecting a significant budget deficit for the upcoming school year, driven by declining enrollment and the end of federal pandemic relief, and is considering program and staffing reductions. These district-wide pressures could affect class sizes, program availability, and building conditions at U S Grant in the years ahead. For a family looking at this school, the most relevant factors are its position as a high-needs, low-proficiency school in the context of a large urban district undergoing financial and facilities reorganization, within a city that offers broad cultural and economic resources but also faces persistent challenges of segregation and economic disparity.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 317%

School 17% · District 24% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 39 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 19% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 53%

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

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

Grade 610%

School 10% · District 18% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 43 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 739%

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

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

Grade 826%

School 26% · District 19% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 322%

School 22% · District 22%

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

Grade 416%

School 16% · District 22% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 515%

School 15% · District 21% · ▼ 7 pts below district

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

Grade 624%

School 24% · District 24%

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

Grade 723%

School 23% · District 28% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 831%

School 31% · District 29% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 417%

School 17% · District 20% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 22% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 32% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 36% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▲ 2 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.