The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Social studies. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hawthorne Elementary
Hawthorne Elementary is a regular public school in the Milwaukee School District, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It sits in a residential area on the city’s north side, within a neighborhood shaped by Milwaukee’s broader patterns of development and demographic history.
The school is small for its grade band. Nearly every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a level of economic need that places it among the highest-poverty schools in the district. The student body is predominantly Black, with a much smaller share of Hispanic students and a very small number of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the materials reviewed.
State test results from the most recent school year show that students across grades three through five scored well below the district and state averages in reading and math. In third-grade reading, about one in eight students reached proficiency. By fourth and fifth grade, that share fell to roughly one in twelve or fewer. Math proficiency rates were also low, with the fourth-grade class at a particularly low mark and no fifth-grade student testing proficient. On the science and social studies assessments given in fourth grade, a modest share of students met the proficiency bar in social studies, while science results were similar to the low reading and math outcomes. Across all tested subjects and grades, Hawthorne’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile when compared with other Milwaukee County public elementary schools. A parent looking at these results will want to discuss with the school how academic supports are structured and what interventions are in place.
Because Hawthorne serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate data to report.
The Milwaukee School District, which operates Hawthorne, is undergoing a period of notable change. Voters approved a large referendum in 2024 to fund accessibility improvements in aging school buildings, and the district is implementing a Long Range Facilities Plan that could lead to school closures or consolidations. At the same time, the district projects a significant budget deficit driven by declining enrollment and the end of federal COVID-19 relief funding, and it is considering program cuts and staffing reductions. These district-level pressures mean that families at Hawthorne may see changes to resources, building conditions, or school boundaries in the years ahead.
Housing in the zip code where Hawthorne is located has a median home value that is below the national figure, with rents that have been rising. The broader Milwaukee County housing market shows moderate activity, with a notable increase in active listings compared to the previous year and a median days-on-market figure that suggests a relatively balanced market. For families renting or buying in this area, the cost of housing is generally more affordable than in many other parts of the county, consistent with the city’s north-side neighborhoods.
Milwaukee itself is Wisconsin’s largest city, a dense urban environment with a strong industrial and financial history, major cultural institutions, and a lakefront presence. It remains one of the most racially segregated cities in the United States, a reality that shapes the city’s schools and neighborhoods. Hawthorne operates within this larger context, serving a deeply impoverished student population in a district facing serious financial and facilities challenges. For a family considering this school, the central question will be whether the academic support and school environment match their child’s needs, given the very low proficiency rates and the district-level instability that may affect the school’s future.
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