The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in Social studies. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Avenue Elementary
Lincoln Avenue Elementary is a regular public school in Milwaukee serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Milwaukee School District, the largest district in Wisconsin. The school sits on West Lincoln Avenue in a mixed-use area of the city, drawing students primarily from surrounding neighborhoods. Enrollment is in the hundreds for its grade band, with the largest numbers in pre-K and kindergarten and smaller cohorts in the upper elementary grades.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a Black enrollment that makes up the second-largest group. White, Asian, and multiracial students together account for a modest share. The share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch is very high, placing the school in a high-poverty category. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the available records, so it is not possible to characterize those populations here.
On Wisconsin’s Forward state assessments, the school’s results across tested subjects and grade levels are well below the midpoint among districts in Milwaukee County, placing in the bottom quartile relative to that set. In third-grade math, roughly a third of students scored at proficient or above, a figure that dropped to around one in eight in fourth grade and one in six in fifth grade. In English language arts, proficiency rates were around one in ten in third grade, one in six in fourth, and similar in fifth. Fourth-grade science proficiency was about one in eight, and social studies in that same grade was about one in four. Participation rates were generally high, above nine in ten in most tested grades and subjects. These are the most recent scores available, and they indicate that a large majority of students are not reaching the state-defined proficiency bar. A parent may want to explore what academic supports and interventions the school offers.
The school itself is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. No information was provided on course access, staffing ratios, or discipline patterns, so those dimensions of the school environment cannot be addressed here. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
Milwaukee, the city in which the school is located, is a large, historically industrial city on Lake Michigan with a racially diverse population and a legacy of residential segregation that continues to shape neighborhoods. The city’s population has declined over several decades, and economic disparities are pronounced. The Milwaukee School District faces significant financial pressure. Publicly reported information shows that the district is projecting a budget deficit driven by declining enrollment and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds, and is considering program and staffing reductions that could affect class sizes and services. In 2024, voters approved a referendum to fund school building accessibility projects under a long-range facilities plan that may also lead to school closures or consolidations. Families at Lincoln Avenue Elementary could see changes to the broader district landscape in the coming years, though no specific plans for this school have been released.
Housing in the zip code area where the school sits is relatively affordable compared to national benchmarks, with home values and rents both modest. The broader Milwaukee County housing market has seen a slight increase in active listings and a moderate pace of price growth. For a family considering the area, the neighborhood offers an urban, walkable setting in some parts, though many surrounding blocks are car-dependent.
Lincoln Avenue Elementary serves a population with very high economic need, and its test results are low in comparison to other districts in Milwaukee County. This is a school where a family would want to understand what additional academic supports, after-school programs, and family engagement efforts are in place. The district context includes budget constraints and a facilities review that could eventually affect school operations. For a parent weighing this school, the critical questions are about the quality of instruction and intervention within the building rather than what the broad metrics show.
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