Maryland Montessori, Milwaukee WI

Original Research by School Decision on Maryland Montessori

Maryland Montessori is a public school in Milwaukee serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It sits within the Milwaukee School District, on the city's east side near the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee campus, in a neighborhood whose housing values and rents run notably higher than the citywide average. That location, combined with the school's demographics and academic results, shapes the character of this place.

The student body is majority white, with smaller shares of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is a comparatively low share for a Milwaukee public school. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or staffing was provided for this profile.

On state assessments, Maryland Montessori posts results that sit above the midpoint among Milwaukee County's districts overall. The school's strongest performance is in English language arts, where a solid majority of students in every tested grade meet or exceed the state's proficiency bar, and in the upper elementary and middle school grades that figure reaches well into the upper ranges. Math proficiency is a softer spot: across grades three through eight, the share of students scoring proficient or above typically falls a bit below the school's own ELA results, though still above the median of other county districts. Science and social studies results, available for grades four and eight, are strong, with a large majority of students reaching proficiency.

The school's name suggests a Montessori instructional approach, though the data provided does not detail the pedagogy or program structure. Families considering this school may want to confirm with the school directly how Montessori methods are implemented across the grade levels.

The surrounding neighborhood is part of Milwaukee's east side, an area anchored by the university, a mix of early-20th-century housing stock, and walkable commercial corridors near the lakefront. Housing values here are elevated relative to the city, and the rental market is also above the Milwaukee norm. The city itself is Wisconsin's largest, with a diversified economy built around manufacturing, finance, healthcare, and brewing, though it also remains one of the most racially segregated cities in the country and has experienced decades of population decline. The Milwaukee School District is navigating a tightening budget, declining enrollment, and a long-range facilities plan that may lead to school closures or consolidations in coming years. A recent voter-approved referendum will fund accessibility improvements in school buildings.

For a parent, Maryland Montessori offers a relatively strong academic track record, especially in reading and in the upper grades, within a smaller neighborhood school setting. The peer body is more economically advantaged than many other district schools, and the surrounding housing market reflects that. The Montessori label may appeal to families who value that educational philosophy. The main considerations are the broader district's fiscal uncertainty and the fact that math proficiency, while above county medians, is not as consistent as the literacy results. Families looking for a middle school that feeds into a high school pathway should note that Maryland Montessori ends at eighth grade, so the high school choice will be a separate decision within the district's enrollment system.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 346%

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

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

Grade 445%

School 45% · District 19% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 18% · ▲ 27 pts above district

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

Grade 656%

School 56% · District 18% · ▲ 39 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 760%

School 60% · District 22% · ▲ 38 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Grade 852%

School 52% · District 19% · ▲ 34 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 371%

School 71% · District 22% · ▲ 49 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Grade 482%

School 82% · District 22% · ▲ 59 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 57 pts above county median

Grade 565%

School 65% · District 21% · ▲ 44 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 668%

School 68% · District 24% · ▲ 45 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 45 pts above county median

Grade 780%

School 80% · District 28% · ▲ 52 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 53 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 471%

School 71% · District 20% · ▲ 51 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 50 pts above county median

Grade 874%

School 74% · District 22% · ▲ 52 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 53 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 484%

School 84% · District 32% · ▲ 52 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 45 pts above county median

Grade 883%

School 83% · District 36% · ▲ 47 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 46 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-income39%Higher-income83%44 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income82%Higher-income82%0 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income46%Higher-income72%27 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income56%Higher-income72%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income33%Higher-income90%56 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income39%Higher-income72%34 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income23%Higher-income54%31 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income27%Higher-income52%25 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income27%Higher-income52%24 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income22%Higher-income66%43 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income17%Higher-income69%52 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income23%Higher-income66%42 pp gap