Mitchell Elementary, Milwaukee WI

Original Research by School Decision on Mitchell Elementary

Mitchell Elementary is a regular public school in the Milwaukee School District serving students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It sits in the heart of Milwaukee, a city shaped by its industrial history, three rivers, and Lake Michigan lakefront, and one that remains among the most racially segregated in the country. The school serves a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black enrollment, and a very large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The enrollment is in the low hundreds, organized across all elementary and middle grades.

State assessment results are available for grades three through eight in math, English language arts, science, and social studies. Across every tested grade and subject, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced is low. In math, proficiency rates are in the single digits or low teens depending on the grade; in English language arts, they follow a similar pattern. Science and social studies results are somewhat higher but remain at levels that most families would treat as a significant concern. Participation rates on the assessments were high, which means the results capture nearly all enrolled students. Compared to other districts in Milwaukee County, Mitchell Elementary’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. There is no graduation rate because the school does not serve high school grades. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available in the source materials, nor were chronic absenteeism figures, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the supports in place for those groups.

The school does not appear in the data as carrying magnet or charter status. It is a neighborhood-based regular school within the district. No information was provided about course offerings, after-school programming, or staffing ratios, so a family considering Mitchell would want to visit or speak with the principal about what enrichment or intervention programs exist, especially given the academic results.

The housing market around the school reflects the broader Milwaukee area. Home values are moderate relative to national benchmarks, with a broad mix of rental and owner-occupied housing. The county market overall shows a moderate number of active listings and a modest rise in median listing prices; homes are not turning over quickly but the market is not frozen. Rents have been rising at a steady pace. For a family considering a move to the attendance area, the cost of housing is substantially below the state and national medians, which may be a factor.

Milwaukee itself has seen population decline at every recent census count, but a large regional GDP driven by Fortune 500 headquarters in financial services, industrial automation, and energy. The city has a defined downtown with cultural anchors and an active lakefront. The Milwaukee School District is facing headwinds. It recently passed a referendum to fund school building accessibility projects under a long-range facilities plan, which will be paid for over many years. The district is also projecting a significant budget deficit in the coming school year, driven by declining enrollment and the expiration of federal pandemic relief funds. That could mean program cuts, staffing reductions, or school consolidations. Families should be aware that the district’s financial and facilities planning may lead to changes in school assignments or available services over the next few years.

For a family weighing Mitchell Elementary, the picture is one of a high-poverty school serving a mostly Hispanic and Black student body, with very low test scores across the board. The school is part of a district undergoing structural strain and a city with deep economic disparities. A parent will want to investigate what academic interventions, student supports, and enrichment opportunities the school actually offers, and to ask about special education and English learner services beyond what the public data shows. The school’s location in central Milwaukee means access to the city’s cultural and employment assets, but also to the challenges that come with a high-poverty urban environment. There is no single narrative that fits every family, but the evidence here points clearly to a school where a child would need strong additional support to reach grade-level benchmarks, and where the district context adds uncertainty about long-term stability.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 34%

School 4% · District 24% · ▼ 20 pts below district

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

Grade 49%

School 9% · District 19% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 45 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 18% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 68%

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

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

Grade 75%

School 5% · District 22% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 49 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 84%

School 4% · District 19% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 47 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 32%

School 2% · District 22% · ▼ 20 pts below district

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

Grade 45%

School 5% · District 22% · ▼ 17 pts below district

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

Grade 518%

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

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

Grade 66%

School 6% · District 24% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 47 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 75%

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

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

Grade 85%

School 5% · District 29% · ▼ 24 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 47%

School 7% · District 20% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 45 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 87%

School 7% · District 22% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 44 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 32% · ▼ 12 pts below district

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

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 36% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 49 pts below state median · ▼ 22 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.