The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Social studies. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Pratt Elementary
Pratt Elementary sits in Milwaukee’s 53209 zip code, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the Milwaukee School District, a large urban district facing enrollment declines and a projected budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year. Voters recently approved a long-term referendum for school building accessibility projects, and the district is working through a Long Range Facilities Plan that includes potential school consolidations, meaning families may see changes to school assignments in coming years.
The school itself is a small elementary, with enrollment running just over three hundred students. The student body is predominantly Black, with a very small number of White, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. Nearly all students come from low-income households; the share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch is very high. This is a high-poverty school in a city that remains one of the most racially segregated in the United States, a context that matters when reading academic results.
On Wisconsin’s Forward state assessments, proficiency rates across tested grades and subjects are low. In third-grade math and English language arts, very few students reached the proficient or advanced levels. Fourth-grade math showed no students reaching proficiency, while fourth-grade English language arts had a modest share proficient. Fifth-grade math and English language arts also fell below a tenth of students proficient. In science and social studies, tested at fourth grade, proficiency rates were similarly very low. When placed against all districts in Milwaukee County, Pratt Elementary’s overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile. A parent looking at these numbers should understand that this is a school where most students are not meeting state benchmarks, and families may want to ask the school directly about academic support and intervention programs.
Enrollment data shows that the school has a pre-K program with a substantial number of children in that grade, which suggests a fairly robust early childhood offering. The grade-by-grade enrollment is relatively even from kindergarten through fifth grade, with no single grade dominating. The school’s participation rate on state tests was complete, with every enrolled student tested.
Milwaukee itself is Wisconsin’s largest city, a Lake Michigan port and manufacturing hub that now anchors a regional economy with several Fortune 500 headquarters in financial services, industrial automation, and energy. The city has notable cultural assets including a lakefront festival grounds, museums, and a riverwalk, but also high economic disparity and a long history of population decline. Housing in the school’s zip code is below the national and state benchmarks for home values, and rents are moderate relative to incomes. The area is more affordable than citywide averages, which may matter for families weighing where to live.
What the data does not include: there are no reported figures for special education or English learner identification, so a parent with a child who may need those supports should contact the school to learn about services. There is no available data on discipline, staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, or course access. Because Pratt serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to examine. The district brief flagged a potential budget deficit that could affect programs and staffing, which families should track as budget decisions unfold.
Pratt Elementary is a small, high-poverty urban elementary school where academic proficiency on state tests is well below county norms. Its pre-K enrollment is a notable feature, and its affordable housing market may appeal to some families, but the academic challenges are clear and persistent.
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