The top reported proficiency rate is 15% in Science. The lowest is 3% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson Elementary
Jackson Elementary is a regular public school in Milwaukee, part of the Milwaukee School District, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school is located in the 53206 zip code, a neighborhood within Wisconsin’s largest city, a dense, historically industrial port city on Lake Michigan that remains one of the most racially segregated in the country. The city’s population has declined over several decades, and its public school system faces ongoing financial pressure, including a projected budget deficit driven by falling enrollment and the end of federal COVID-19 relief funds.
The student body at Jackson Elementary is predominantly Black, reflecting the neighborhood it serves. A very large share of students come from low-income households, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is a regular elementary school, meaning it follows the standard district curriculum and is not a charter, magnet, or alternative program.
State testing results from the most recent school year show that the share of students scoring at a proficient level or above was low across all tested subjects and grades. In reading, the proportion of proficient students was in the single digits at third and fourth grade, and in the low teens at fifth grade. In math, proficiency was below a tenth of students at third and fourth grade, and no students tested at the proficient level in fifth grade. Science and social studies, tested only in fourth grade, also showed proficiency rates in the low teens. Compared with other schools in Milwaukee County, Jackson Elementary’s overall proficiency, combined across all tested subjects and grades, falls in the bottom quartile of its county peers. Participation on the assessments was complete, so the results reflect nearly every enrolled student in the tested grades.
Because the school ends at fifth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report. The data does not include figures on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, or staffing ratios, so a parent may want to follow up with the school directly on those topics. Information on special education and English learner populations was also missing from the available data.
The Milwaukee School District, which Jackson Elementary belongs to, has several developments that families considering this school may want to know about. Voters recently approved a referendum that will fund accessibility improvements in school buildings over a multi-year period, signaling a long-term investment in physical infrastructure. At the same time, the district is working through a Long Range Facilities Plan that could lead to school closures or consolidations, and a reorganization that reduces the number of regional offices takes effect in the coming school year. These changes may affect school assignments or the condition of buildings families use.
For a family looking at Jackson Elementary, the picture is straightforward. The school serves a neighborhood with concentrated poverty, and its state test results are well below county averages. There are no special program offerings or academic pathways noted in the available data. The school’s size is moderate for an elementary school in an urban district. Parents whose children attend will be in the Milwaukee Public Schools system, which is large and facing financial constraints that could affect class sizes and services. A family considering this school will want to understand what academic supports and enrichment opportunities are available within the building and how the district’s facilities planning might affect their child’s school in the years ahead.
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