Hapa-hmong American Peace Academy K3-12, Milwaukee WI

Original Research by School Decision on Hapa-hmong American Peace Academy K3-12

HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 is a charter school in Milwaukee that serves students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. It sits within the Milwaukee School District, the large urban district facing a projected budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year and undertaking a Long Range Facilities Plan that could lead to school closures or consolidations in the coming years. For families at this school, those district-level changes may matter less than the school's own stability as a charter with a focused mission.

The school enrolls a student body that is nearly entirely of Asian background, reflecting the school's cultural identity as a Hmong-centered institution. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need population. No data was available for the share of students receiving special education services or English learner support, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those offerings. The school is large enough to sustain a full K-12 program, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across grades, though the senior class is notably smaller than earlier grades.

On the 2024-25 Wisconsin state assessments, HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among districts in Milwaukee County. That is a meaningful result given the county includes a wide range of wealth and performance. In math, proficiency rates across grades three through eight varied, with third and seventh graders posting stronger results than fifth, sixth, and eighth graders. English language arts proficiency was more mixed, with sixth through eighth graders scoring higher than third through fifth graders, a pattern that may reflect different cohorts or instructional shifts. Science and social studies are tested in fourth and eighth grades only. In fourth grade science, proficiency was lower than in other subjects, a soft spot a family may want to look into further with the school. Eighth grade social studies was a relative bright spot, with a higher proficiency rate than most other tested subjects and grades.

Because the school serves high school grades, the absence of a graduation rate in the data is notable. We looked for this information but did not find it. A family considering the high school program should ask the school for its four-year graduation rate directly.

The school is located on the northwest side of Milwaukee, in a city that remains one of the most racially segregated in the country and has seen population decline at every census count. Milwaukee's economy is anchored by several Fortune 500 headquarters and major healthcare and financial sectors, but economic disparities within the city are significant. Housing in the surrounding area is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, with home values and rents growing moderately in recent months.

For families drawn to a culturally specific educational environment with a strong Hmong identity and a single building where students can stay from pre-K through high school, this school offers that continuity. The academic performance is solid relative to other Milwaukee County districts, with some subjects and grades stronger than others. The school's size, near capacity, and charter structure mean it operates with some independence from the broader district, but it is still part of Milwaukee Public Schools for funding and oversight. A parent considering this school should weigh the cultural fit and the academic record against the unanswered questions about the high school graduation rate and the support services for students with disabilities and English learners.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

90-94%Cohort of 91 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

528 schools plotted. 25 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 364%

School 64% · District 24% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 458%

School 58% · District 19% · ▲ 39 pts above district

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

Grade 558%

School 58% · District 18% · ▲ 41 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 18% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 762%

School 62% · District 22% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 19% · ▲ 32 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 345%

School 45% · District 22% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 449%

School 49% · District 22% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 21% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 651%

School 51% · District 24% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 759%

School 59% · District 28% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 29% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Science

Grade 435%

School 35% · District 20% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 22% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 453%

School 53% · District 32% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 864%

School 64% · District 36% · ▲ 28 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 27 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-income43%Higher-income61%19 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income37%14 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income37%Higher-income56%19 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income67%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income58%Higher-income75%17 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income55%Higher-income58%3 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income61%Higher-income78%16 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income60%Higher-income42%18 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income56%Higher-income68%12 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income52%Higher-income67%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income61%Higher-income88%27 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income50%Higher-income58%8 pp gap