Horning Middle, Waukesha WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Horning Middle

Horning Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade in the Waukesha School District, a mid-sized city about a quarter-hour west of Milwaukee. The school is located on Butler Drive in a residential neighborhood of a city that blends a historic downtown with industrial employment and established suburban-style blocks. Waukesha has seen a modest population increase in recent years, and the most consequential recent infrastructure change was the switch from groundwater to Lake Michigan water, completed in 2024 after a lengthy pipeline project.

This is a regular public school, and its enrollment is large for a middle school. The student body is diverse. A little under half the students are white, with a substantial Hispanic population representing over a third of the school, followed by smaller shares of Black, two-or-more-races, and Asian students. A majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school at a higher poverty level than many in the surrounding county.

State testing results from the most recent year show proficiency rates that fall well below the midpoint among the county's districts. In math, roughly between two-fifths and just under half of students scored proficient or above, depending on the grade. English language arts results followed a similar pattern, with proficiency rates in a comparable range. Science, tested only in eighth grade, was lower, and social studies proficiency was slightly below half. The school's overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades sits in the bottom quartile of districts in Waukesha County. A parent evaluating academic performance here will see that the school faces significant challenges in reaching state proficiency benchmarks.

Data on discipline, staffing, course access, and attendance were not available. Information on special education and English learner populations was also missing from the record, so a parent seeking those specifics will need to ask the school directly.

The most immediately relevant change is that Horning Middle School is set to transform into a dedicated STEM school at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. This is part of a district-wide restructuring that also includes the sale of another middle school and the closure of two elementary schools in 2026. For families currently at Horning or considering it, this means the school's identity and programming are in transition. The shift to a STEM focus could bring new resources and a specialized curriculum, but it also represents a period of change that may affect the school's culture and course offerings.

The community context is that of a mid-sized city with a manufacturing and healthcare employment base, a historic downtown with a riverwalk and festivals, and an award-winning park system. Housing values in the area are generally above the national median, and the rental market is tight. The school's building sits within a district that has been consolidating elementary schools due to budget pressures and declining enrollment, a trend families may want to track.

Horning is a large, diverse middle school in a city with a solid job base and a downtown core, but its state test results are notably lower than those of most other school districts in the county. The upcoming conversion to a STEM school is the biggest factor to weigh, as it will reshape the academic program and could attract families specifically interested in that pathway. A parent who values a STEM focus and is comfortable with a school in a period of transition may find this a good fit, while one who prioritizes current test scores or prefers a more established academic program may want to investigate further.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 647%

School 47% · District 56% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 65% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 842%

School 42% · District 55% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 57% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 746%

School 46% · District 61% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 58% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Science

Grade 834%

School 34% · District 52% · ▼ 17 pts below district

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

Social studies

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 60% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

This schoolWaukesha 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 6Lower-income36%Higher-income65%28 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income31%Higher-income66%35 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income26%Higher-income56%30 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income28%Higher-income71%42 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income66%31 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income26%Higher-income59%33 pp gap