The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Social studies. The lowest is 41% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Underwood Elementary
Underwood Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade and is part of the Wauwatosa School District, a system that recently won voter approval for a facilities referendum to fund building improvements such as safety upgrades, HVAC replacement, and accessibility work, as well as an operational referendum to maintain programming and staff. The district also adopted a new literacy curriculum aligned with Wisconsin’s Act 20 science-based reading requirements and closed one elementary school in 2024, with boundary changes for several others. That context matters because it signals a district that is investing in its physical plants and its academic approach, while also consolidating its footprint.
The school itself sits in the Milwaukee County suburb of Wauwatosa, a city that is Wisconsin’s 14th largest and functions as an inner-ring suburb an edge city. Its western portions are dominated by major commercial and retail districts anchored by Mayfair Mall and industrial employers such as Harley-Davidson and Briggs & Stratton, while older eastern neighborhoods have a village-scale, residential character. The Milwaukee County Regional Medical Center, including Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin, is the dominant employment anchor. Wauwatosa is walkable in its five dynamic districts, with a European-style village center, public murals, and the Hank Aaron State Trail running through the city. The western parts are more auto-oriented. Housing values and rents in the area are elevated, with a mix of owner-occupied and renter-occupied units and a very low homeowner vacancy rate. The city’s population has been gradually declining from its peak, but it remains stable overall.
Underwood Elementary is a regular public school with a student population that reflects the diversity of its community. The student body is composed of white students, Black students, Hispanic students, students who identify with two or more races, Asian students, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners was not available in the profile.
On the Wisconsin Forward state assessments, Underwood Elementary’s results show a pattern across tested grades and subjects. In third-grade math and English language arts, just over half of students scored at a proficient or above level. By fourth grade, proficiency rates dropped in both subjects, with roughly a third of students at that level in English language arts and slightly less in math; fourth-grade science and social studies proficiency rates were higher. Fifth-grade results improved, with roughly two in five students scoring proficient or above in math and a similar proportion in English language arts. Overall, the school’s proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls above the midpoint among the county’s districts, meaning it performs better than many of its Milwaukee County peers but still has a range of outcomes within the school itself. The fourth-grade dip in both math and reading proficiency is something a parent may want to look into further with the school, as it may reflect a transition point or a cohort effect.
No graduation rate applies since Underwood Elementary does not serve high school grades. Chronic absenteeism data was also not available. The school has no charter or magnet status, and its Title I status was not indicated in the data. Because the profile did not include program offerings, staffing ratios, or discipline statistics, a full picture of the academic support environment and course access is not available here.
Underwood Elementary presents as a neighborhood elementary school in a district that is actively managing its facilities and curriculum. The proficiency data suggests that the school’s academic outcomes are generally on par with or slightly above the middle of the pack for Milwaukee County, with some variability by grade and subject that a prospective family might want to explore. Its setting in Wauwatosa means access to a range of employment centers, civic amenities such as the public library and the Hank Aaron State Trail, and the broader Milwaukee metro, all within a community that has a mix of older residential streets and newer commercial corridors. For families already within the Wauwatosa School District’s attendance boundaries, this is one of several elementary options. For those moving to the area, the housing market is relatively expensive and competitive. The school’s size, grade span, and composition are characteristics of a mid-sized suburban elementary school, and the district’s recent boundary changes mean that attendance areas may shift again in the future.
See more original research from School Decision →