schools in the 2023–24 NCES record
Public school district or agency · Official NCES ID 5509600
Milwaukee School District
Milwaukee, WI
Students66,864
Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.
students enrolled in 2023–24
latest nationwide attendance file
current spending per student
What is available here?
Broad coverage8 of 8 core data areas available
Every available section is tied to this district’s official NCES ID. The year shown is the year the data describes, not the date we added it.
✓Academic results2025Current release✓Attendance2022–23Current release✓Spending2022–23Current release✓Enrollment & staffing2023–24Current release✓Student support2021–22Older federal release✓Safety & civil rights2021–22Older federal release✓Community context2023Current release✓Programs & opportunities2021–22Older federal release
Five things to know
The district at a glance
Open any question to see the supporting numbers, comparison and reporting year.
01Quick answer
Explore outcomes by student group →Are students making academic progress?
5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025See the details →02Quick answerAre students missing too much school?
65.5% chronically absent2022–23 · 61,625 students measuredSee the details →03Quick answerIs the district improving?
Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsSee the details →04Quick answerHow much does the district spend?
$18,815current spending per studentSee the details →05Quick answerDoes the district have enough support staff?
709:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileSee the details →Student outcomes
How are students doing?
Four views answer different questions. State test percentages show grade-level expectations; the national research trend shows change over time; graduation and dropout measures describe high-school outcomes.
Are results improving over time?
15thlatest estimated national standing
20192022202320242025
5 percentile points lower than 2019.
How many high-school students left during the year?
7.8%of students enrolled in grades 9–12
District7.8%
WI1.9%
U.S.2.3%
Lower is better. This annual rate is not the opposite of the graduation rate because the measures use different students and time periods.
State proficiency standards differ and should not be used for cross-state rankings. Graduation ranges and privacy protections are preserved exactly. The academic trend uses Stanford Education Data Archive estimates and is not a state proficiency percentage.
Graduation · 2022–23
How many students graduated within four years?
Loading the district's official graduation record…
What has changed?
The district’s recent direction
Each card uses its own clearly labeled period. Measures from different sources are never blended.
Lower than the first comparable year.
2019–2025 · Stanford research estimateHigher than the first year. More students were chronically absent.
2020–21–2022–23Student enrollment declined.
2021–22 to 2023–24 · NCESSpending per student increased before adjusting for inflation.
FY 2022 to FY 2023 · NCES F-33Enrollment 2023–24Finance 2022–23Attendance 2022–23State tests 2024–25 where published
Enrollment · 2023–24
Who attends this district?
Pre-K5,947 students
8.9%Kindergarten–grade 528,455 students
42.6%Grades 6–813,195 students
19.7%Grades 9–1219,267 students
28.8%See enrollment for every grade
Pre-Kindergarten5,947
Kindergarten4,819
Grade 14,867
Grade 24,765
Grade 34,696
Grade 44,750
Grade 54,558
Grade 64,287
Grade 74,399
Grade 84,509
Grade 96,183
Grade 104,947
Grade 114,437
Grade 123,700
Students by race and ethnicity
Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.
Early learning · 2023–24
How much public pre-K is reported?
Pre-K students as a share of district enrollment
Final NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2023–24. Enrollment shows children attending district-run public pre-K. It does not show open seats, waitlists, private providers, program hours, eligibility or the cost to families.
Current staffing · 2023–24
How many staff members support students?
See detailed staffing
Pre-K teachers413.9 FTE
Kindergarten teachers166.4 FTE
Elementary teachers1,605.8 FTE
Secondary teachers1,539.5 FTE
Ungraded teachers132 FTE
Elementary school counselors18.8 FTE
Secondary school counselors60.5 FTE
Instructional coordinators218.9 FTE
District administrators66 FTE
District administrative support418.5 FTE
School administrative support353.7 FTE
Other support staff2,291.4 FTE
Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.
High-school outcomes · 2023–24
How many students completed school or dropped out?
Regular diplomas among completers
Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12
Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.
Teachers and staff
Teacher workforce
Loading the district’s workforce comparison…
Community context · 2024
How many school-age children live in poverty?
This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.
U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.
District geography · 2024–25
What area does this district cover?
NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.
Loading the official district boundary…
Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.
Comparable districts
Districts serving a similar student population
These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in WI receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.
Fresno UnifiedFresno, CA
- Students
- 68,568
- Community poverty
- 32.9%
- English learners
- 19.4%
- Special education
- 11.9%
- Students
- 67,832
- Community poverty
- 17.7%
- English learners
- 10.4%
- Special education
- 12.3%
- Students
- 63,966
- Community poverty
- 14.5%
- English learners
- 16.1%
- Special education
- 10.9%
- Students
- 63,777
- Community poverty
- 10.8%
- English learners
- 14.3%
- Special education
- 13.9%
- Students
- 65,443
- Community poverty
- 9.6%
- English learners
- 5.0%
- Special education
- 14.5%
District, state and country
How does this district compare?
State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.
MeasureDistrictWIUnited States
Academic standing2025Needs attention
15th percentile49th percentile45th percentileThis district is 34 percentile points lower than the state figure and 30 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students chronically absent2022–23Needs attention
65.5%23.8%27.2%This district is 41.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 38.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Revenue per studentFY 2023Context only
$22,151$19,313$19,748This district is $2,838 per student higher than the state figure and $2,403 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$18,815$14,848$15,908This district is $3,967 per student higher than the state figure and $2,907 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Capital outlay per studentFY 2023Context only
$1,652$1,829$2,035This district is $177 per student lower than the state figure and $383 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Equipment spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$64$239$342This district is $175 per student lower than the state figure and $278 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Special-education spending per studentFY 2023Context only
$3,353$2,442$1,855This district is $911 per student higher than the state figure and $1,498 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Salaries per studentFY 2023Context only
$8,238$8,106$8,849This district is $132 per student higher than the state figure and $611 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Benefits per studentFY 2023Context only
$5,730$4,438$3,859This district is $1,292 per student higher than the state figure and $1,871 per student higher than the U.S. figure.
Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023Context only
$0$10,600$12,224This district is $10,600 per student lower than the state figure and $12,224 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Debt retired per studentFY 2023Context only
$263$2,553$907This district is $2,290 per student lower than the state figure and $644 per student lower than the U.S. figure.
Students per teacher2023–24Needs attention
17:114:115:1This district is 3.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and 2.0 students per teacher higher than the U.S. figure.
Students per counselor2023–24Needs attention
709:1361:1373:1This district is 348 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 336 students per counselor higher than the U.S. figure.
District staff per 1,000 students2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
142.1141.4138.8This district is 0.7 staff per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 3.3 staff per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.
Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24Mixed comparison
15.013.318.1This district is 1.7 aides per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 3.1 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.
School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24Stronger than benchmarks
2.31.30.9This district is 1.0 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 1.4 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.
Regular diplomas among completers2023–24Needs attention
98.4%99.6%99.0%This district is 1.2 percentage points lower than the state figure and 0.6 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24Needs attention
7.8%1.9%2.3%This district is 5.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 5.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Pre-K students as a share of enrollment2023–24Context only
8.9%6.1%2.9%This district is 2.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 6.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
15.6%6.8%11.8%This district is 8.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
20.5%14.5%13.8%This district is 6.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 6.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
1.0%2.0%4.0%This district is 1.0 percentage points lower than the state figure and 3.0 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schoolsContext only
86.5%97.6%96.6%This district is 11.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 10.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24Context only
-0.4%-1.7%+0.2%This district is 1.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.6 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district recordsContext only
79.3%39.1%49.4%This district is 40.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 29.9 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollmentNeeds attention
14.4%4.7%4.6%This district is 9.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 9.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollmentNeeds attention
21.2%11.4%9.4%This district is 9.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 11.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollmentStronger than benchmarks
0.0%4.1%6.8%This district is 4.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 6.8 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollmentContext only
2.3%5.4%4.5%This district is 3.1 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.2 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.
School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimateNeeds attention
28.6%11.0%14.4%This district is 17.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 14.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.
Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot
How many students may need specialized support?
Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.
15.6%Students learning English9,118 students · 116 of 155 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
20.5%Students receiving IDEA special-education services14,184 students · 154 of 155 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
1.0%Students with Section 504 plans618 students · 128 of 155 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
2.7%English learners also receiving IDEA services1,837 students · 154 of 155 schools reported both this measure and enrollment
U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.
Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22
What did the district report about teachers and preschool?
Teacher certification comparison
U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.
Academic results · 2025
How do results differ among student groups?
White students4,567 assessments
51 out of 100Students not economically disadvantaged8,353 assessments
38 out of 100Asian students5,198 assessments
27 out of 100Fem24,247 assessments
17 out of 100Hispanic students15,080 assessments
16 out of 100Mal26,111 assessments
14 out of 100Economically disadvantaged students42,005 assessments
12 out of 100Black students22,919 assessments
9 out of 100A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.
District makeup
What kinds of schools are in the district?
School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.
District finances
How is the district funded, and how does it spend?
Sources of funds
Where the money comes from
Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.
Uses of funds
Where the money goes
Annual spending for each enrolled student.
Revenue by source: percentages and dollars
How operating money was used
People costs
Equipment, buildings and debt
Selected federal program revenue
What changed since FY 2022
FY 2022$17,847
→FY 2023$18,815+5.4% year over year
FY 2022$282
→FY 2023$1,652+485.8% year over year
FY 2022$3,266
→FY 2023$0-100.0% year over year
Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.
Attendance
How has chronic absence changed?
27,760 of 66,304 students
43,108 of 61,452 students
40,377 of 61,625 students
Specialized support and security · 2021–22
What specialized roles were reported?
Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.
Learning opportunities
What do district schools offer?
Algebra I39 reporting schools
100%
Calculus39 reporting schools
33%
Biology39 reporting schools
97%
Chemistry39 reporting schools
92%
Physics39 reporting schools
67%
Computer science39 reporting schools
59%
Advanced Placement38 reporting schools
63%
Dual enrollment39 reporting schools
59%
Gifted programs155 reporting schools
71%
International Baccalaureate38 reporting schools
11%
Athletics38 reporting schools
63%
Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.
Safety and discipline
What was reported across district schools?
10,566Out-of-school suspensions154 reporting schoolsSee schools →192In-school suspensions153 reporting schoolsSee schools →763Law-enforcement referrals153 reporting schoolsSee schools →0School-related arrests153 reporting schoolsSee schools →189Physical restraint38 reporting schoolsSee schools →15Seclusion7 reporting schoolsSee schools →
Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.
Technology and safety · 2021–22
What access and incident data is available?
Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.
Leadership, board & accountability
District priorities & progress
See what district leaders say they are trying to improve and where they publish progress.
District priorities Through 2028
- Improve student achievement and graduation outcomes
- Develop and retain strong staff
- Right-size facilities while preserving equitable programming
- Improve district finances, communications and family services
Official measurable goals
What has the district promised to achieve?
Targets are quoted or closely paraphrased from district documents. “Progress reported” does not mean SchoolReality has judged the goal on track.
Facilities planOfficial target
Target by 2028Implement a long-term facilities master plan
Licensed classroom staffingOfficial target
Target by 2028Have enough fully licensed staff to fill every classroom
Budget engagementOfficial target
Target by 2027–28Increase district and school-level understanding of and participation in the budget process
SchoolReality only labels a goal on track or missed when an official numeric target and a comparable reported result are both available. A priority statement alone is not scored. Official pages last checked August 26, 2026.
8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.
See all sources →Keep exploring
Put this district in context
Compare the same measures across the state, explore a parent question, or read a practical guide.