The brief
The top-rated elementary schools in Milwaukee for 2026 are Milwaukee Montessori School (9.5/10), Stormonth Elementary (9.2/10), and Milwaukee Jewish Day School (8.2/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 167 elementary schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Milwaukee's ranked elementary landscape spans 119 schools, giving families a wide field to navigate. Bruce Guadalupe leads the pack with a 9.1 out of 10, well ahead of second-ranked Stormonth Elementary at 8.2 — a gap that reflects meaningful differences in the data. Lowell International Elementary, IDEAL, and Highland Community School round out the top five. The city's average composite score sits at 5.0 out of 10, and only 6 schools — about 5% of those ranked — clear the 7-point threshold. That concentration at the top makes school selection especially consequential here. The table below lets you sort by overall score, academic performance, and other key metrics to find the schools that best match what your family is looking for. Use the filters to narrow by neighborhood or school type and dig into the numbers that matter most to you.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 19.5
- 29.2
- 38.2
- 48.0
- 58.0
- 67.9
- 77.8
- 87.8
- 97.8
- 107.7
All 167 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 167
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Milwaukee Montessori Schoolstudents 211student-teacher ratio 5.1:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 2Stormonth ElementaryFox Point J2 School Districtstudents 481student-teacher ratio 13.7:1grades Pre-K–4th
- 3Milwaukee Jewish Day Schoolstudents 152student-teacher ratio 5.2:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 4St Matthias Parish Schoolstudents 156student-teacher ratio 11.3:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 5Bader Hillel Academystudents 155student-teacher ratio 6.5:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 6Downtown MontessoricharterDowntown Montessori Academy Incstudents 239student-teacher ratio 18.4:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 7Bay View Montessori SchoolMilwaukee School Districtstudents 484student-teacher ratio 23.0:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 8Mother of Good Counselstudents 193student-teacher ratio 12.1:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 9Risen Savior Lutheran School - East Campusstudents 68student-teacher ratio 9.7:1grades Kindergarten–6th
- 10Stellar Collegiate Charter SchoolcharterCarmen High School of Science and Technology Incstudents 217student-teacher ratio 12.8:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 11St Sebastian Schoolstudents 295student-teacher ratio 12.9:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 12Yeshiva Elementary Schoolstudents 187student-teacher ratio 7.5:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 13Word of Life Lutheran Schoolstudents 60student-teacher ratio 10.0:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 14Cooper ElementaryMilwaukee School Districtstudents 459student-teacher ratio 19.1:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 15New Testament Christian Academystudents 126student-teacher ratio 9.8:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 16St Vincent Pallotti Schoolstudents 152student-teacher ratio 12.9:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 17Messmer Saint Rosestudents 321student-teacher ratio 14.0:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 18Highland Community SchoolcharterMilwaukee School Districtstudents 414student-teacher ratio 18.0:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 19St Gregory the Great Schoolstudents 149student-teacher ratio 12.6:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 20Blessed Sacrament Schoolstudents 179student-teacher ratio 13.8:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 21St Philips Lutheran Schoolstudents 88student-teacher ratio 9.7:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 22Whittier ElementarycharterMilwaukee School Districtstudents 142student-teacher ratio 15.8:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 23Tamarack Waldorf Schoolstudents 206student-teacher ratio 11.1:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 24St Pauls Lutheran Schoolstudents 128student-teacher ratio 10.4:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 25Milwaukee College Preparatory School -- Lloyd StreetcharterMilwaukee School Districtstudents 477student-teacher ratio 95.4:1grades Pre-K–8th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Wisconsin education department. Rankings are relative to all public elementary schools in Wisconsin. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Milwaukee Montessori School
211 students · 5.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 1% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 2
Stormonth Elementary
Fox Point J2 School District
481 students · 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–4th
Top 2% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 9.6
- Growth
- 9.0
- Environment
- 9.3
- 3
Milwaukee Jewish Day School
152 students · 5.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 5% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 4
St Matthias Parish School
156 students · 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 7% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 5
Bader Hillel Academy
155 students · 6.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–8th
Top 7% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 6
Downtown Montessori
Downtown Montessori Academy Inc
239 students · 18.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 21% in Wisconsin · charter
- Academics
- 7.7
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 5.0
- 7
Bay View Montessori School
Milwaukee School District
484 students · 23.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 25% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- 7.4
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 3.3
- 8
Mother of Good Counsel
193 students · 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 10% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 9
Risen Savior Lutheran School - East Campus
68 students · 9.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–6th
Top 12% in Wisconsin
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 10
Stellar Collegiate Charter School
Carmen High School of Science and Technology Inc
217 students · 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 26% in Wisconsin · charter
- Academics
- 6.7
- Growth
- 9.5
- Environment
- 4.8
Questions
What is the best elementary school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Milwaukee Montessori School is the top-rated elementary school in Milwaukee with a composite score of 9.5/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many elementary schools are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?
Milwaukee has 170 elementary schools, including 22 charter schools. Of these, 170 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average elementary school rating in Milwaukee?
Among 170 Milwaukee elementary schools with a composite score, the average is 5.4/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Wisconsin).
How does MySchoolScout rate elementary schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Wisconsin, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Wisconsin, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Milwaukee elementary school rankings?
Milwaukee has 22 charter elementary schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best middle schools in Milwaukee2026 rankings and ratings
- Best high schools in Milwaukee2026 rankings and ratings
- All 254 schools in MilwaukeeElementary, middle and high
- Wisconsin schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings