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Public high school · South Milwaukee School District · South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

South Milwaukee High

South Milwaukee High rates 4.4, right at the middle of South Milwaukee School District's high schools, whose rated median is 4.4.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
4.4this school

4.4 on a one-to-ten scale; the South Milwaukee School District median is 4.4.

#1,905 of 2,109 schools in Wisconsin · South Milwaukee School District: 1 high schools rated, median 4.4

The brief

A high school in South Milwaukee, WI where students score 16 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,905 of 2,109 schools in Wisconsin and 6 of 6 in South Milwaukee School District.

South Milwaukee High is listed in South Milwaukee School District, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math24%222 students tested · state average not published · 2021 EdFacts
Reading28%220 students tested · state average not published · 2021 EdFacts
Proficiency is down 54 points across the 13-year record (2009–2021) and has held near 26% recently.2021 EdFacts; 26 test records from WI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
2.1
25% of the rating
Academics
3.7
25% of the rating
College Readiness
7.0
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
4.0
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2024

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2021) · reading/ELA 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2021).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2021 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2021 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2021 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2021 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 53172; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2021; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
South Milwaukee High and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$70,146
Median home value
$216,400
Median rent
$1,014/mo
College educated
27.7%
Homeownership
66.8%
Poverty rate
12.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 53172; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
40
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
32
Some Transit
Bike Score
43
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,105/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for South Milwaukee. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (South Milwaukee), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
4 AP courses
24.9% participation · state average 2.4 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
19 sports
10 boys' · 9 girls' · 33 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
51.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.6Compare →
  2. 5.5Compare →
  3. South Milwaukee Highthis school
    4.4
  4. 3.6Compare →
  5. 3.1Compare →
Four grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and two rate higher than South Milwaukee High.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does South Milwaukee High serve?

South Milwaukee High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend South Milwaukee High?

South Milwaukee High has an enrollment of approximately 979 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at South Milwaukee High?

The student-teacher ratio at South Milwaukee High is 14.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does South Milwaukee High rank in WI?

South Milwaukee High ranks #1,905 of 2,109 schools in WI.

What is South Milwaukee High's MySchoolScout rating?

South Milwaukee High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at South Milwaukee High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, South Milwaukee High has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021) and 40% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021).

Is South Milwaukee High a charter school?

No, South Milwaukee High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is South Milwaukee High a Title I school?

No, South Milwaukee High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for South Milwaukee High?

51.5% of students at South Milwaukee High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
979
Student-teacher ratio
14.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
69
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Milwaukee County
4-year graduation
92.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#6 of 6
Schools in district
6
District spending per student
$14,914
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.0%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 53172)
20,547
Area average commute
25 min
Area median age
40.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Wisconsin Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.