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Who are the students of MPS?

MPS students are diverse.

66,864 students enrolled in Milwaukee Public Schools in school year 2023 – 2024.

MPS students speak 90 languages

15% are English Language Learners

A group of young children is gathered in a gym. Two boys in the front are wearing striped hats and red scarves. One boy is making a heart shape with his hands, and the other is flexing his muscles while smiling. Behind them, other children stand in rows, wearing casual clothing. A large drum and a colorful mural are visible in the background. The atmosphere is lively and joyful.

20% receive special education services

75% are economically disadvantaged

*Data current as of September 2023

MPS Students by Grade Level

*Data current as of September 2023

MPS Students by Race/Ethnicity

*Data current as of September 2023

Student demographics have changed over the years.

Stacked bar chart titled 'Milwaukee student population by race, 2014 - 2024' showing the distribution of student populations by race/ethnicity across different school years. The chart tracks the percentages of students who are Black, Hispanic, White, Asian/Pacific Isle, Native American, and Two or More Races from 2014-15 to 2023-24. The Black student population consistently makes up the largest group, ranging from 55% in 2014-15 to 49% in 2023-24. Hispanic students are the second-largest group, increasing from 25% in 2014-15 to 28% in 2023-24. White students decrease from 13% to 9% over the same period. Asian/Pacific Isle, Native American, and students of Two or More Races make up smaller portions, with each category representing less than 10% of the student population. The total student population decreases from 77,316 in 2014-15 to 66,864 in 2023-24.

*Data current as of September 2023

K-12 public school enrollment declines are a national trend with urban areas experiencing the steepest percentage drops.
Over the last 10 years, the total number of MPS students has gone down by about 10,000, a 14% decrease.
The biggest change has been among Black students, who made up 55% of the students in 2014-2015 but only 49% in 2023-2024.
The percentage of White students has dropped from 13% in 2014-2015 to 9% in 2023-2024.

Students of different races/ethnicities live in clusters throughout the city.

The maps below show where MPS students live by race/ethnicity, illustrating the racial/ethnic clustering throughout Milwaukee.

Most Black students live in the northern part of Milwaukee.
Most White and Hispanic students live in the southern and southwestern parts of the city.
Asian students live mostly in the far north and far south of the city.

Black Student Count

White Student Count

Hispanic Student Count

Asian Student Count

*Data current as of September 2023

While MPS as an entire district is diverse, its individual schools are less diverse than national averages.

Pie chart showing a split where 51% of the circle is shaded in blue, and the remaining 49% is shaded in gray.

51% of MPS students attend schools where 75% or more of the students are of a single race/ethnicity.

Pie chart showing a split where 27% of the circle is shaded in orange, and the remaining 73% is shaded in gray.

27% of MPS students attend schools where 90% or more of the students are of a single race/ethnicity.

*Data current as of September 2023

Pie chart showing a split where 43% of the circle is shaded in blue, and the remaining 57% is shaded in gray.

43% of all K-12 public school students nationwide attend schools where 75% or more of the students are of a single race/ethnicity.

Pie chart showing a split where 14% of the circle is shaded in orange, and the remaining 86% is shaded in gray.

14% of all K-12 public school students nationwide attend schools where 90% or more of the students are of a single race/ethnicity.

Source: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104737

How has MPS enrollment changed in the last decade, and how might it change in the future?

The student population has decreased over the past decade, with the most significant drop occuring among elementary students.

Line graph titled 'Milwaukee student population by grade level, 2014 - 2024' showing the trends in student population for three grade levels: PK-5 (blue line), 6-8 (orange line), and 9-12 (light blue line). The y-axis represents the student population, ranging from 0 to 45,000, while the x-axis shows school years from 2014-15 to 2023-24. The PK-5 student population decreases from 41,871 in 2014-15 to 34,402 in 2023-24. The 6-8 student population decreases slightly from 20,659 in 2014-15 to 19,267 in 2023-24. The 9-12 student population remains relatively stable, with a slight decline from 14,786 in 2014-15 to 13,195 in 2023-24. Overall, the graph shows a gradual decline in student populations across all grade levels over the 10-year period.

*Data current as of September 2023

Over the last 10 years, the total number of students has gone down by about 10,000, a 14% decrease.
The biggest decline in student numbers at MPS is among elementary students. This means middle and high schools in the future might have fewer students as these children move up to higher grade levels.
Middle and high school populations have changed somewhat each year, but their share of the total number of students has increased slightly over the last 10 years.

Nearly 2/3 of all MPS schools lost students between 2014 and 2024.

More than 62% of MPS schools had fewer students enrolled in school year 2023-2024 compared to 2014.
On average, each MPS school lost 146 students during this time period.
The drop in student numbers has been felt all over the city, with no significant clustering of schools gaining students.

Enrollment Change Intensity by Location, 2014 to 2024

Student Population Changes by School, 2014 to 2024

*Data current as of September 2023

Graph titled 'Student Population Changes by School, 2014 to 2024' displaying the change in student population for individual MPS schools over a ten-year period. Each horizontal row represents an MPS school and its enrollment changes from 2014 to 2024. The graph is split into two sections: the left side shows decreases in student populations, shaded in orange, and the right side shows increases, shaded in teal. The x-axis represents the change in student population, ranging from -800 to +600 students. An arrow on the left side of the graph points to the note 'These schools decreased by about 300 students,' referring to the section where the student population decreased. On the right side of the graph, an arrow points to the note 'These schools increased by about 200 students,' referring to the section where the student population increased.

*Data current as of September 2023

MPS typically loses the most students after 5th grade and every year in high school after 9th grade.

Bar graph titled 'MPS student progression rates by grade level' showing the average student progression rates across grades 1 through 12 in MPS. The y-axis represents the average student progression rates, ranging from -20% to +30%, and the x-axis represents the grade levels. The bars indicate the percentage change in student progression for each grade level. Notable changes include a 26% increase in progression from grade 8 to grade 9 and a 22% decrease from grade 9 to grade 10. An arrow pointing to the -4% bar for grade 2 includes the note: '-4% indicates that on average, 96% of MPS 1st grade students continue to 2nd grade, and 4% do not.'

*Data current as of September 2023

This bar graph shows average grade level progression rates based on the last 5 years of MPS student enrollment data.
Grade level progression rates show how many students move from one grade to the next.
The rate going into grade 9 is higher because a greater amount of grade 9 students are repeating that grade level.
MPS loses significantly more students at grades 6, 10, 11 and 12.

Example student progression rate equation:

Image showing the formula for calculating the 2nd Grade Student Progression Rate. The formula is written as: 2nd Grade Student Progression Rate equals the number of 2nd grade students in the current school year divided by the number of 1st grade students in the previous school year, multiplied by 100%.

The number of births in Milwaukee declined by 24% from 2010 to 2022.

Line graph titled 'Births in City of Milwaukee' showing the number of births per year from 2010 to 2022. The y-axis represents the number of births, ranging from 0 to 12,000, while the x-axis represents the years. The graph shows a gradual decline in the number of births over this period. Key data points include 10,357 births in 2010, 10,035 in 2014, 9,530 in 2018, 8,251 in 2021, and 7,893 in 2022. The overall trend indicates a steady decrease in the birth rate in Milwaukee over these years.

Source: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/wish/birth/form.htm

Birth rates are falling nationally, the CDC reported that the number of births in the U.S. declined by 17% from 2007 to 2023.
Like many cities, the number of births in the city of Milwaukee have been declining from 2010 to 2022.
The drop in Milwaukee births became more pronounced from 2019 through 2022.
The number of births can help estimate how many students will enroll in MPS elementary schools in four to five years.

MPS student enrollment is projected to decline by 12% over the next 10 years.

*Data current as of September 2023

Based on previous enrollment trends, grade to grade student retention, and population changes, the expectation is that the number of MPS students will keep dropping over the next 10 years.
The projections used enrollment data from the last 5 years, ignoring the big drop during the pandemic, to show a more gradual change each year.
These predictions can change based on things like new housing development, birth rate changes, and impactful decisions made by schools and/or the city.

How far do MPS students travel to get to school?

More than half of all students use MPS transportation.

A group of students walk down a sidewalk, approaching a school building. They carry backpacks, and one student wears earbuds. On either side of them, school staff stand, some clapping and others holding cameras. A school bus is visible in the background to the right, and a red brick building is on the left. The sky is overcast.

36,199 students use MPS transportation every day to get to school

Students using MPS transportation travel 3.4 miles on average to get to school

*Data current as of September 2023

Students travel further to school as they get older.

High school students travel about 4 miles on average to get to school because options for high school are fewer and some students choose a high school with a specialty program.
Students in grades 6 through 8 choose schools that are a little closer to home, traveling around 2.7 miles on average.
Elementary school students travel the shortest distance, traveling 2.2 to 2.3 miles on average to get to school.

Average Distance MPS Students Travel to School by Grade Level

*Data current as of September 2023

Very few MPS students attend the schools closest to where they live.

MPS Students Who Attending Their Neighborhood School by School Type

Stacked bar graph titled 'MPS Students Who Attend Their Neighborhood School by School Type' showing the percentage of students attending their neighborhood school across different school types. The y-axis represents the percentage, and the x-axis shows the school types: Elementary Schools, K-8 Schools, Middle Schools, and High Schools. Each bar is divided into two segments: the lower dark blue segment represents the percentage of students attending their neighborhood school, and the upper gray segment represents those who do not. The data shows that 16% of elementary school students, 14% of K-8 students, 16% of middle school students, and 11% of high school students attend their neighborhood school, while the remaining 84% to 89% of students attend schools outside their neighborhood.

*Data current as of September 2023

Only 1 out of 6 students attend their neighborhood school.

For high school students, this number is only 1 out of 10.

Attendance areas determine the neighborhood schools for students. These areas are established by balancing the number of students in the area and the time it takes to reach the school.
Milwaukee is a 100% choice district, so students can choose which schools they want to go to. As a result, fewer students go to their designated schools compared to the national average.

Most MPS students do not attend a school in the same MPS School Board District (SBD) where they live.

MPS School Board District (SBD) Boundaries

*Data current as of September 2023

Graph titled 'Location of School Attended' displaying a heatmap of Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) students' residence and the location of their school, organized by School Board District (SBD). The heatmap shows the percentage of students living in one School Board District and attending school in each SBD, with darker shades of blue indicating higher percentages. Notable observations include 'Only about 24% of MPS students who live in SBD 3 attend a school in SBD 3,' with an arrow pointing to the corresponding cell (23.86%), and 'Only about 3% of MPS students who live in SBD 6 attend a school in SBD 5,' with an arrow pointing to the corresponding cell (3.26%). Each School Board District is represented both by rows (location of residence) and columns (location of school attended), and a 'Total' column on the right sums the percentages for each SBD.

*Data current as of September 2023

No MPS School Board District (SBD) enrolls more than 55% of the students who live there at schools within the home SBD.
Students living in SBDs 2, 3, and 4 are significantly less likely to attend a school in their home SBD.
Most students living in SBDs 6, 7, and 8 do not travel north of SBD 6 to attend school.

Interactive Map

Explore the data yourself!

The interactive map below allows you to filter and layer the data to better understand the geographic distribution and relationships of varying attributes of MPS school enrollment.

How To Use The Interactive Map:

Zoom in and out using your mouse, track pad, or the zoom buttons (+/-) in the upper left of the map
Turn layers on/off by selecting them in the legend in the upper right of the map
Find a specific school using the search bar in the upper left of the map
Filter the data by sliding the slider to the right or the left to filter the Census Blockgroup data
- For example, if you move the slider "# of Black MPS Students by Census Blockgroup" to 100, it will show the census tracks that have 100 or more MPS students that identify as Black.
Combine filters to show different combinations
- For example, if you move the slider "# of Black MPS Students by Census Blockgroup" to 100 and move the "Average MPS Student Travel Distance" to 2, it will show the census blockgroups that have 100 or more MPS students that identify as Black and the students that live in the Census Blockgroup travel more than 2 miles to get to their school.

How-To Video

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