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How many school buildings are in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and what are they like?
How many school buildings are in Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and what are they like?
MPS has about 15 million square feet of space at 144 campuses.
MPS has about 15 million square feet of space at 144 campuses.
*Data current as of September 2023**Total campus count includes all MPS-owned school buildings
MPS has four school model types.
MPS has four school model types.
MPS by School Model Type
MPS by School Model Type
*Data current as of September 2023
In addition to traditional PreK-12 MPS schools, MPS Contracted Schools and Programs offer alternative school model options for students. Below are the four school model types in the district.
Traditional Schools
Public schools directly operated by MPS, offering education from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade with MPS-employed staff in MPS-owned facilities.
Instrumentality Charter Schools
Public charter schools chartered by MPS, staffed by MPS employees and operated in MPS-owned buildings.
Non-Instrumentality Charter Schools
Public charter schools chartered by MPS, operated independently by non-MPS staff in buildings owned or leased by the non-instrumentality charter school.
Partnership Schools
Public schools run by community organizations in partnership with MPS, offering education options for at-risk students or specialized programs based on district needs.
Nearly all MPS buildings are old.
Nearly all MPS buildings are old.
MPS School Building History
MPS School Building History
*Data current as of September 2023
85% of MPS school buildings are 55+ years old, built before 1970
The average age of a U.S. school building is 49 years
The average age of an MPS-owned school building is 82 years
The majority of MPS buildings are in good or great condition.
The majority of MPS buildings are in good or great condition.
The Facility Condition Index (FCI) is a widely recognized standard tool used to evaluate the condition of buildings.
A building's FCI is calculated by dividing the total cost of needed repairs and maintenance by the current replacement value of the entire building.
The resulting ratio provides a clear indicator of the building's condition; a lower FCI suggests better overall building health, while a higher FCI indicates a greater need for repairs.
The FCI helps organizations prioritize investments in infrastructure and make informed short- and long-term decisions about maintenance and capital planning.
64% of MPS schools are in good or great condition and 36% are in fair or poor condition.
MPS Schools by FCI Category
MPS Schools by FCI Category
*Data current as of February 2024
FCI Score Categories
Great: 0 to 0.05Good: 0.05 to 0.1Fair: 0.1 to 0.3Poor: 0.3 & above
Great: 0 to 0.05Good: 0.05 to 0.1Fair: 0.1 to 0.3Poor: 0.3 & above
About 1/4 of all MPS classrooms have air conditioning.
About 1/4 of all MPS classrooms have air conditioning.
While 56% of MPS schools offer full or partial air conditioning for students and staff, air conditioning (AC) access is inconsistent across the district.
Among MPS classrooms with air conditioning, high schools have the greatest number among all school types.
MPS Classrooms with AC by School Type
MPS Classrooms with AC by School Type
*Data current as of September 2023
Most MPS buildings have a wheelchair ramp or elevator.
Most MPS buildings have a wheelchair ramp or elevator.
81% of all MPS buildings are wheelchair accessible via ramp or elevator.
Elementary and K-8 schools have lower rates of accessibility than middle and high schools.
Wheelchair Accessible MPS Buildings
Wheelchair Accessible MPS Buildings
by School Type
by School Type
*Data current as of September 2023
What spaces are inside MPS school buildings, and how are they programmed?
What spaces are inside MPS school buildings, and how are they programmed?
Most MPS buildings have both a dedicated cafeteria and gymnasium.
Most MPS buildings have both a dedicated cafeteria and gymnasium.
MPS Buildings with Gyms and Cafeterias
MPS Buildings with Gyms and Cafeterias
*Data current as of September 2023
Most MPS buildings are well equipped with a dedicated cafeteria and dedicated gymnasium, an advantage for the district that allows for distinct and comprehensive programming.
Often, urban public school districts have a higher prevalence of only combined cafeterias and gyms due to space constraints.
Different school types use space differently.
Different school types use space differently.
MPS Space Use by School Type
MPS Space Use by School Type
*Data current as of September 2023**Percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding
Elementary and K-8 schools allocate almost double the dedicated space for core academics than middle and high schools do, reflecting the diversity of course needs at middle and high schools.
Middle and high schools have 40% to 50% more multiuse/assembly space, indicating the importance of large and/or flexible areas.
Minimal space is dedicated to recreation services and shared/collaboration spaces, suggesting potential areas for future reallocation.
Only about half of elementary schools have 2+ specialty classrooms, and many schools do not have a parent resource room.
Only about half of elementary schools have 2+ specialty classrooms, and many schools do not have a parent resource room.
Percentage of MPS Schools with a Parent Resource Room and 2+ Specialty Classrooms
Percentage of MPS Schools with a Parent Resource Room and 2+ Specialty Classrooms
*Data current as of September 2023
Specialty classrooms include:
Music (including dance or band) classrooms
Art classrooms
Science (including Project Lead The Way) classrooms
The long-term goal is for all schools to have at least three dedicated specialty classrooms, one for each of the three subjects above.
The long-term goal is for all schools to have a dedicated parent resource room to encourage greater parent and family involvement and support.
How are MPS school buildings utilized, and where are the students coming from?
How are MPS school buildings utilized, and where are the students coming from?
MPS's overall utilization rate is healthy at 80%, but enrollment is uneven. Around 1/4 of schools are underutilized and 1/4 are overcrowded.
MPS's overall utilization rate is healthy at 80%, but enrollment is uneven. Around 1/4 of schools are underutilized and 1/4 are overcrowded.
Utilization rate indicates whether a school building has excess space or if it is lacking sufficient space for student enrollment.
MPS's overall utilization rate is 80%, but it is not evenly distributed across MPS school buildings — 22% of schools have a utilization rate below 50%, and 28% of schools have a rate above 100%.
Many MPS schools in northern Milwaukee are underutilized, with numerous available seats, while MPS schools in southern Milwaukee are overcrowded, struggling to accommodate high demand.
Middle schools across MPS are consistently underutilized, highlighting a potential misalignment between student populations and building capacities at these specific schools.
MPS District-Wide Building Utilization
MPS District-Wide Building Utilization
*Data current as of September 2023
Median Building Utilization by School Type
Median Building Utilization by School Type
*Data current as of September 2023
Higher enrollment at an elementary school does not mean the building is bigger.
Higher enrollment at an elementary school does not mean the building is bigger.
The scatter plots depict the relationship between building area (in square feet) and student enrollment for MPS (school year 2022-23) with each point representing a school.
On the first scatter plot showing all schools, the dotted trendline shows a slight upward slope, indicating a modest positive correlation between enrollment and building size, meaning higher enrollment corresponds with a larger school building.
On the second scatter plot showing only elementary schools, the dotted trendline is relatively flat, indicating a lack of correlation between enrollment and building size, meaning higher enrollment does not correspond with a larger school building.
For elementary schools, this implies greater variation of building sizes for schools with similar enrollment numbers, indicating inconsistencies and/or potential inefficiencies in how elementary school space is allocated relative to student population.
MPS Building Area to Enrollment Ratio
(All Schools)
MPS Building Area to Enrollment Ratio
(All Schools)
*Data current as of September 2023
MPS Building Area to Enrollment Ratio
(Elementary Schools)
MPS Building Area to Enrollment Ratio
(Elementary Schools)
*Data current as of September 2023
Many MPS students are not attending the schools closest to where they live.
Many MPS students are not attending the schools closest to where they live.
In 5 of the 8 MPS School Board Districts (SBDs), MPS schools would collectively exceed 75% utilization if all MPS students attended a nearby school.
Actual utilization rates show only 3 of the 8 MPS School Board Districts are collectively above 75% utilization across their respective schools.
This implies a trend of MPS students who live in northern Milwaukee traveling farther from home to attend MPS schools in southern Milwaukee, likely contributing to notable utilization disparities between these two halves of the whole MPS district.
Student-to-Building Utilization Ratio
(by School Board District)
Student-to-Building Utilization Ratio
(by School Board District)
*Data current as of September 2023
Enrollment-to-Building Utilization Ratio
(by School Board District)
Enrollment-to-Building Utilization Ratio
(by School Board District)
*Data current as of September 2023
Interactive Map
Interactive Map
Explore the data yourself!
Explore the data yourself!
The interactive map below allows you to filter and layer the data to better understand the geographic dispersion and relationships of varying attributes of MPS school buildings.
How To Use The Interactive Map:
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 selecting groupings in each of the category boxes on the far-right panel
For example, if you select Elementary School, the map will show only locations of elementary schools
Combine filters to show different combinations
For example, if you want to show Elementary Schools with a Good utilization rate, select Elementary Schools in the Grade Level box and Good in the Utilization box
If you want to select multiple groupings in a single category box, hold the CTRL key while selecting groupings
How-To Video
How-To Video
Legend
Legend
**Data current as of September 2023, except
FCI data which is current as of February 2024
FCI data which is current as of February 2024
Due to the dynamic and live nature of this website, content is subject to regular updates or corrections.
Users are encouraged to check back often for the most up-to-date information.
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