Riverwest Elementary

Riverwest Elementary is one of the intimate elementary-level communitys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, run under Milwaukee School District, with 244 students on its rolls from grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 24% leaner than the typical public school in Wisconsin, which averages around 323 students.

Within Milwaukee School District, which oversees 155 schools and 65,835 students, Riverwest Elementary is one campus in the system.

Demographically, Riverwest Elementary records that 73% of the student body identifies as Black. Other groups include 16% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 5% White. That is noticeably more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 26%.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Riverwest Elementary has 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.2:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 14.7:1, putting Riverwest Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 89% of students at Riverwest Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is north of Milwaukee County's rate of about 64%.

With demographic context factored in, Riverwest Elementary tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 23.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 11.4%.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Milwaukee County put median household earnings sit near $64,435, roughly 35% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 13%. Across Milwaukee County's 284 public schools (combined enrollment of about 122,496 students), Riverwest Elementary is one campus in the mix.

King International Baccalaureate Middle is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.4 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Riverwest Elementary at 5th of 9; the average score across the group is 18.8%.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 31%: 355 students in 2018 compared to 244 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment decreased from 24% to 16% over that span. Class-load math has fell: from 22.3:1 in 2018 to 16.2:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.