Our latest report, “Report of the 2030 Task Force on the DPI Report Card: Wauwatosa – A+ for Marketing, C+ for Performance,” launches our New Focus on Results (FOR) series – a citizen-led, data-driven review of Wauwatosa School District performance using the district’s own DPI report card data. The report examines how Wauwatosa’s results compare both statewide and to high-performing peers, and highlights gaps between the district’s marketing narrative and actual student outcomes.

Key Findings:

• Statewide context: About 94% of Wisconsin districts are rated “Meets Expectations” or better, placing Wauwatosa’s 75.3 “Exceeds Expectations” score in the upper-middle of a very generous curve – not among elite performers.

• Student proficiency: Roughly half of Wauwatosa students are not proficient in reading or math, and the lowest performance band has grown in both areas.

• School-level variance: A handful of strong schools (WSTEM, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Washington, Montessori) boost district averages, while:

  • Historically strong McKinley has declined.

  • A long tail of schools remains in the 50–60 score range.

  • Wauwatosa STEM (94.9) – one of the city’s top performers – is being closed instead of studied and replicated.

• Peer comparison: Schools such as Brookfield Elementary (98.1) and Nativity Jesuit Academy (94.1) demonstrate that significantly higher achievement is possible on the same DPI system, often with more challenging demographics.

• Overall conclusion: The district earns an A+ for marketing its 75.3 score, and a C+ for actual performance and equity outcomes.

We encourage readers to explore the full report and share it within parent networks, staff communities, neighborhoods and community groups.