MILWAUKEE -- A newly updated web page makes it easier for parents to find out which schools in Milwaukee County are making the grade.
A school quality map formulated by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce shows every school in Milwaukee County with a colored dot based on state report card data.
It’s a map of Milwaukee covered red, orange, yellow and blue dots that all have a meaning. They show each school’s size and performance level. The data is collected by the state, but it's shown in a different way.
"The interactive map allows you to sort geographically," said Steve Baas with MMAC. "A parent can look and find out their child’s school is underperforming, but then they can look and find a high performing school in the same area or close proximity."
The map shows several schools totaling up 25,000 kids who are in schools the state recognizes as failing to meet expectations like Riverside University High School in Milwaukee.
Out of its 1,500 students, less than 6-percent are proficient at math according to state testing. Gwen Werner’s children went there.
"I think it’s very limited as to what it covers," Werner said of the map. "I think it’s a quick fix and doesn’t tell the whole story."
Werner doesn’t think it’s fair to compare Riverside to private schools or districts with more money.
"This was not my first choice when we sent our kids here, but they had a great experience," she said. "They also learned how to live an integrated life and they learned about the diversity in our country."
This is the third year MMAC has put out this map, so you can compare years to find out if your child’s school is doing better or worse.
