Holmes Elementary

Summary:

Holmes Elementary is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the high-poverty Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, part of the Milwaukee School District, which is ranked 417 out of 428 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating.

Holmes Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Wisconsin elementary schools over the past decade, with extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, poor test scores well below district and state averages, and low performance for special education students. The school also has higher-than-average dropout rates and an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-poverty student population. Nearby Carver Academy, Cass Street Elementary, and Gaenslen Elementary also face similar challenges, suggesting systemic issues within the district.

Despite consistent low performance, Holmes Elementary has not shown significant improvement over the past decade, indicating a need for more effective interventions and support. While the school spends significantly more per student compared to nearby charter schools, simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution. Addressing the underlying issues of poverty, chronic absenteeism, and special education needs may be crucial for improving student outcomes at Holmes Elementary and other struggling schools in the Milwaukee School District.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 2463 N Buffum St
       Milwaukee, WI  53212-2901


(414) 267-1300

District: Milwaukee School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
986th of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,830 Help


Students who attend Holmes Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    King International Baccalaureate Middle
    Lincoln Middle
    Roosevelt Middle
High:    Audubon Technology and Communication High
    Bradley Technology High
    King International
    Milwaukee High School of the Arts
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  15.0 Help
Number of students:  266

Racial breakdown:

African American:
88.7%
Hispanic:
6.4%
Two or more races:
2.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  95.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Holmes Elementary ranks worse than 92.9% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 49th among 106 ranked elementary schools in the Milwaukee School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.92. (See more...)
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Compare Details Holmes Elementary ranks worse than 98.9% of middle schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 1.42. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (88.7%), Hispanic (6.4%), two or more races (2.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 95.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Holmes Elementary is 15, which is the 42nd best among 106 elementary schools in the Milwaukee School District. (See more...)
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Compare Holmes Elementary employs 17.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Holmes Elementary is $18,830, which is the 14th highest among 106 elementary schools in the Milwaukee School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Holmes Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Holmes Elementary 986th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Holmes Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Female students:
Male students:

SchoolDigger ranks Holmes Elementary 634th of 641 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See Holmes Elementary in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Female students:
Male students:


Milwaukee School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Milwaukee School District 417th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Holmes Elementary

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 0.19 631st 633 0.3%
2005 0.09 631st 632 0.2%
2006 1.20 704th 712 1.1%
2007 0.83 684th 689 0.7%
2008 0.25 1017th 1021 0.4%
2009 1.25 1012th 1030 1.7%
2010 0.60 1039th 1045 0.6%
2011 0.58 1035th 1046 1.1%
2012 0.12 1041st 1045 0.4%
2013 1.49 1042nd 1053 1.0%
2014 1.48 1050th 1061 1.0%
2015 6.32 1000th 1076 7.1%
2016 3.10 1041st 1075 3.2%
2017 3.10 1033rd 1071 3.5%
2018 2.83 988th 1025 3.6%
2019 2.40 1011th 1037 2.5%
2021 3.84 1021st 1050 2.8%
2022 2.45 1056th 1067 1.0%
2023 2.77 1047th 1067 1.9%
2024 4.92 986th 1061 7.1%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.03 670th 721 7.1%
2019 15.05 713th 742 3.9%
2021 18.36 677th 746 9.2%
2022 13.87 731st 748 2.3%
2023 20.03 665th 770 13.6%
2024 21.24 670th 790 15.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.24 957th 997 4.0%
2019 3.29 972nd 1002 3.0%
2021 7.12 940th 1004 6.4%
2022 3.18 999th 1017 1.8%
2023 3.38 996th 1010 1.4%
2024 4.70 953rd 1011 5.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 3.12 970th 997 2.7%
2019 3.76 971st 1002 3.1%
2021 3.97 979th 1003 2.4%
2022 3.18 995th 1017 2.2%
2023 3.92 980th 1011 3.1%
2024 7.15 933rd 1012 7.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.78 112th 165 32.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Holmes Elementary

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Rank History for all middle school students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 0.72 315th 324 2.8%
2005 0.02 332nd 332 0.0%
2006 0.71 372nd 382 2.6%
2007 1.14 360th 366 1.6%
2008 0.25 515th 519 0.8%
2009 0.41 515th 521 1.2%
2010 0.60 534th 539 0.9%
2011 0.44 541st 549 1.5%
2012 0.10 557th 559 0.4%
2013 3.03 541st 569 4.9%
2014 1.31 580th 585 0.9%
2015 1.74 600th 612 2.0%
2016 1.53 608th 609 0.2%
2017 3.47 580th 612 5.2%
2018 3.97 548th 579 5.4%
2019 1.67 594th 594 0.0%
2021 2.80 608th 613 0.8%
2022 3.01 613th 617 0.6%
2023 4.60 618th 640 3.4%
2024 1.42 634th 641 1.1%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.96 388th 417 7.0%
2019 16.90 401st 414 3.1%
2021 19.37 425th 437 2.7%
2022 18.30 400th 421 5.0%
2023 18.46 421st 439 4.1%
2024 12.29 410th 425 3.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.25 525th 551 4.7%
2019 2.15 549th 557 1.4%
2021 3.22 573rd 574 0.2%
2022 3.23 576th 576 0.0%
2023 3.85 569th 579 1.7%
2024 1.45 579th 580 0.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.41 519th 551 5.8%
2019 2.23 556th 557 0.2%
2021 3.45 567th 572 0.9%
2022 4.02 566th 577 1.9%
2023 7.53 554th 591 6.3%
2024 2.12 576th 585 1.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Holmes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.35 75th 123 39.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Holmes Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Holmes Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 39 470 6 206 n/a n/a n/a 0 721
1989 33 489 5 234 n/a n/a n/a 0 761
1990 36 443 5 219 3 n/a n/a 0 706
1991 23 470 0 236 2 n/a n/a 0 731
1992 21 434 0 221 2 n/a n/a 0 678
1993 22 487 1 224 2 n/a n/a 0 736
1994 19 493 3 215 1 n/a n/a 0 731
1995 11 523 3 198 0 n/a n/a 0 735
1996 11 523 3 198 0 n/a n/a 0 735
1997 11 526 2 182 1 n/a n/a 0 722
1998 19 502 3 188 1 n/a n/a 0 713
1999 12 485 3 174 1 n/a n/a 0 675
2000 13 472 0 165 3 n/a n/a 0 653
2001 2 460 0 149 2 n/a n/a 0 613
2002 14 461 0 80 0 n/a n/a 0 555
2003 14 461 0 80 0 n/a n/a 0 555
2004 9 439 0 57 1 n/a n/a 0 506
2005 12 382 0 34 0 n/a n/a 0 428
2006 13 382 0 29 2 n/a n/a 0 426
2007 10 356 0 27 1 n/a n/a 0 394
2008 11 360 0 25 0 n/a n/a 0 396
2009 15 351 1 21 1 n/a n/a 0 389
2010 10 343 1 17 0 n/a n/a 0 371
2011 13 361 0 18 0 0 0 0 392
2012 12 386 0 10 0 0 0 0 408
2013 6 364 0 8 0 0 0 0 378
2014 2 325 2 8 0 1 1 0 339
2015 1 304 1 7 0 0 1 0 314
2016 2 304 1 6 0 0 1 0 314
2017 4 270 0 4 0 0 6 0 284
2018 3 294 1 8 0 0 4 0 310
2019 4 290 1 8 1 0 5 0 309
2020 3 251 1 19 1 0 9 0 284
2021 5 251 1 23 1 0 8 0 289
2022 3 224 2 14 4 0 9 0 256
2023 4 236 0 17 3 0 6 0 266

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Holmes Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 721 39.0 18.4 54.5
1989 761 41.0 18.5 79.5
1990 706 43.0 16.4 87.1
1991 731 45.0 16.2 39.3
1992 678 46.0 14.7 52.8
1993 736 48.1 15.3 67.5
1994 731 44.1 16.6 65.9
1995 735 46.9 15.7 65.9
1996 735 46.9 15.7 65.9
1997 722 47.9 15.1 65.5
1998 713 47.9 14.9 64.4
1999 675 43.9 15.4 73.3
2000 653 43.9 14.9 71.2
2001 613 42.6 14.4 69
2002 555 36.0 15.4 96.4
2003 555 36.0 15.4 96.4
2004 506 37.0 13.7 95.5
2005 428 31.0 13.8 n/a
2006 426 28.0 15.2 n/a
2007 394 28.0 14.1 97.5
2008 396 22.4 17.7 98.2
2009 389 25.0 15.6 96.9
2010 371 22.0 16.8 96.2
2011 392 25.0 15.6 97.2
2012 408 17.4 23.4 98.3
2013 378 21.6 17.4 98.4
2014 339 21.0 16.0 98.2
2015 314 n/a n/a 95.9
2016 314 18.0 17.4 83.1
2017 284 20.4 13.9 98.9
2018 310 15.1 20.5 96.8
2019 309 19.9 15.5 94.2
2020 284 20.4 13.9 91.5
2021 289 20.2 14.3 99
2022 256 21.4 11.9 90.2
2023 266 17.7 15.0 95.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Holmes Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 721 39.0 18.4 54.5
1989 761 41.0 18.5 79.5
1990 706 43.0 16.4 87.1
1991 731 45.0 16.2 39.3
1992 678 46.0 14.7 52.8
1993 736 48.1 15.3 67.5
1994 731 44.1 16.6 65.9
1995 735 46.9 15.7 65.9
1996 735 46.9 15.7 65.9
1997 722 47.9 15.1 65.5
1998 713 47.9 14.9 64.4
1999 675 43.9 15.4 73.3
2000 653 43.9 14.9 71.2
2001 613 42.6 14.4 69
2002 555 36.0 15.4 96.4
2003 555 36.0 15.4 96.4
2004 506 37.0 13.7 95.5
2005 428 31.0 13.8 n/a
2006 426 28.0 15.2 n/a
2007 394 28.0 14.1 97.5
2008 396 22.4 17.7 98.2
2009 389 25.0 15.6 96.9
2010 371 22.0 16.8 96.2
2011 392 25.0 15.6 97.2
2012 408 17.4 23.4 98.3
2013 378 21.6 17.4 98.4
2014 339 21.0 16.0 98.2
2015 314 n/a n/a 95.9
2016 314 18.0 17.4 83.1
2017 284 20.4 13.9 98.9
2018 310 15.1 20.5 96.8
2019 309 19.9 15.5 94.2
2020 284 20.4 13.9 91.5
2021 289 20.2 14.3 99
2022 256 21.4 11.9 90.2
2023 266 17.7 15.0 95.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Holmes Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,010 (12.7%) $13,870 (87.3%) $15,880
2020 $2,253 (13.7%) $14,178 (86.3%) $16,432
2021 $3,751 (19.9%) $15,079 (80.1%) $18,830

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Holmes Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1011th of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 1047th of 1067 Elementary schools
 0.6%
Ranks 594th of 594 Middle schoolsRanks 618th of 640 Middle schools
 3.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Holmes Elementary)3.14.2
 1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Milwaukee School District)16.413.2
 3.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Holmes Elementary)9.44.2
 5.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Milwaukee School District)21.216.9
 4.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Holmes Elementary)4.24.8
 0.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Milwaukee School District)18.517.5
 1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Holmes Elementary)80
 8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Milwaukee School District)16.412.7
 3.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Holmes Elementary)134.8
 8.3%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Milwaukee School District)24.128.3
 4.2%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Holmes Elementary)139.5
 3.5%
   4th Grade Science (Milwaukee School District)21.819.3
 2.5%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Holmes Elementary)3.30
 3.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Milwaukee School District)16.514.1
 2.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Holmes Elementary)6.70
 6.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Milwaukee School District)18.214.9
 3.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Holmes Elementary)04.6
 4.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Milwaukee School District)19.515.9
 3.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)41.740.6
 1.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Holmes Elementary)00
   6th Grade Mathematics (Milwaukee School District)14.79.9
 4.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)43.542.6
 0.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Holmes Elementary)08.7
 8.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Milwaukee School District)24.220.7
 3.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)45.541.1
 4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Holmes Elementary)3.20
 3.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Milwaukee School District)14.39.4
 4.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)39.735.7
 4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Holmes Elementary)03.9
 3.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Milwaukee School District)1916.7
 2.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)37.337.8
 0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Holmes Elementary)00
   8th Grade Mathematics (Milwaukee School District)13.16.9
 6.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)36.531.8
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Holmes Elementary)019.2
 19.2%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Milwaukee School District)25.132.1
 7%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)52.159.2
 7.1%
8th Grade Science (Holmes Elementary)016
 16%
   8th Grade Science (Milwaukee School District)24.822.2
 2.7%
   8th Grade Science (Wisconsin)54.649.4
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students309266
 13.9%
African American290236
 18.6%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic817
 112.5%
Pacific Islander00
White44
Two or More Races56
 20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients94.2%95.9%
 1.7%


Schools Near Holmes Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Holmes Elementary

Students at Holmes Elementary are 89% African American, 6% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% White, 1% American Indian.

Holmes Elementary ranks in the bottom 7.1% of Wisconsin elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 266 students attended Holmes Elementary.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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