James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Summary:

James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School is a public high school located in West Allis, Wisconsin, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 159 students. The school is part of the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, which is ranked 400 out of 428 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's consistent ranking in the bottom 10-15% of Wisconsin high schools over the past decade, it has seen significant improvements in its four-year graduation rate, increasing from 74.2% in 2018-2019 to 97.4% in 2022-2023. Similarly, the school's dropout rate has decreased from 10.1% in 2018-2019 to 2.7% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the nearby Nathan Hale High and Central High schools. However, the school continues to struggle with high chronic absenteeism, reaching 39.6% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools.

The school's test scores in subjects like Social Studies, English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are consistently lower than the district and state averages, indicating academic challenges. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 64.78% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year. While the nearby schools within the same district also perform poorly, the challenges faced by James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School suggest that addressing the systemic issues within the district, as well as the specific needs of the school's student population, may be key to driving long-term improvements.

Detail:

Public 9-12

7815 W Lapham St
West Allis, WI 53214-4502

(414) 604-4210

District: West Allis-West Milwaukee School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
409^th of 431 Wisconsin High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $22,507

Student/teacher ratio: 13.7

Number of students: 159

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.3%

Hispanic:

24.5%

Two or more races:

13.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 64.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School ranks worse than 94.9% of high schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked high schools in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.54. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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

Compare Details Student population at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.3%), Hispanic (24.5%), two or more races (13.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 64.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School is 13.7, which is the 2^nd best among 3 high schools in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. (See more...)

Compare James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School employs 11.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School is $22,507, which is the 2^nd highest among 3 high schools in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School:

SchoolDigger ranks James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School 409^th of 431 Wisconsin public high schools. (See James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

West Allis-West Milwaukee School District:

SchoolDigger ranks West Allis-West Milwaukee School District 400^th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

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Rank History for all students at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile
2004	5.20	256^th	275	6.9%
2005	16.77	255^th	287	11.1%
2006	1.99	278^th	292	4.8%
2007	9.61	252^nd	281	10.3%
2014	1.12	440^th	462	4.8%
2015	0.06	455^th	466	2.4%
2023	6.53	402^nd	415	3.1%
2024	10.54	409^th	431	5.1%

See the entire list of Wisconsin High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	13.40	303^rd	326	7.1%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	14.01	303^rd	329	7.9%
2024	8.09	340^th	353	3.7%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	6.03	354^th	359	1.4%
2024	14.12	339^th	365	7.1%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	WI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	3.55	270^th	271	0.4%
2024	11.38	279^th	300	7.0%

See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for White 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.

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	43	5	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	50
2003	43	5	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	50
2004	70	6	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	82
2005	68	2	1	6	3	n/a	n/a	80
2006	65	0	2	7	4	n/a	n/a	78
2007	74	3	1	5	3	n/a	n/a	86
2008	58	6	1	4	2	n/a	n/a	71
2009	66	8	0	11	1	n/a	n/a	86
2010	55	8	2	18	1	n/a	n/a	84
2011	63	9	2	13	3	0	0	90
2012	89	20	2	39	7	0	1	158
2013	72	24	2	49	5	0	4	156
2014	104	29	4	73	5	0	7	222
2015	93	33	0	60	6	0	7	199
2016	83	24	2	53	7	0	9	178
2017	72	22	2	50	6	0	14	166
2018	78	23	2	43	4	0	12	162
2019	70	27	0	49	7	0	16	169
2020	79	22	1	39	4	0	17	162
2021	55	9	0	24	5	0	9	102
2022	71	9	0	38	3	0	10	131
2023	88	6	1	39	4	0	21	159

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 James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	50	n/a	n/a	26
2003	50	n/a	n/a	26
2004	82	6.0	13.7	40.2
2005	80	6.0	13.3	n/a
2006	78	n/a	n/a	n/a
2007	86	6.0	14.3	55.8
2008	71	7.0	10.1	57.7
2009	86	7.0	12.3	47.7
2010	84	7.9	10.6	50
2011	90	10.9	8.2	60
2012	158	10.0	15.8	66.5
2013	156	12.0	13.0	80.1
2014	222	13.5	16.4	3.2
2015	199	n/a	n/a	84.4
2016	178	14.0	12.7	81.5
2017	166	16.5	10.0	66.3
2018	162	14.6	11.0	68.5
2019	169	13.6	12.4	75.1
2020	162	14.1	11.4	75.3
2021	102	12.1	8.4	77.5
2022	131	11.8	11.1	74
2023	159	11.6	13.7	64.8

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 James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	50	n/a	n/a	26
2003	50	n/a	n/a	26
2004	82	6.0	13.7	40.2
2005	80	6.0	13.3	n/a
2006	78	n/a	n/a	n/a
2007	86	6.0	14.3	55.8
2008	71	7.0	10.1	57.7
2009	86	7.0	12.3	47.7
2010	84	7.9	10.6	50
2011	90	10.9	8.2	60
2012	158	10.0	15.8	66.5
2013	156	12.0	13.0	80.1
2014	222	13.5	16.4	3.2
2015	199	n/a	n/a	84.4
2016	178	14.0	12.7	81.5
2017	166	16.5	10.0	66.3
2018	162	14.6	11.0	68.5
2019	169	13.6	12.4	75.1
2020	162	14.1	11.4	75.3
2021	102	12.1	8.4	77.5
2022	131	11.8	11.1	74
2023	159	11.6	13.7	64.8

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 James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,759 (6.8%)	$24,119 (93.2%)	$25,879
2020	$682 (4.2%)	$15,703 (95.8%)	$16,385
2021	$1,337 (5.9%)	$21,168 (94.1%)	$22,507

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Social Studies (James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School)	0	20.6	20.6%
10th Grade Social Studies (West Allis-West Milwaukee School District)	36.5	29.5	7%
10th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)	45.9	47.2	1.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	169	159	5.9%
African American	27	6	77.8%
American Indian	7	4	42.9%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	49	39	20.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	70	88	25.7%
Two or More Races	16	21	31.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	75.1%	64.8%	10.4%

Schools Near James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ACT English Language Arts (2024)	ACT Mathematics (2024)	ACT Science (2024)	Forward Exam Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ACT English Language Arts 10th Grade	ACT Mathematics 10th Grade	ACT Science 10th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School	Public	9-12	7815 W Lapham St	West Allis	53214	Milwaukee County	West Allis-West Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 604-4210	159	12	13.7	64.8%	88 (55.3%)	6 (3.8%)	39 (24.5%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (13.2%)	10.5	409^th of 431 public high schools	5.1%		6.5	402^nd of 415 public high schools	3.1%	7	25.6	14.0	18.6	35.0	$22,507	$1,337	$21,168
Shared Journeys	Public, Charter	7-12	1117 S 104th St	West Allis	53214	Milwaukee County	West Allis-West Milwaukee School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(414) 604-4290	2	1	4.0		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					$89,332	$18,516	$70,815
Central High	Public	9-12	8516 W Lincoln Ave	West Allis	53227	Milwaukee County	West Allis-West Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 604-3110	1,007	72	13.9	67.7%	350 (34.8%)	156 (15.5%)	386 (38.3%)	21 (2.1%)	7 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	87 (8.6%)	6.4	415^th of 431 public high schools	3.7%		9	397^th of 415 public high schools	4.3%	18	17.1	19.6	20.1	24.4	$13,078	$1,128	$11,949
Nathan Hale High	Public	9-12	11601 W Lincoln Ave	West Allis	53227	Milwaukee County	West Allis-West Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 604-3210	1,261	76	16.6	53.1%	660 (52.3%)	149 (11.8%)	323 (25.6%)	32 (2.5%)	12 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	84 (6.7%)	18.2	388^th of 431 public high schools	10.0%		13.8	390^th of 415 public high schools	6.0%	2	30.0	28.5	33.9	30.6	$11,251	$1,033	$10,218
Hamilton High	Public	9-12	6215 W Warnimont Ave	Milwaukee	53220	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 327-9300	1,439	101	14.2	81.9%	152 (10.6%)	515 (35.8%)	594 (41.3%)	127 (8.8%)	17 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (2.4%)	1.5	428^th of 431 public high schools	0.7%		3.5	408^th of 415 public high schools	1.7%	20	10.9		6.3	11.7	$15,652	$2,277	$13,375
Escuela Verde	Public, Charter	9-12	3628 W Pierce St	Milwaukee	53215	Milwaukee County	Trans Center for Youth Inc	Yes	No	No	Yes	(414) 988-7960	121	9	14.2	90.9%	10 (8.3%)	10 (8.3%)	100 (82.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)								(n/a)				9.4	$12,526	$2,778	$9,748
East High	Public	9-12	7500 Milwaukee Ave	Wauwatosa	53213	Milwaukee County	Wauwatosa School District	No	No	No	No	(414) 773-2000	1,067	68	15.6	19.5%	706 (66.2%)	180 (16.9%)	77 (7.2%)	29 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	72 (6.7%)	84.9	37^th of 431 public high schools	91.4%		89.4	28^th of 415 public high schools	93.3%	9	62.5	57.4	60.8	63.5	$12,456	$399	$12,056
Carmen High School of Science and Technology South Campus	Public, Charter	9-12	1712 S 32nd St	Milwaukee	53215	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(414) 384-4444	387	26	14.8	95.9%	5 (1.3%)	12 (3.1%)	368 (95.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14.3	398^th of 431 public high schools	7.7%					(n/a)	28.1			27.7	$15,172	$2,479	$12,693
Lad Lake Synergy School	Public	6-12	2820 W Grant St	Milwaukee	53215	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 647-1771	53	4	13.1	98.1%	1 (1.9%)	32 (60.4%)	18 (34.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)								(n/a)					$28,703	$2,464	$26,239
Audubon Technology and Communication High	Public	9-12	3300 S 39th St	Milwaukee	53215	Milwaukee County	Milwaukee School District	No	No	No	Yes	(414) 902-7800	427	31	13.6	67.2%	60 (14.1%)	72 (16.9%)	262 (61.4%)	16 (3.7%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.0%)	3.8	421^st of 431 public high schools	2.3%		2.8	411^th of 415 public high schools	1.0%	10	7.8			17.4	$14,591	$2,514	$12,076

Frequently Asked Questions about James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School

Is James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School a good school?

James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School ranks in the bottom 5.1% of Wisconsin high schools.

What district is James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School in?

West Allis-West Milwaukee School District

What is the racial makeup of James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School?

Students at James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School are 55% White, 25% Hispanic, 13% Two or more races, 4% African American, 3% American Indian.

How many students attend James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 159 students attended James E Dottke Project-Based Learning High School.

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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.