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GreatSchools Rating

Rufus King International School

Public | 6-12 | 1903 students

We are best known for IB diploma program.
Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
Based on 1 rating
2012:
Based on 11 ratings
2011:
Based on 3 ratings
2010:
Based on 1 rating

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35 reviews of this school


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Posted February 1, 2013

My oldest sister goes rufus king high school and from what I heard it's really a good school.


Posted December 8, 2012

Nobody don't have any bad reviews about the high school. But all the bad reviews are towards the middle school campus is horrible. Everyone has good reviews about the HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS. The high school campus is filled with harvard-type students who wants to learn. I worked at the middle school campus and it was HORRIBLE. FIGHTS ALMOST EVERYDAY and over-crowded classrooms. But at RUFUS KING- HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS IT'S WHOLE NOTHER STORY. I worked at other MPS high schools and it was NOTHING like king high school. Rufus King high school is a challenging academic focused high school and all of the students are HIGH CLASS. Many students get excellent grades in my class. They are so focused on getting prepared for college and their near future. Rufus king is a really awesome school. I advise ANYONE to apply here.
—Submitted by a teacher


Posted November 30, 2012

My son is currently in 6th grade at Rufus and i am ready to pull him out..its not necessarily the teachers i have had great communication with them but its the class size for 6th graders in general, I have dropped in various times and each class I go into is oversized for the one teacher they have...there is NO reason pone teacher should have more than 25 students 30 the MAX...I have ben told by one of my sons teachers that it is very hard to teach because once one student get off task and they try to re direct another couple of students get off task then the whole class. Again the teachers are wonderful and they can only do so much they need help or to increase enrollment.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted November 10, 2012

I really love Rufus King and there has not been ONE fight as far as I seen. The teacher's teach very well when giving the lecture. Some parents don't want to send their children here because of the neighborhood it's located in. But parents DO NOT have to worry about that. This school is racially diverse (Hispanic, Asian and caucasion) and it is VERY mixed with all cultures. Nobody has had any problems with the neighborhood. Rufus King is such a good school and I hope that they continue to ONLY accept children who wants an education and with excellent behavior. This is the BEST MPS school to send your child to. 29 students at BAY VIEW high school got arrested, riverside has a lot of fights (Even though it has a good reputation), Hamilton has a lot of fights, and vincent high school has a lot of fights. But if you want to send your child to an excellent high school in the milwaukee area. I advice REAGAN and KING a choice. I wish the best for this school and that it continues to stay the way it is currently performing. I LOVE RUFUS KING AND I COULDN'T FIND ANY BETTER HIGH SCHOOL. As an ASIAN, I think that it's great that Rufus King has an ASIAN CLUB.


Posted November 1, 2012

RUFUS KING HIGH SCHOOL is not comparable to the Middle school campus at all. There are two teachers in one class at once, so the student-to-teacher ratio is very excellent. This is my daughter's freshman year and she loves it. She lives in west allis, wisconsin and she gets transported nearby. The school offers transportation in a lot of milwaukee areas. She says that there's never been ONE FIGHT just yet. This school is just excellent, despite the neighborhood it's located in. She has a 3.500 GPA. I am very proud of rufus king and I regret not sending my other children here. The school also educates students with a lot of different ethnicities.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 30, 2012

Rufus King middle school is a NIGHTMARE!!!! I had to pull my 6th grade son out after 6 weeks of starting. The staff does not follow through with you. The assistant principal nor the counselors return urgent phone calls. PLEASE don't put your child in the middle years campus if you care about his/her learning. They shouldn't have been able to put Rufus King on the outside of this building. It does not live up to the Rufus King motto. Also the classes are way over-crowded 35-40 students with one teacher. RUN as fast as you can from the middle years campus!!!!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 28, 2012

The new leadership is very knowledgeable about what it takes to manage an IB program, as well as sensitive to the needs of students in the city. He has a vision for not just the two campuses that are considered to be one school but for what is possible in the IB world of MPS. The teachers are committed before, during and after school. They make themselves available to students and are accessible to parents. Many attend school sporting events and show their support financially as well as in person. The level of work is well at the college level and will provide students the lead they will need to succeed beyond high school.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted September 27, 2012

I'm an 8th grade student at the Rufus King Middle Years Campus (the proper name thank you) and I think the classes are just fine. I don't know what happens in the 7th and 6th grade classes, my classes are no where near theirs. Our teachers tell us about how their old school have been SO BAD and that we're so much better than them. And we just took our MAP testing, our teacher we had said our scores were a lot higher than her other schools. Last year our MAP testing scores were high above all the other middle schools and above National Average.
—Submitted by a student


Posted April 24, 2012

I think that this school is amazing and has an EXCELLENT SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. They have classes specially for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Visually Impaired, Autism, and Emotional Disorders. My daughter is in the DHH (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) program and she loves it and the teachers is nice. Shout out to Ms.Elko and Mr. Cullison for running an EXCELLENT DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PROGRAM. I think that we should encourage our Special Needs Students to attend Rufus King, not just students with High Achievements. Rufus King should post more information about their Special Education Program on their Website. I LOVE RUFUS KING.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 24, 2012

That's my sister the one who posted before. I think that we SHOULD encourage more special education students to attend Rufus King. It has helped my Neice become more independent being Deaf. My son is in the Autism Program and loves it!!!! It has helped him to. RUFUS KING RULES!!!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 20, 2012

The Middle School is HORRIBLE!!!! I also had to pull my daughter from there after about a month of her starting 6 th grade, Its like a zoo without the keeper. There are too many students in classes with 1 teacher, (35) kids The teachers are guaranteed to burn out. There are fights daily. NOT A PLACE FOR LEARNING!!!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted February 24, 2012

My child is a high school student and has become an incredible intellect, far above most professional adults I know. The school delivers on its promise to educate the whole child. My only criticism is that the school board does not support the school and the mission, subjecting them to the unfair and cruel rules of allowing teachers to be moved from other schools based on seniority and not commitment to the IB mission.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted November 8, 2011

Rufus King Middle School is HORRIBLE. If you value your child's education don't make the same mistake I did. The Middle School is not comparable to the High School at all. My daughter started 6th grade and we spent two months of hell dealing with this school. Her class had a total of 5 different teachers over the course of two months and they rarely used the math book. If a school is going to encourage STEM careers it might be helpful to know math. There are too many kids and the teachers aren't able to maintain classroom order. There have been fights in the classroom, hallway and outside after school. The kids are constantly talking in the class and my daughter had to ask on several occasions to go in the hallway to complete her work due to the noise. I spent 4 1/2 hours waiting in lines during parent teacher conferences. I ended up pulling my daughter out of school. I was on a mission ot move out of the Milwaukee School district. My daughter now goes to school in a different area. She is happy and well supported at her new school which is something she never received at Rufus.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted November 3, 2011

Rufus King International School is the best high school in the state and provides all races and cultures of students a great high standarded education. The IB program also is a very hard program that prepares students for college and all the hard work, and learning time mangement skills.
—Submitted by a teacher


Posted March 31, 2011

Classes are challenging, and teachers do an excellent job of preparing students in IB-focused classes to succeed in college. Overall, there's a high level of student activity, involvement and community pride.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 23, 2009

Rufus King provides a serious academic atmosphere within a caring environment. These people are the movers and shakers of the world and they do it with style and grace!
—Submitted by a teacher


Posted October 21, 2009

Rufus King provides an exemplary high school educational program to a diverse student population in an urban environment. Students set high standards for themselves and work exceedingly hard to achieve their goals. Teachers are dedicated to teaching and assisting their students accomplish their goals.


Posted October 21, 2009

It is the best school anywhere. It sets high standards for it's students. Students have good attendance.


Posted October 21, 2009

Rufus King is the best school because of the students and their character and motivation to succeed and make the world a better place. They are driven and excell in all they do.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 21, 2009

Rufus King has helped my son become an independent learner -- and have a lot of fun!
—Submitted by a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 79% in 2012.

177 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
56%

2011

 
 
63%

2010

 
 
n/a
Reading

The state average for Reading was 84% in 2012.

178 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
63%

2011

 
 
74%

2010

 
 
n/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Math

The state average for Math was 82% in 2012.

151 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
62%

2011

 
 
n/a

2010

 
 
n/a
Reading

The state average for Reading was 86% in 2012.

150 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
73%

2011

 
 
n/a

2010

 
 
n/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Language Arts

The state average for Language Arts was 66% in 2012.

2012

 
 
n/a

2011

 
 
n/a

2010

 
 
n/a
Math

The state average for Math was 81% in 2012.

2012

 
 
n/a

2011

 
 
n/a

2010

 
 
n/a
Reading

The state average for Reading was 85% in 2012.

2012

 
 
n/a

2011

 
 
n/a

2010

 
 
n/a
Science

The state average for Science was 82% in 2012.

2012

 
 
n/a

2011

 
 
n/a

2010

 
 
n/a
Social Studies

The state average for Social Studies was 82% in 2012.

2012

 
 
n/a

2011

 
 
n/a

2010

 
 
n/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Language Arts

The state average for Language Arts was 73% in 2012.

309 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
78%

2011

 
 
77%

2010

 
 
77%
Math

The state average for Math was 74% in 2012.

310 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
75%

2011

 
 
75%

2010

 
 
74%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 80% in 2012.

310 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
82%

2011

 
 
84%

2010

 
 
78%
Science

The state average for Science was 75% in 2012.

310 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
75%

2011

 
 
75%

2010

 
 
61%
Social Studies

The state average for Social Studies was 78% in 2012.

309 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
85%

2011

 
 
89%

2010

 
 
79%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Math

All Students56%
Female63%
Male50%
Black, not of Hispanic origin54%
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanicn/a
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin69%
Economically disadvantaged50%
Not economically disadvantaged73%
Students with disabilities23%
Non-disabled61%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant56%

Reading

All Students63%
Female73%
Male51%
Black, not of Hispanic origin60%
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanicn/a
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin76%
Economically disadvantaged60%
Not economically disadvantaged73%
Students with disabilities32%
Non-disabled67%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant63%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

The different student groups are identified by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. If there are fewer than 5 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group. Subgroup scores for each school are only reported for students who were enrolled as of the fall enrollment count. The All students score includes results for all students who took the test, regardless of when they first enrolled in the school.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Math

All Students62%
Female64%
Male61%
Black, not of Hispanic origin57%
Asian/Pacific Islander100%
Hispanic86%
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin83%
Economically disadvantaged55%
Not economically disadvantaged83%
Students with disabilities11%
Non-disabled70%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant62%

Reading

All Students73%
Female73%
Male72%
Black, not of Hispanic origin69%
Asian/Pacific Islander100%
Hispanic86%
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin84%
Economically disadvantaged69%
Not economically disadvantaged83%
Students with disabilities21%
Non-disabled80%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant73%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

The different student groups are identified by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. If there are fewer than 5 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group. Subgroup scores for each school are only reported for students who were enrolled as of the fall enrollment count. The All students score includes results for all students who took the test, regardless of when they first enrolled in the school.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Language Arts

All Studentsn/a
Femalen/a
Malen/a
Black, not of Hispanic originn/a
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanicn/a
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic originn/a
Economically disadvantagedn/a
Not economically disadvantagedn/a
Students with disabilitiesn/a
Non-disabledn/a
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrantn/a

Math

All Studentsn/a
Femalen/a
Malen/a
Black, not of Hispanic originn/a
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanicn/a
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic originn/a
Economically disadvantagedn/a
Not economically disadvantagedn/a
Students with disabilitiesn/a
Non-disabledn/a
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrantn/a

Reading

All Studentsn/a
Femalen/a
Malen/a
Black, not of Hispanic originn/a
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanicn/a
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic originn/a
Economically disadvantagedn/a
Not economically disadvantagedn/a
Students with disabilitiesn/a
Non-disabledn/a
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrantn/a

Science

All Studentsn/a
Femalen/a
Malen/a
Black, not of Hispanic originn/a
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanicn/a
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic originn/a
Economically disadvantagedn/a
Not economically disadvantagedn/a
Students with disabilitiesn/a
Non-disabledn/a
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrantn/a

Social Studies

All Studentsn/a
Femalen/a
Malen/a
Black, not of Hispanic originn/a
Asian/Pacific Islandern/a
Hispanicn/a
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic originn/a
Economically disadvantagedn/a
Not economically disadvantagedn/a
Students with disabilitiesn/a
Non-disabledn/a
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrantn/a
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

The different student groups are identified by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. If there are fewer than 5 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group. Subgroup scores for each school are only reported for students who were enrolled as of the fall enrollment count. The All students score includes results for all students who took the test, regardless of when they first enrolled in the school.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Language Arts

All Students78%
Female82%
Male73%
Black, not of Hispanic origin71%
Asian/Pacific Islander90%
Hispanic95%
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin91%
Economically disadvantaged66%
Not economically disadvantaged91%
Students with disabilities11%
Non-disabled89%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant78%

Math

All Students75%
Female78%
Male71%
Black, not of Hispanic origin64%
Asian/Pacific Islander97%
Hispanic95%
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin91%
Economically disadvantaged64%
Not economically disadvantaged87%
Students with disabilities3%
Non-disabled86%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant75%

Reading

All Students82%
Female86%
Male78%
Black, not of Hispanic origin76%
Asian/Pacific Islander94%
Hispanic95%
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin94%
Economically disadvantaged75%
Not economically disadvantaged91%
Students with disabilities13%
Non-disabled93%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant82%

Science

All Students75%
Female76%
Male75%
Black, not of Hispanic origin67%
Asian/Pacific Islander97%
Hispanic95%
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin88%
Economically disadvantaged66%
Not economically disadvantaged85%
Students with disabilities5%
Non-disabled86%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant75%

Social Studies

All Students85%
Female89%
Male80%
Black, not of Hispanic origin81%
Asian/Pacific Islander94%
Hispanic95%
American Indian/Alaskan Nativen/a
White, not of Hispanic origin92%
Economically disadvantaged77%
Not economically disadvantaged94%
Students with disabilities18%
Non-disabled95%
English learnersn/a
Proficient in Englishn/a
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant85%
Scale: % proficient or advanced

About the tests


In 2011-2012 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.

The different student groups are identified by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. If there are fewer than 5 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group. Subgroup scores for each school are only reported for students who were enrolled as of the fall enrollment count. The All students score includes results for all students who took the test, regardless of when they first enrolled in the school.

See Wisconsin's state standards

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

GreatSchools Rating

What makes up this rating?

Academic rating
5 / 10
Climate rating
2 / 10

This school's GreatSchools Rating is based on academics (90%) and climate (10%). The academic rating measures students' test scores, academic growth and college readiness. The climate rating measures safety, cleanliness, parent involvement and more.

Learn more about our methodology

What is the new GreatSchools Rating?

Rating legend
Below
average
Average
Above
average

Our rating (from 1 to 10) reflects a school's overall performance. The higher the rating, the more likely the school will prepare your child for the future, so choose an above-average school (8-10) if possible. For average schools (4-7), do careful research and look for evidence that the school has high-quality programs. For below-average schools (1-3), take caution; a low-performing school may not provide the instruction or environment your child needs to learn, and you may need to supplement classroom lessons at home.

Academic rating

The academic rating is made up of equally-weighted parts: students' test scores, their academic growth (for elementary and middle schools) and their readiness for college (for high schools). The graphs below compare this school's results in each area to other schools in the city and state.
Overall academic rating

5

Average

Test score rating 2012*
This school
City
State
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Learn more about this school's test scores »

Student growth rating 2012**
This school
City
State
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
This school
Reading growth
Average
Math growth
Average

College readiness rating 2011***
This school
City
State
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
This school
Percent of 12th graders taking ACT: 94%
Average Composite ACT score: 21

*Test scores are based on the 2012 WSAS results from the state of Wisconsin.

**The academic growth rating measures how schools affect student test score improvement over time in reading and math. This data is from 2012 and is provided by the Value-Added Research Center and Milwaukee Public Schools. Private school growth data is not included in the rating because it is not comparable with public school results.

***This rating is based on composite ACT scores for all 12th graders in 2011. This rating takes into account how many students took the ACT, giving more credit to schools with a higher percentage of graduates taking the ACT exam. The ACT data is provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Climate ratings

This rating encompasses five elements of school climate: safety and cleanliness, respect and relationships, expectations for students, teacher collaboration and support, and parent involvement. This school's climate ratings are the result of GreatSchools' analysis of teacher survey data from the Spring 2012 School Climate Survey developed by Milwaukee Public Schools.

Overall climate rating

2

Below average
Based on 8 teacher
responses

We rated schools on …



Keeping things safe, clean, and orderly.

This rating evaluates a school's environment, based on its safety, order, cleanliness and more. More highly rated schools have well-kept facilities and a safe environment conducive to learning. Schools rated poorly may have a chaotic environment, conflicts among students or even theft or violence.


Creating healthy, respectful relationships.

This rating measures whether the school has a positive learning environment and cultivates an atmosphere of respect. At a school with a higher rating, it's more likely that the school's culture celebrates hard work and learning, students treat their peers and teachers with respect and class lessons reinforce character strengths such as kindness and tolerance. A school with a lower rating may have a weaker learning environment or allow disrespectful behavior.


Promoting high academic expectations for all students.

This rating sheds light on the academic expectations that teachers have for students. At a school with a higher rating, educators are more likely to stress academic success, ask kids to work hard and expect kids to be college-bound. At schools with lower ratings, it may be more acceptable for students to put in average or minimal effort, perform poorly on tests and lack strong academic goals.


Supporting its teachers.

This rating indicates how teachers feel about their school's professional environment. At a highly rated school, teachers are more likely to work well together, learn from one another, have opportunities for professional development and feel supported by the administration. At a school with lower ratings, teachers may not interact much, feel appreciated or have much input in school decisions and policies.


Informing and including families.

This rating reflects how much communication parents can expect from this school. A highly rated school is more likely to have regular communication (e.g. newsletters, emails, and meetings) between administrators, teachers and parents. This may include information about student progress, homework help and volunteer opportunities. At lower-rated schools, parents may not get regular updates and may feel less welcome at school.

Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
Black, not Hispanic 69% 10%
White, not Hispanic 17% 74%
Asian 9% 4%
Hispanic 6% 10%
American Indian/Alaskan Native 0% 1%
Multiracial 0% 2%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander N/A 0%
Source: WI Dept. of Public Instruction, 2011-2012

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Limited English proficient 0%N/A6%
Disabled students 14%N/A14%
Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 50%N/A39%
Source: WI Dept. of Public Instruction, 2010-2011

College readiness and student pathways

Students typically attend these schools prior to attending this school Roosevelt Middle School
Samuel Morse Middle School
Fritsche Middle School
Read more about resources at this school
Source: Manually entered by a school official.

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 18N/A15
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Teacher resources

School leader's name Peter J Samaranayake
Foreign languages spoken by school staff French
German
Italian
Japanese
Read more about programs at this school
Source: Manually entered by a school official.

Awards

Academic awards received in the past 3 years
  • Newsweek Ranked #1 High School in Wisconsin based on the challenge index (2009)
  • Newsweek Ranked #1 High School in Wisconsin based on the challenge index (2008)
  • New Wisconsin Promise School of Excellence (5 Years) (2007)

Special education / special needs

Specific academic themes or areas of focus
  • Special education
Level of special education programming offered
  • Intensive - the school offers a full program for many needs and/or offers at least one very comprehensive program for very challenging needs such as autism or complete visual impairment
Specialized programs for specific types of special education students
  • Autism
  • Emotional behavioral disabilities
  • Orthopedic impairments
  • Other health impairments
  • Specific learning disabilities
  • Visual impairments
Clubs
  • Special olympics

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM)

Clubs
  • Math club
  • Science club

Arts & music

Specific academic themes or areas of focus
  • Visual arts
Visual arts
  • Ceramics
  • Drawing / sketching
  • Painting
  • Photography
Music
  • Band
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Jazz band
  • Orchestra
Performing and written arts
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Poetry
Clubs
  • Art club
  • Drama club
  • Drum line
  • Student newspaper
  • Yearbook

Language learning

Foreign languages taught
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Latin
  • Spanish
Foreign languages spoken by staff
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Japanese

Health & athletics

Clubs
  • Special olympics

Gifted & talented

Instructional and/or curriculum models used
  • Accelerated credit learning
  • Gifted / high performing
  • Honors track
  • International Baccalaureate (IB)
Clubs
  • Debate
  • Forensics club
  • National Honor Society
School leaders can update this information here.

School basics

School start time
  • 7:30
School end time
  • 2:40
School Leader's name
  • Marie Newby-Randle
Best ways for parents to contact the school
  • Email
  • Phone
Gender
  • Coed
Fax number
  • (414) 267-0715

Programs

Instructional and/or curriculum models used

Don't understand these terms?
  • Accelerated credit learning
  • Gifted / high performing
  • Honors track
  • Independent Study
  • International Baccalaureate (IB)
Specific academic themes or areas of focus

Don't understand these terms?
  • Special education
  • Visual arts
Level of special education programming offered
  • Intensive - the school offers a full program for many needs and/or offers at least one very comprehensive program for very challenging needs such as autism or complete visual impairment
Specialized programs for specific types of special education students
  • Autism
  • Emotional behavioral disabilities
  • Orthopedic impairments
  • Other health impairments
  • Specific learning disabilities
  • Visual impairments
Foreign languages taught
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Latin
  • Spanish
Level of ESL/ELL programming offered
  • None

Resources

Foreign languages spoken by staff
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Japanese
Transportation provided for students by the school / district
  • Citywide
School facilities
  • Computer
  • Library
School leaders can update this information here.

Sports

Boys sports
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Cross country
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track
  • Volleyball
  • Wrestling
Girls sports
  • Basketball
  • Cheerleading
  • Cross country
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track
  • Volleyball
  • Wrestling

Arts & music

Visual arts
  • Ceramics
  • Drawing / sketching
  • Painting
  • Photography
Music
  • Band
  • Choir / Chorus
  • Jazz band
  • Orchestra
Performing arts
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Poetry

Student clubs

Clubs (distinct from courses)
  • Art club
  • Chess club
  • Debate
  • Drama club
  • Drum line
  • Forensics club
  • Math club
  • National Honor Society
  • Science club
  • Special olympics
  • Student council/government
  • Student newspaper
  • Yearbook
School leaders can update this information here.

School culture

Dress Code
  • Dress code
Parent involvement
  • There is a very active ptso (parent / teacher / student organization) at rufus king high school. through this organization, parents participate in the booster club and serve on various parent committees. the rufus king governance council is an advisory board to the principal wich consists of parents, students, and teachers. parents are invited to parent activites and encouraged to come to conferences and visit their children's classes.
More from this school
  • Rufus King High School has been named a New Wisconsin Promise School of Excellence for the fifth year in a row. King is one of only 15 schools in the State of Wisconsin that can boast of this accomplishment. According to Newsweek Magazine, Rufus King is ranked first in Milwaukee and in the State of Wisconsin on the rigor index and one of the top 250 high schools in the nation. The International Baccalaureate Program drives the entire culture of the school. All students at Rufus King receive a college preparatory education. We do not offer vocational education classes at King. 88% of our Juniors and Seniors participate in the IB curriculum and test at the end of these years. This participation rate allows Rufus King to have a waiver from the State of Wisconsin for a school year start date around August 15th. The year typically ends around May 30th.
School leaders can update this information here.

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What are your chances?

Students typically come from these schools
Roosevelt Middle School
Samuel Morse Middle School
Fritsche Middle School

Planning ahead

Students typically attend these schools after graduating
UW - Madison
UW - Milwaukee
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

1801 W Olive St
Milwaukee, WI 53209
Website: Click here
Phone: (414) 267-0700

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