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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
St. Francis School District
Brown Deer School District  
Shorewood School District  
Cudahy School District  
Whitnall School District  
Greendale School District  
South Milwaukee School District  
Whitefish Bay School District  
Greenfield School District  
Franklin Public School District  
West Allis School District  
Oak Creek-Franklin School District  
Wauwatosa School District  
Milwaukee School District  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
156
3,857
17.60

5,947
4,819
4,867
4,765
4,696
4,750
4,558
4,287
4,399
4,509
6,183
4,947
4,437
3,700
66,864
0
0
1,004
67,868

5,983
33,087
5,892
18,754
251
66
2,829

414
166
1,606
1,539
132
3,857

19
61
15
95

294
354
219
721
29
0
153
1,004
2,553

66
418
703

2,291
2,291
PK-12
17
517
13.26

338
415
469
437
448
487
472
468
473
494
517
608
545
590
6,761
0
0
96
6,857

4,034
1,303
267
606
14
2
535

16
17
221
261
2
517

3
17
0
20

23
45
21
66
5
0
7
96
242

10
11
42

159
159
PK-12
11
409
16.18

315
373
382
495
427
441
439
459
481
492
548
557
544
574
6,527
0
0
91
6,618

4,133
330
521
1,147
16
3
377

9
21
150
223
6
409

7
9
0
16

19
34
1
37
3
0
11
91
195

5
8
14

179
179
PK-12
16
497
14.05

420
413
453
441
443
440
441
465
446
480
611
653
619
613
6,938
0
0
46
6,984

3,018
842
201
2,175
51
7
644

37
14
183
259
4
497

8
13
0
21

22
26
24
56
13
0
7
46
168

14
19
57

176
176
PK-12
8
311
15.25

210
252
303
294
302
337
328
361
360
353
418
378
425
400
4,721
0
0
21
4,742

3,181
99
605
534
14
1
287

6
11
120
174
0
311

0
8
0
8

12
22
2
46
2
8
7
21
118

6
10
18

69
69
PK-12
6
263
13.09

223
228
220
246
211
207
225
241
232
250
293
295
278
261
3,410
0
0
31
3,441

1,622
186
284
1,051
19
8
238

8
12
99
143
1
263

4
5
0
9

12
0
5
19
1
0
6
31
69

5
20
30

123
123
PK-12
4
182
15.68

166
197
210
194
169
165
190
202
196
236
215
241
222
228
2,831
0
0
23
2,854

2,161
131
145
166
1
2
225

4
8
63
107
0
182

2
6
0
8

8
10
3
21
4
2
4
23
71

4
7
14

49
49
PK-12
6
212
13.26

157
154
173
161
182
180
192
196
214
195
238
248
240
253
2,783
0
0
29
2,812

1,545
185
34
777
11
0
221

7
11
76
118
0
212

2
6
0
8

9
15
5
23
3
4
5
29
87

3
9
16

54
54
PK-12
6
196
13.49

107
145
151
164
158
182
180
199
210
204
226
224
219
240
2,609
0
0
34
2,643

1,760
61
147
470
6
2
163

4
9
77
106
0
196

0
4
0
4

8
11
3
22
1
3
5
34
84

3
7
14

38
38
PK-12
5
168
14.49

111
144
129
148
153
148
158
182
188
199
212
204
203
215
2,394
0
0
41
2,435

1,613
102
104
432
3
0
140

5
7
57
99
0
168

2
3
0
5

8
12
4
18
1
2
4
41
86

4
0
8

54
54
PK-12
6
157
13.35

129
150
129
157
138
135
140
135
132
131
155
196
166
161
2,054
0
0
43
2,097

1,033
187
28
618
10
5
167

9
7
65
76
0
157

0
4
0
4

7
9
3
22
3
2
4
43
90

5
8
16

51
51
PK-12
5
133
14.68

97
133
119
124
130
136
121
152
142
130
161
157
164
161
1,927
0
0
26
1,953

1,237
197
142
192
2
0
156

3
6
51
73
0
133

2
4
0
6

5
11
4
11
1
2
3
26
59

4
9
17

39
39
PK-12
2
115
14.50

85
105
95
122
107
103
105
125
132
130
118
122
140
158
1,647
0
0
21
1,668

230
906
253
130
2
0
126

3
4
39
69
0
115

1
3
0
4

7
10
1
10
4
2
2
21
55

3
6
10

26
26
PK-12
3
73
15.21

48
51
42
45
53
51
58
64
70
61
131
137
144
142
1,097
0
0
13
1,110

532
81
32
364
8
0
77

2
3
26
42
0
73

1
2
0
3

5
10
1
11
2
0
2
13
43

3
5
9

15
15


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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