Milwaukee German Immersion

www.milwaukee.k12.wi.us

561 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

The Milwaukee German Immersion School (MGIS), located in the Cooper Park neighborhood, is a unique K-5 public school within the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) district. It is widely recognized for its rigorous academic environment and its status as one of the oldest and most successful language immersion programs in the United States. The school operates on a total immersion model, where students—regardless of their native language—are taught the core curriculum primarily in German starting in kindergarten, allowing them to achieve high levels of bilingualism and biliteracy by the time they graduate.

Beyond its focus on language acquisition, MGIS is known for its strong sense of community and emphasis on cultural competence. The school fosters a global perspective by integrating German traditions, holidays, and customs into the school experience, creating an environment that prepares students for success in a globalized world. As a popular choice within the MPS system, the school consistently draws families who value international education, academic rigor, and the cognitive benefits associated with early language learning.

561

Total Students

25.4

Full-Time Teachers

22.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

26.7%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Milwaukee German Immersion
Demographic	Student Count
White	285
Hispanic	41
Black	156
Asian	7
Two or More	72

White
285 (50.8 %)
Black
156 (27.8 %)
Two or More
72 (12.8 %)
Hispanic
41 (7.3 %)
Asian
7 (1.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Milwaukee School District
Phone:	(414)393-5600
Website:	http://www.milwaukee.k12.wi.us
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	561
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	25.4
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	22.1
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	150
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 99

Kindergarten 97

Grade 1 101

Grade 2 82

Grade 3 65

Grade 4 61

Grade 5 56