Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 19 schools in district

James E Dottke Alternative School

7815 W Lapham St, West Allis, WI 53214West Allis-West Milwaukee School District →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
159
Students
Total enrolled
72%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 17% vs nat'l
$16,804
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 17% vs nat'l
13.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 11% vs nat'l
53/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 159 students in grades 09–12 in West Allis, Wisconsin.
17% above average funding
District spends $16,804 per pupil, 17% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 53th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

James E Dottke Alternative School is a small high in West Allis, Wisconsin, serving grades 09–12 with 159 students. The district invests $16,804 per student — 17% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 65% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. The 72% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at James E Dottke Alternative School

159
Total Students
13.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
65%
Free Lunch
12
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution79 male · 80 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility65%
National avg 52% · 103 students
Student Composition
55%
25%
13%
Asian1%
White55%
Hispanic / Latino25%
Black4%
Multiracial13%
Native American3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 551626002490

Academic Outcomes at James E Dottke Alternative School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
70-74
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
72%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
53
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 53th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 88th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 53214

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,804Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,804
State avg
$18,944
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,394
Student Support$3,193
Administration$2,016
Operations$2,521
Other$1,680
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,804 spent per student, an estimated $7,444 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
50%
37%
State government
50.1%
Local (property tax)
37.3%
Federal programs
12.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $16,804/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 72% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Jefferson ElementaryHorace Mann ElementaryWilson ElementaryIrving Elementary
+7 more
↓
Middle
Frank Lloyd Wright IntermediateLane IntermediateWest Milwaukee Intermediate
↓
High School
Nathan Hale HighCentral HighShared Journeys
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyMilwaukee County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWest Allis-West Milwaukee School District →
Phone: (414)604-4210
NCES ID: 551626002490
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in West Allis seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in West Allis-West Milwaukee School District
High
Nathan Hale High
1,261 students · 09–12
● 43 opp53% FRL
High
Central High
1,007 students · 09–12
● 43 opp68% FRL
Mid
Frank Lloyd Wright Intermediate
761 students · 06–08
● 43 opp63% FRL
Elem
Jefferson Elementary
412 students · PK–05
● 42 opp70% FRL
Elem
Horace Mann Elementary
398 students · PK–05
● 53 opp82% FRL
Elem
Wilson Elementary
383 students · PK–05
● 53 opp67% FRL
Mid
Lane Intermediate
381 students · 06–08
● 53 opp57% FRL
Elem
Irving Elementary
371 students · PK–05
● 43 opp63% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
7815 W Lapham St, West Allis, WI 53214
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.