Madison, WI elementary schools ranked

RankGradeSchoolCityDistrictActualProjectedImpactStudents
#1A+Shorewood Hills ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District77%64%Greatly Exceeds Expectations381
#2A+Randall Elementary SchoolMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District74%53%Greatly Exceeds Expectations311
#3AVan Hise ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District72%62%Greatly Exceeds Expectations431
#4B+Emerson ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District55%32%Greatly Exceeds Expectations351
#5B+Lowell ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District55%40%Greatly Exceeds Expectations334
#6B+Marquette ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District55%49%Exceeds Expectations149
#7B+Crestwood ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District53%48%Exceeds Expectations272
#8BStephens ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District47%42%Exceeds Expectations493
#9BElvehjem ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District45%44%Meets Expectations418
#10BOrchard Ridge ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District45%36%Greatly Exceeds Expectations255
#11B-Muir ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District42%40%Meets Expectations403
#12B-Cesar Chavez ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District41%44%Meets Expectations607
#13C+Thoreau ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District37%39%Meets Expectations415
#14CHuegel ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District35%39%Doesn't Meet Expectations434
#15C-Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary SchoolMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District30%22%Greatly Exceeds Expectations479
#16C-Lincoln ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District30%37%Doesn't Meet Expectations374
#17D+Gompers ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District24%29%Doesn't Meet Expectations227
#18D+Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary SchoolMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District24%26%Meets Expectations430
#19D+Kennedy ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District23%38%Underperforms Expectations524
#20DSchenk ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District20%24%Doesn't Meet Expectations390
#21DHawthorne ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District17%15%Exceeds Expectations307
#22D-Lake View ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District14%26%Underperforms Expectations267
#23D-Leopold ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District14%20%Doesn't Meet Expectations624
#24D-Allis ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District13%16%Doesn't Meet Expectations384
#25D-Lindbergh ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District12%14%Meets Expectations180
#26D-Mendota ElementaryMadisonMadison Metropolitan School District12%16%Doesn't Meet Expectations308

How Madison, WI's elementary schools compare

A: 3B: 9C: 4D: 10

46% of the 26 ranked elementary schools in Madison, WI earn an A or B (3 A grades, 9 B, 4 C, 10 D, 0 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 17 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (65% here, 71% nationally), and 11 exceed it. On average 37% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 35% (national averages: 39% actual, 38% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Emerson Elementary (55% against 32%, B+), Randall Elementary School (74% against 53%, A+), Lowell Elementary (55% against 40%, B+), Shorewood Hills Elementary (77% against 64%, A+), Van Hise Elementary (72% against 62%, A).

Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 10): Madison Metropolitan School District (10).

The largest ranked elementary schools: Leopold Elementary (624 students, D-, #23), Cesar Chavez Elementary (607 students, B-, #12), Kennedy Elementary (524 students, D+, #19).

Elementary schools in Madison, WI that are not ranked

5 graded elementary schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.

Not yet graded (5)

Too little test data to grade.

About this ranking

  • Scope: public elementary schools in Madison, WI, as grouped on its schools page; the Wisconsin ranking covers the whole state.
  • Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
  • Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
  • Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the elementary schools.
  • Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works

Questions about elementary schools in Madison, WI

What is the best elementary school in Madison, WI?

Shorewood Hills Elementary in Madison ranks first among the 26 ranked elementary schools in Madison, WI with a SchoolGrade of A+, 77% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 64%.

How are elementary schools in Madison, WI ranked?

By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.

How many elementary schools does Madison, WI have?

SchoolGrade grades 31 public elementary schools in Madison, WI; 26 are ranked here and 5 are listed as not ranked.