Best Elementary Schools in Madison, WI (2025-26)
Every ranked elementary school in Madison, WI, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.
Madison, WI rankings: Elementary Schools
Madison, WI elementary schools ranked
How Madison, WI's elementary schools compare
A: 4B: 3C: 8D: 13
25% of the 28 ranked elementary schools in Madison, WI earn an A or B (4 A grades, 3 B, 8 C, 13 D, 0 F), against 46% of elementary schools nationwide. 18 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (64% here, 70% nationally), and 4 exceed it. On average 44% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 40% (national averages: 46% actual, 37% projected).
The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Mendota Elementary (33% against 20%, D), Marquette Elementary (62% against 51%, B), Thoreau Elementary (59% against 48%, B), One City Elementary School (22% against 12%, D-).
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-, #22), Cesar Chavez Elementary (607 students, C-, #12), Kennedy Elementary (524 students, D-, #25).
Elementary schools in Madison, WI that are not ranked
3 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 (3)
Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.
- Franklin Elementary, Madison
- Lapham Elementary, Madison
- Midvale Elementary, Madison
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 28 ranked elementary schools in Madison, WI with a SchoolGrade of A+, 84% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 75%.
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; 28 are ranked here and 3 are listed as not ranked.