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Best Schools in Madison, WI
Madison, WI has 344 public schools (69 high, 64 middle, 183 elementary) serving 120,490 students. On average they score 46% on state proficiency tests against a projected 48%, so schools in Madison meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Madison, WI
The top high schools in Madison, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Pecatonica High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Pecatonica Area School District • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 207 Students
2. Rio Middle/high
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Rio Community School District • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 190 Students
3. Cambria Friesland Middle/high
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cambria-friesland School District • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 162 Students
4. Belmont High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Belmont Community School District • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 177 Students
5. Monona Grove Liberal Arts
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Monona Grove School District • Charter • Grades 6 - 12 • 81 Students
6. Fall River High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Fall River School District • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 265 Students
7. Middleton High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Middleton-cross Plains Area School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2309 Students
8. Koshkonong Trails School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Cambridge School District • Charter • Grades 7 - 12 • 33 Students
9. Poynette High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Poynette School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 307 Students
10. West High
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Madison Metropolitan School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 2147 Students
Best Middle Schools in Madison, WI
The top middle schools in Madison, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Waunakee Intermediate
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waunakee Community School District • Public • Grades 5 - 6 • 635 Students
2. Glacier Creek Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Middleton-cross Plains Area School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 935 Students
3. Belleville Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Belleville School District • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 134 Students
4. New Glarus Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
New Glarus School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 219 Students
5. Kromrey Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Middleton-cross Plains Area School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 1191 Students
6. Hamilton Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Madison Metropolitan School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 725 Students
7. Waunakee Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Waunakee Community School District • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 682 Students
8. Spring Harbor Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Madison Metropolitan School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 263 Students
9. Indian Mound Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Mcfarland School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 531 Students
10. Wisconsin Heights Middle
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Wisconsin Heights School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 154 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Madison, WI
The top elementary schools in Madison, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Endeavor Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Portage Community School District • Public • Grades KG - 5 • 67 Students
2. Shorewood Hills Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Madison Metropolitan School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 381 Students
3. Pope Farm Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Middleton-cross Plains Area School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 410 Students
4. Elm Lawn Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Middleton-cross Plains Area School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 355 Students
5. New Century School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Verona Area School District • Charter • Grades KG - 5 • 125 Students
6. Merrimac Community
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sauk Prairie School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 136 Students
7. Forest Edge Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Oregon School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 385 Students
8. Discovery Charter School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Columbus School District • Charter • Grades KG - 3 • 73 Students
9. Barneveld Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Barneveld School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 206 Students
10. Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Middleton-cross Plains Area School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 252 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Madison, WI
City-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Madison, WI has a total population of 680,796 with 27% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 95%, and 50% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Madison, WI
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Madison, WI.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
17.72 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
2.75 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
14.97 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Madison, WI.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Madison, WI.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Madison, WI Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Madison, WI
How many schools are in Madison, WI?
Madison, WI has 344 public schools: 69 high schools, 64 middle schools and 183 elementary schools, serving 120,490 students in total.
How do schools in Madison perform on state tests?
On average, 344 schools in Madison score 46% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 48%, so on average schools in Madison meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Madison?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Madison, WI
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 51%
- Projected: 61%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 39%
- Projected: 47%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 34%
- Projected: 39%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 45%
- Projected: 50%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 58%
- Projected: 60%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 60%
- Projected: 66%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 40%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 53%
- Projected: 60%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
- Actual: 55%
- Projected: 55%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 57%
- Projected: 64%
- Impact Grade: Underperforms Expectations
Every school in Madison
47 of 57 schools in Madison carry a SchoolGrade (10 have no school-level proficiency results in our source data). Grade distribution:
A: 8B: 5C: 10D: 20F: 4
All 57 public schools we grade in Madison. The ranked lists above show the top ten per level; every school has its own page.
High schools (7)
- Capital High
- East High
- Innovative High
- Lafollette High
- Shabazz City High
- Vel Phillips Memorial High
- West High
Middle and junior high schools (12)
- Badger Rock Middle
- Black Hawk Middle
- Cherokee Heights Middle
- Hamilton Middle
- James Wright Middle
- Jefferson Middle
- Okeeffe Middle
- Sennett Middle
- Sherman Middle
- Spring Harbor Middle
- Toki Middle
- Whitehorse Middle
Elementary and primary schools (31)
- Allis Elementary
- Cesar Chavez Elementary
- Crestwood Elementary
- Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary School
- Elvehjem Elementary
- Emerson Elementary
- Franklin Elementary
- Gompers Elementary
- Hawthorne Elementary
- Huegel Elementary
- Kennedy Elementary
- Lake View Elementary
- Lapham Elementary
- Leopold Elementary
- Lincoln Elementary
- Lindbergh Elementary
- Lowell Elementary
- Marquette Elementary
- Mendota Elementary
- Midvale Elementary
- Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
- Muir Elementary
- One City Elementary School
- Orchard Ridge Elementary
- Randall Elementary School
- Sandburg Elementary
- Schenk Elementary
- Shorewood Hills Elementary
- Stephens Elementary
- Thoreau Elementary
- Van Hise Elementary
Other schools and academies (7)
- 4k Pk Off Site
- Central Wisconsin Center
- Isthmus Montessori Academy Public
- Mendota Mental Health Institution
- Metro School
- Milestone Democratic School
- One City Preparatory Academy
Private schools (29)
Private schools have a SchoolGrade only where their state publishes their test results.
- Abundant Life Christian School
- Blessed Sacrament School
- Blooming Grove Montessori
- Capitoland Christian School
- Eagle School Of Madison
- Eastside Lutheran School
- Edgewood Campus School
- Edgewood High School Of The Sacred Heart
- Greenway Crossing Montessori
- Hickory Hill Academy
- High Point Christian School
- Holy Cross Lutheran School
- Horizon High
- King's Kids Academy
- Lighthouse Christian School
- Madinah Academy Of Madison
- Montessori Childrens House
- Operation Fresh Start
- Our Lady Queen Of Peace School
- Richardson School
- St Ambrose Academy
- St Dennis School
- St James School
- St Maria Goretti
- Three Angels Christian School
- Toad Hill Childrens House
- Wingra School
- Wings To Soar Online Academy
- Woodland Montessori School
Neighborhoods and places within Madison (26)
- Bluff Acres
- Capitol
- Dudgeon Monroe
- Dunns Marsh
- Eastmorland
- Elvehjem
- Glendale
- Greenbush
- Heistand
- Hill Farms University Neighborh
- Marquette
- Mcclellan Park
- Meadowood
- Midvale Heights
- Moorland Rimrock
- Prairie Hills
- Regent
- Ridgewood
- Schenk Atwood Starkweather Yahar
- Sherman
- South Campus
- Stone Meadows
- Sunset Village
- Tenney Lapham
- Westhaven Trails
- Wexford