Best Public Schools in Madison, WI

The city of Madison, Wisconsin is home to 55 schools, including 31 elementary schools, 13 middle schools, 8 high schools, and 3 alternative schools, all part of the Madison Metropolitan School District. The district is ranked 330 out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Several schools stand out in the data, including Van Hise Elementary, which is ranked 44th out of 1,061 elementary schools in Wisconsin and has a 5-star rating, with over 80% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Hamilton Middle is ranked 36th out of 641 middle schools in Wisconsin and has a 5-star rating, with over 70% of students proficient or better in all subject areas. O'Keeffe Middle is ranked 166th out of 641 middle schools and has a 4-star rating, with over 60% of students proficient or better in all subject areas.

However, the data also reveals significant disparities in academic performance across the district. Schools with higher poverty rates, such as Mendota Elementary and Southside Elementary, tend to have lower test scores and higher chronic absenteeism rates. Additionally, the wide range in per-student spending, from $10,910 to $30,839, raises questions about the equitable distribution of resources across the district.