James Wright Middle

Summary:

James Wright Middle is a public magnet middle school in Madison, Wisconsin, serving 256 students in grades 6-8. Despite being part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, which is ranked 330 out of 428 school districts in the state, James Wright Middle has consistently underperformed compared to both the district and the state of Wisconsin in academic achievement.

The school's academic performance is a significant concern, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts ranging from 26.83% to 34.15%, compared to 45.8% to 48.17% for the district and 50.36% to 54.1% for the state. In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates are even lower, ranging from 18.99% to 26.83%, compared to 39.72% to 44.72% for the district and 53.29% to 53.55% for the state. Additionally, the school's performance varies greatly across different student subgroups, with the school ranking in the bottom half of Wisconsin middle schools for African American, Hispanic, and Multi-racial students, as well as for students with low socioeconomic status.

When compared to other nearby schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District, such as Toki Middle and Sennett Middle, which have significantly higher academic performance and lower chronic absenteeism rates, it becomes clear that James Wright Middle is underperforming. The school's high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients (70.31% in 2022-2023) suggests that it serves a predominantly low-income student population, which may contribute to the challenges the school faces in academic achievement and other areas.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

 1717 Fish Hatchery Rd
       Madison, WI  53713-1244


(608) 204-1340

District: Madison Metropolitan School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
554th of 641 Wisconsin Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,044 Help


Students who attend James Wright Middle usually attend:

High:    West High

Feeder schools for James Wright Middle:

Elementary:    Franklin Elementary
    Leopold Elementary
    Lincoln Elementary
    Midvale Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  10.4 Help
Number of students:  256

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
49.6%
African American:
28.1%
White:
11.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James Wright Middle ranks worse than 86.4% of middle schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 11th among 12 ranked middle schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.31. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.6%), African American (28.1%), White (11.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Wright Middle is 10.4, which is the 2nd best among 12 middle schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare James Wright Middle employs 24.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Wright Middle is $18,044, which is the highest among 13 middle schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James Wright Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks James Wright Middle 554th of 641 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See James Wright Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Madison Metropolitan School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Madison Metropolitan School District 330th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for James Wright Middle

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Rank History for all students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 35.84 264th 324 18.5%
2006 21.29 325th 382 14.9%
2007 28.77 302nd 366 17.5%
2008 28.74 448th 519 13.7%
2009 10.41 481st 521 7.7%
2010 9.33 497th 539 7.8%
2011 13.03 504th 549 8.2%
2012 10.14 516th 559 7.7%
2013 10.90 519th 569 8.8%
2014 6.20 544th 585 7.0%
2015 17.68 530th 612 13.4%
2016 12.06 542nd 609 11.0%
2017 13.79 542nd 612 11.4%
2018 21.66 492nd 579 15.0%
2019 18.61 518th 594 12.8%
2021 10.88 549th 613 10.4%
2022 20.07 526th 617 14.7%
2023 19.95 535th 640 16.4%
2024 16.31 554th 641 13.6%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 26.03 113th 131 13.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.98 19th 140 86.4%
2019 44.67 66th 153 56.9%
2022 57.35 45th 158 71.5%
2023 70.70 15th 170 91.2%
2024 63.50 42nd 173 75.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.34 336th 417 19.4%
2019 26.44 335th 414 19.1%
2021 29.34 331st 437 24.3%
2022 46.31 202nd 421 52.0%
2023 52.08 169th 439 61.5%
2024 39.13 254th 425 40.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.54 382nd 489 21.9%
2019 20.08 433rd 487 11.1%
2021 12.16 475th 499 4.8%
2022 13.95 491st 522 5.9%
2023 16.09 474th 525 9.7%
2024 11.75 486th 520 6.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.32 476th 551 13.6%
2019 21.46 468th 557 16.0%
2021 9.98 519th 574 9.6%
2022 13.06 517th 576 10.2%
2023 18.96 482nd 579 16.8%
2024 13.94 511th 580 11.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.05 451st 551 18.1%
2019 18.96 484th 557 13.1%
2021 17.72 499th 572 12.8%
2022 32.09 422nd 577 26.9%
2023 17.60 512th 591 13.4%
2024 22.74 486th 585 16.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.21 40th 123 67.5%
2019 55.29 44th 127 65.4%
2021 32.73 98th 134 26.9%
2022 39.90 68th 125 45.6%
2023 35.91 78th 130 40.0%
2024 47.73 54th 118 54.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.91 161st 204 21.1%
2019 30.95 153rd 209 26.8%
2021 25.78 184th 225 18.2%
2022 25.45 184th 221 16.7%
2023 33.18 153rd 229 33.2%
2024 21.41 205th 239 14.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at James Wright Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.27 57th 375 84.8%
2019 68.80 93rd 382 75.7%
2021 34.26 285th 393 27.5%
2022 90.51 18th 397 95.5%
2023 88.41 29th 412 93.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

James Wright Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for James Wright Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 48 25 6 1 0 n/a n/a 0 80
1995 130 65 10 11 3 n/a n/a 0 219
1996 130 65 10 11 3 n/a n/a 0 219
1997 89 70 11 9 2 n/a n/a 0 181
1998 58 116 13 10 0 n/a n/a 0 197
1999 35 106 16 11 1 n/a n/a 0 169
2000 46 117 24 13 3 n/a n/a 0 203
2001 53 121 28 15 3 n/a n/a 0 220
2002 55 108 20 25 8 n/a n/a 0 216
2003 55 108 20 25 8 n/a n/a 0 216
2004 43 125 20 29 5 n/a n/a 0 222
2005 38 122 20 31 5 n/a n/a 0 216
2006 32 132 22 41 3 n/a n/a 0 230
2007 26 128 22 57 4 n/a n/a 0 237
2008 28 129 17 79 3 n/a n/a 0 256
2009 35 96 24 82 4 n/a n/a 0 241
2010 32 94 29 91 3 n/a n/a 0 249
2011 33 83 22 102 4 0 3 0 247
2012 27 82 14 115 4 0 9 0 251
2013 32 73 15 120 2 0 7 0 249
2014 16 75 18 133 2 0 11 0 255
2015 28 58 24 128 2 0 15 0 255
2016 28 58 18 128 2 0 22 0 256
2017 31 59 15 123 4 0 23 0 255
2018 28 67 10 120 1 0 24 0 250
2019 26 66 12 117 2 0 22 0 245
2020 28 61 13 131 0 0 21 0 254
2021 37 64 11 126 0 0 18 0 256
2022 39 62 10 122 0 0 23 0 256
2023 30 72 9 127 0 0 17 1 256

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at James Wright Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 80 7.9 10.1 20
1995 219 19.9 11.0 21.9
1996 219 19.9 11.0 21.9
1997 181 16.4 11.0 22.7
1998 197 18.1 10.9 21.8
1999 169 16.4 10.3 27.8
2000 203 19.2 10.6 28.1
2001 220 20.8 10.6 29.1
2002 216 21.5 10.0 59.3
2003 216 21.5 10.0 59.3
2004 222 23.1 9.6 70.3
2005 216 23.1 9.4 n/a
2006 230 22.7 10.1 n/a
2007 237 23.3 10.2 80.6
2008 256 23.6 10.8 82.4
2009 241 20.9 11.5 83.4
2010 249 24.7 10.0 85.1
2011 247 24.3 10.1 82.6
2012 251 22.2 11.3 88
2013 249 27.6 9.0 87.6
2014 255 28.1 9.0 89.4
2015 255 n/a n/a 90.6
2016 256 27.0 9.4 87.1
2017 255 24.8 10.2 77.3
2018 250 24.4 10.2 70.8
2019 245 27.1 9.0 75.9
2020 254 25.9 9.8 74.8
2021 256 26.7 9.5 77
2022 256 26.3 9.7 68
2023 256 24.4 10.4 70.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio James Wright Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 80 7.9 10.1 20
1995 219 19.9 11.0 21.9
1996 219 19.9 11.0 21.9
1997 181 16.4 11.0 22.7
1998 197 18.1 10.9 21.8
1999 169 16.4 10.3 27.8
2000 203 19.2 10.6 28.1
2001 220 20.8 10.6 29.1
2002 216 21.5 10.0 59.3
2003 216 21.5 10.0 59.3
2004 222 23.1 9.6 70.3
2005 216 23.1 9.4 n/a
2006 230 22.7 10.1 n/a
2007 237 23.3 10.2 80.6
2008 256 23.6 10.8 82.4
2009 241 20.9 11.5 83.4
2010 249 24.7 10.0 85.1
2011 247 24.3 10.1 82.6
2012 251 22.2 11.3 88
2013 249 27.6 9.0 87.6
2014 255 28.1 9.0 89.4
2015 255 n/a n/a 90.6
2016 256 27.0 9.4 87.1
2017 255 24.8 10.2 77.3
2018 250 24.4 10.2 70.8
2019 245 27.1 9.0 75.9
2020 254 25.9 9.8 74.8
2021 256 26.7 9.5 77
2022 256 26.3 9.7 68
2023 256 24.4 10.4 70.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for James Wright Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,067 (5.6%) $18,068 (94.4%) $19,136
2020 $1,126 (6.0%) $17,546 (94.0%) $18,673
2021 $1,081 (6.0%) $16,964 (94.0%) $18,044

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James Wright Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 518th of 594 Middle schoolsRanks 535th of 640 Middle schools
 3.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (James Wright Middle)2019
 1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Madison Metropolitan School District)32.242
 9.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)41.740.6
 1.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (James Wright Middle)22.512.7
 9.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)35.437
 1.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)43.542.6
 0.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (James Wright Middle)21.320.5
 0.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Madison Metropolitan School District)38.836.7
 2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)45.541.1
 4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (James Wright Middle)208.5
 11.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)35.929.2
 6.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)39.735.7
 4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (James Wright Middle)26.523.1
 3.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Madison Metropolitan School District)32.638.3
 5.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)37.337.8
 0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (James Wright Middle)23.920.3
 3.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)31.131.6
 0.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)36.531.8
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (James Wright Middle)34.346.2
 11.8%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Madison Metropolitan School District)44.255.6
 11.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)52.159.2
 7.1%
8th Grade Science (James Wright Middle)37.334.6
 2.7%
   8th Grade Science (Madison Metropolitan School District)44.244
 0.3%
   8th Grade Science (Wisconsin)54.649.4
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students245256
 4.5%
African American6672
 9.1%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian129
 25%
Hispanic117127
 8.5%
Pacific Islander00
White2630
 15.4%
Two or More Races2217
 22.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients75.9%70.3%
 5.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about James Wright Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 256 students attended James Wright Middle.

Students who attend James Wright Middle usually go on to attend West High

Students at James Wright Middle are 50% Hispanic, 28% African American, 12% White, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

James Wright Middle ranks in the bottom 13.6% of Wisconsin middle schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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