Emerson Elementary

Summary:

Emerson Elementary is a public elementary school in Madison, Wisconsin, serving 351 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, which is ranked 330 out of 428 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Emerson Elementary has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past several years, dropping from 421 out of 1,037 Wisconsin elementary schools in 2018-2019 to 671 out of 1,061 in 2023-2024. Its academic performance, as measured by the Forward Exam, is generally below the district and state averages across grade levels and subject areas. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with White students consistently performing at a high level, while African American, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status students, as well as English Language Learners and Special Education students, struggle significantly. Emerson Elementary also has a high chronic absenteeism rate, reaching 40.7% in 2022-2023, much higher than the district and state averages.

When compared to other nearby schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District, Emerson Elementary generally performs worse academically, with lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. However, the school's performance is better than some of the other low-performing schools in the district, such as Kennedy Elementary and Southside Elementary School. The public charter school Nuestro Mundo performs similarly to Emerson Elementary in many academic areas.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 2421 E Johnson St
       Madison, WI  53704-4997


(608) 204-2000

District: Madison Metropolitan School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
671st of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,002 Help


Students who attend Emerson Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Sherman Middle
High:    East High

Student/teacher ratio:  13.0 Help
Number of students:  351

Racial breakdown:

White:
42.2%
African American:
24.5%
Hispanic:
15.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  57.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Emerson Elementary ranks worse than 63.2% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 13th among 29 ranked elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.72. (See more...)
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
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Compare Details Student population at Emerson Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (42.2%), African American (24.5%), Hispanic (15.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 57.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary is 13. 26 elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Emerson Elementary employs 26.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Emerson Elementary is $16,002, which is the 13th highest among 29 elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Emerson Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Emerson Elementary 671st of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Emerson Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White 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 Emerson Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 13.54 562nd 633 11.2%
2005 7.82 580th 632 8.2%
2006 20.37 608th 712 14.6%
2007 17.26 611th 689 11.3%
2008 10.24 945th 1021 7.4%
2009 9.72 958th 1030 7.0%
2010 16.07 950th 1045 9.1%
2011 25.15 912th 1046 12.8%
2012 22.64 915th 1045 12.4%
2013 16.79 940th 1053 10.7%
2014 36.39 818th 1061 22.9%
2015 33.94 833rd 1076 22.6%
2016 29.39 830th 1075 22.8%
2017 43.98 669th 1071 37.5%
2018 55.31 491st 1025 52.1%
2019 60.67 421st 1037 59.4%
2021 58.16 463rd 1050 55.9%
2022 51.41 575th 1067 46.1%
2023 47.97 628th 1067 41.1%
2024 45.72 671st 1061 36.8%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.33 35th 67 47.8%
2019 51.57 34th 76 55.3%
2021 40.21 52nd 85 38.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.97 86th 287 70.0%
2019 36.96 179th 275 34.9%
2022 60.50 67th 248 73.0%
2023 40.81 139th 249 44.2%
2024 35.35 173rd 269 35.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.25 248th 721 65.6%
2019 41.67 404th 742 45.6%
2022 43.96 399th 748 46.7%
2023 34.69 513th 770 33.4%
2024 58.98 267th 790 66.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.79 636th 854 25.5%
2019 40.50 559th 874 36.0%
2021 38.91 555th 847 34.5%
2022 18.52 770th 859 10.4%
2023 20.58 776th 871 10.9%
2024 24.48 722nd 866 16.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.40 435th 997 56.4%
2019 67.32 309th 1002 69.2%
2021 47.19 573rd 1004 42.9%
2022 51.12 545th 1017 46.4%
2023 42.07 666th 1010 34.1%
2024 46.59 642nd 1011 36.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.42 535th 997 46.3%
2019 54.12 481st 1002 52.0%
2021 68.90 264th 1003 73.7%
2022 51.85 536th 1017 47.3%
2023 47.70 600th 1011 40.7%
2024 45.80 628th 1012 37.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.29 70th 165 57.6%
2019 55.17 53rd 161 67.1%
2021 23.21 136th 141 3.5%
2022 24.86 107th 133 19.5%
2023 38.30 72nd 138 47.8%
2024 59.65 41st 137 70.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 62.93 78th 266 70.7%
2022 68.35 72nd 296 75.7%
2024 20.68 289th 331 12.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Emerson Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.55 102nd 686 85.1%
2019 86.82 51st 718 92.9%
2021 70.43 179th 699 74.4%
2022 69.78 172nd 704 75.6%
2023 85.01 55th 715 92.3%
2024 90.54 22nd 727 97.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary 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.

Emerson Elementary 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 Emerson Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 342 33 8 15 2 n/a n/a 0 400
1989 321 45 8 12 3 n/a n/a 0 389
1990 371 74 6 16 5 n/a n/a 0 472
1991 361 96 8 26 1 n/a n/a 0 492
1992 359 95 5 21 2 n/a n/a 0 482
1993 323 95 7 19 5 n/a n/a 0 449
1994 329 125 6 21 9 n/a n/a 0 490
1995 293 124 9 28 4 n/a n/a 0 458
1996 293 124 9 28 4 n/a n/a 0 458
1997 288 126 10 19 10 n/a n/a 0 453
1998 256 129 7 13 3 n/a n/a 0 408
1999 257 121 13 14 1 n/a n/a 0 406
2000 234 126 12 10 2 n/a n/a 0 384
2001 206 127 10 16 2 n/a n/a 0 361
2002 141 113 12 24 1 n/a n/a 0 291
2003 141 113 12 24 1 n/a n/a 0 291
2004 144 104 11 20 4 n/a n/a 0 283
2005 127 100 11 24 2 n/a n/a 0 264
2006 134 91 9 26 1 n/a n/a 0 261
2007 122 99 12 31 2 n/a n/a 0 266
2008 127 134 12 49 6 n/a n/a 0 328
2009 123 112 11 39 3 n/a n/a 0 288
2010 142 98 11 48 4 n/a n/a 0 303
2011 134 74 8 61 0 1 37 0 315
2012 173 91 15 67 0 2 43 0 391
2013 184 99 16 66 0 2 49 0 416
2014 186 89 17 59 0 2 40 0 393
2015 208 86 19 59 1 2 50 0 425
2016 203 73 18 50 1 2 65 0 412
2017 192 73 23 47 1 0 59 0 395
2018 200 80 21 46 1 0 61 0 409
2019 188 87 17 59 2 0 61 0 414
2020 169 87 16 58 4 0 61 0 395
2021 155 76 7 51 2 0 57 0 348
2022 174 74 12 52 3 0 45 0 360
2023 148 86 11 53 3 0 48 2 351

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 Emerson Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 400 24.1 16.5 15.5
1989 389 24.9 15.6 18.8
1990 472 30.4 15.5 24.4
1991 492 35.3 13.9 19.9
1992 482 37.9 12.7 16
1993 449 33.5 13.4 20.5
1994 490 35.9 13.6 20.4
1995 458 38.5 11.9 21.8
1996 458 38.5 11.9 21.8
1997 453 38.3 11.8 22.5
1998 408 39.0 10.5 21.8
1999 406 33.2 12.2 27.8
2000 384 32.8 11.7 28.4
2001 361 33.4 10.8 29.6
2002 291 32.3 9.0 53.3
2003 291 32.3 9.0 53.3
2004 283 31.6 9.0 56.2
2005 264 29.7 8.9 n/a
2006 261 27.2 9.6 n/a
2007 266 23.2 11.5 62.8
2008 328 24.0 13.7 71.6
2009 288 26.7 10.8 68.1
2010 303 23.9 12.6 73.9
2011 315 25.9 12.1 73.7
2012 391 22.4 17.4 68.3
2013 416 33.7 12.3 66.8
2014 393 34.7 11.3 61.8
2015 425 n/a n/a 56.9
2016 412 36.0 11.4 57.3
2017 395 35.5 11.1 50.6
2018 409 37.1 11.0 51.3
2019 414 34.2 12.1 56.8
2020 395 36.5 10.8 48.6
2021 348 32.6 10.6 50.6
2022 360 25.7 14.0 45
2023 351 26.8 13.0 57.3

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 Emerson Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 400 24.1 16.5 15.5
1989 389 24.9 15.6 18.8
1990 472 30.4 15.5 24.4
1991 492 35.3 13.9 19.9
1992 482 37.9 12.7 16
1993 449 33.5 13.4 20.5
1994 490 35.9 13.6 20.4
1995 458 38.5 11.9 21.8
1996 458 38.5 11.9 21.8
1997 453 38.3 11.8 22.5
1998 408 39.0 10.5 21.8
1999 406 33.2 12.2 27.8
2000 384 32.8 11.7 28.4
2001 361 33.4 10.8 29.6
2002 291 32.3 9.0 53.3
2003 291 32.3 9.0 53.3
2004 283 31.6 9.0 56.2
2005 264 29.7 8.9 n/a
2006 261 27.2 9.6 n/a
2007 266 23.2 11.5 62.8
2008 328 24.0 13.7 71.6
2009 288 26.7 10.8 68.1
2010 303 23.9 12.6 73.9
2011 315 25.9 12.1 73.7
2012 391 22.4 17.4 68.3
2013 416 33.7 12.3 66.8
2014 393 34.7 11.3 61.8
2015 425 n/a n/a 56.9
2016 412 36.0 11.4 57.3
2017 395 35.5 11.1 50.6
2018 409 37.1 11.0 51.3
2019 414 34.2 12.1 56.8
2020 395 36.5 10.8 48.6
2021 348 32.6 10.6 50.6
2022 360 25.7 14.0 45
2023 351 26.8 13.0 57.3

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 Emerson Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $882 (6.1%) $13,600 (93.9%) $14,483
2020 $784 (5.0%) $14,842 (95.0%) $15,627
2021 $886 (5.5%) $15,116 (94.5%) $16,002

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Emerson Elementary

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 421st of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 628th of 1067 Elementary schools
 18.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Elementary)47.243.6
 3.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Madison Metropolitan School District)35.334.9
 0.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Emerson Elementary)46.245.5
 0.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)45.840.3
 5.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Elementary)56.343.5
 12.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Madison Metropolitan School District)41.944.9
 3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Emerson Elementary)46.930.4
 16.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)45.942.2
 3.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Emerson Elementary)65.152.2
 12.9%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Madison Metropolitan School District)50.156.6
 6.6%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Emerson Elementary)65.147.8
 17.3%
   4th Grade Science (Madison Metropolitan School District)48.250.5
 2.4%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Elementary)46.838.6
 8.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Madison Metropolitan School District)38.538.2
 0.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Emerson Elementary)38.350
 11.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)4541.5
 3.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students414351
 15.2%
African American8786
 1.1%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian1711
 35.3%
Hispanic5953
 10.2%
Pacific Islander00
White188148
 21.3%
Two or More Races6148
 21.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients56.8%57.3%
 0.5%


Schools Near Emerson Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Emerson Elementary

Emerson Elementary ranks 671st of 1061 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Emerson Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sherman Middle
High : East High

Students at Emerson Elementary are 42% White, 25% African American, 15% Hispanic, 14% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 351 students attended Emerson Elementary.


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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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