Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Summary:

Vel Phillips Memorial High School is a public high school in Madison, Wisconsin, serving 2,025 students in grades 9-12. 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.

Vel Phillips Memorial High School has shown strong academic performance, ranking 194 out of 431 Wisconsin high schools in the 2023-2024 school year and receiving a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. However, the school's performance has fluctuated, with a high ranking of 33 out of 390 schools in the 2020-2021 school year, earning a 5-star rating. The school's graduation rates have remained strong, ranging from 86.9% to 90.7% over the past five years, generally higher than nearby schools. But Vel Phillips Memorial High School has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 21.9% in 2019-2020 to 43.4% in 2022-2023, notably higher than the nearby Middleton High (26.8%) and West High (32.1%).

While Vel Phillips Memorial High School's performance is generally stronger than other Madison Metropolitan School District high schools, it lags behind the high-performing Waunakee High and Middleton High schools. The school also faces challenges in addressing disparities among student subgroups, particularly for Hispanic and low-socioeconomic status students. Addressing the root causes of the chronic absenteeism issue and targeting interventions to support all students could help Vel Phillips Memorial High School maintain and improve its academic standing.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 201 S Gammon Rd
       Madison, WI  53717-1499


(608) 663-5990

District: Madison Metropolitan School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
194th of 431 Wisconsin High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,941 Help


Feeder schools for Vel Phillips Memorial High School:

Elementary:    Cesar Chavez Elementary
    Crestwood Elementary
    Huegel Elementary
    Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School
    Spring Harbor Middle
    Toki Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  2,025

Racial breakdown:

White:
41.9%
Hispanic:
23.7%
African American:
15.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.1% Help


 See top rated Wisconsin high schools

 Compare Vel Phillips Memorial High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Vel Phillips Memorial High School ranks better than 55% of high schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 2nd among 5 ranked high schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.33. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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
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Compare Details Student population at Vel Phillips Memorial High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (41.9%), Hispanic (23.7%), African American (15.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 39.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Vel Phillips Memorial High School is 16.4. 5 high schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Vel Phillips Memorial High School employs 123.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Vel Phillips Memorial High School is $12,941. 4 high schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Vel Phillips Memorial High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Vel Phillips Memorial High School 194th of 431 Wisconsin public high schools. (See Vel Phillips Memorial High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian 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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Your rating for Vel Phillips Memorial High School?

Rank History for Vel Phillips Memorial High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 53.38 175th 275 36.4%
2005 56.88 166th 287 42.2%
2006 46.44 223rd 292 23.6%
2007 45.29 215th 281 23.5%
2008 39.14 354th 437 19.0%
2009 44.93 329th 438 24.9%
2010 51.61 308th 450 31.6%
2011 61.15 211th 445 52.6%
2012 58.23 235th 452 48.0%
2013 61.47 171st 457 62.6%
2014 57.75 215th 462 53.5%
2015 54.81 271st 466 41.8%
2016 88.03 32nd 408 92.2%
2017 87.14 33rd 410 92.0%
2018 82.12 47th 410 88.5%
2019 83.39 40th 400 90.0%
2021 89.10 33rd 390 91.5%
2022 67.30 108th 391 72.4%
2023 58.58 159th 415 61.7%
2024 53.33 194th 431 55.0%
See the entire list of Wisconsin High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.45 15th 35 57.1%
2019 58.57 16th 37 56.8%
2022 41.05 23rd 41 43.9%
2024 79.66 9th 71 87.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 37.68 37th 55 32.7%
2024 55.01 37th 95 61.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.62 212th 255 16.9%
2019 19.40 226th 251 10.0%
2021 49.69 102nd 226 54.9%
2022 21.43 222nd 250 11.2%
2023 16.59 253rd 271 6.6%
2024 15.75 294th 326 9.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.27 52nd 355 85.4%
2019 80.99 42nd 343 87.8%
2021 77.72 55th 332 83.4%
2022 61.55 128th 343 62.7%
2024 51.07 187th 353 47.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.24 16th 40 60.0%
2019 50.06 16th 32 50.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.93 50th 373 86.6%
2019 80.32 49th 354 86.2%
2021 91.61 19th 334 94.3%
2022 66.41 88th 347 74.6%
2023 48.04 188th 359 47.6%
2024 51.03 179th 365 51.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.07 7th 51 86.3%
2019 69.91 12th 44 72.7%
2021 77.70 10th 44 77.3%
2022 64.46 20th 48 58.3%
2023 45.37 25th 50 50.0%
2024 42.84 26th 51 49.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.32 13th 20 35.0%
2023 59.01 5th 13 61.5%
2024 32.06 19th 26 26.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.08 53rd 76 30.3%
2019 46.56 44th 86 48.8%
2021 42.36 40th 68 41.2%
2022 30.96 57th 86 33.7%
2023 23.81 82nd 97 15.5%
2024 13.89 108th 119 9.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.93 16th 261 93.9%
2019 95.92 10th 266 96.2%
2021 94.16 12th 266 95.5%
2022 85.67 32nd 269 88.1%
2023 84.76 33rd 271 87.8%
2024 85.42 26th 300 91.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High 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.

Vel Phillips Memorial High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Thursday, November 20, 2014

Open Quote I received an amazing education from this school (31 on the ACT and a 4.0 at a challenging university my freshman year) . They offer an abundance of advanced placement (college credit possible pending test score) classes as well as an inspiring art program, competitive athletic programs in nearly every sport, and a ten time state winning Forensics (drama and speech) team. Go Spartans! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Vel Phillips Memorial High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1482 146 62 25 3 n/a n/a 0 1718
1989 1424 164 59 24 4 n/a n/a 0 1675
1990 1345 166 49 19 2 n/a n/a 0 1581
1991 1277 137 48 19 3 n/a n/a 0 1484
1992 1266 133 62 34 5 n/a n/a 0 1500
1993 1249 118 62 39 6 n/a n/a 0 1474
1994 1230 141 71 47 4 n/a n/a 0 1493
1995 1311 186 92 45 8 n/a n/a 0 1642
1996 1311 186 92 45 8 n/a n/a 0 1642
1997 1351 230 138 54 9 n/a n/a 0 1782
1998 1407 245 174 78 10 n/a n/a 0 1914
1999 1438 238 190 83 8 n/a n/a 0 1957
2000 1446 247 202 88 9 n/a n/a 0 1992
2001 1476 262 218 104 4 n/a n/a 0 2064
2002 1490 302 222 135 9 n/a n/a 0 2158
2003 1490 302 222 135 9 n/a n/a 0 2158
2004 1496 317 226 150 15 n/a n/a 0 2204
2005 1476 379 256 159 16 n/a n/a 0 2286
2006 1372 384 249 181 11 n/a n/a 0 2197
2007 1292 409 257 196 10 n/a n/a 0 2164
2008 1196 413 248 197 7 n/a n/a 0 2061
2009 1085 404 233 192 14 n/a n/a 0 1928
2010 1044 423 227 185 11 n/a n/a 0 1890
2011 988 370 195 221 10 4 78 0 1866
2012 1001 378 217 233 6 3 84 0 1922
2013 982 334 207 221 3 4 98 0 1849
2014 978 321 191 217 1 3 123 0 1834
2015 993 353 219 233 0 3 121 0 1922
2016 972 311 244 247 3 1 125 0 1903
2017 942 300 245 290 1 1 126 0 1905
2018 962 305 241 298 4 0 134 0 1944
2019 988 276 226 327 5 1 130 0 1953
2020 972 290 215 391 2 1 130 0 2001
2021 954 317 217 436 2 1 138 0 2065
2022 944 332 211 445 1 1 144 0 2078
2023 848 322 194 480 1 0 163 17 2025

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 Vel Phillips Memorial High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1718 106.8 16.0 15.5
1989 1675 106.4 15.7 3.9
1990 1581 93.1 16.9 4.9
1991 1484 95.9 15.4 20.2
1992 1500 96.9 15.4 15.9
1993 1474 97.5 15.1 20.6
1994 1493 95.5 15.6 20.4
1995 1642 102.8 16.0 21.8
1996 1642 102.8 16.0 21.8
1997 1782 116.8 15.3 22.5
1998 1914 119.2 16.1 21.9
1999 1957 125.2 15.6 27.6
2000 1992 129.4 15.4 28.4
2001 2064 131.3 15.7 29.5
2002 2158 137.0 15.8 19.2
2003 2158 137.0 15.8 19.2
2004 2204 142.3 15.5 22.3
2005 2286 143.8 15.9 n/a
2006 2197 144.3 15.2 n/a
2007 2164 136.0 15.9 28.5
2008 2061 132.7 15.5 29.9
2009 1928 126.1 15.3 33.1
2010 1890 119.4 15.8 34.9
2011 1866 120.8 15.4 37.3
2012 1922 123.4 15.5 38.6
2013 1849 134.1 13.7 36.5
2014 1834 129.1 14.2 36.3
2015 1922 n/a n/a 34.3
2016 1903 127.0 14.9 34.9
2017 1905 119.9 15.8 33.6
2018 1944 122.3 15.8 33.7
2019 1953 124.5 15.6 33.8
2020 2001 123.5 16.2 31
2021 2065 124.0 16.6 40
2022 2078 121.2 17.1 34.2
2023 2025 123.2 16.4 39.1

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 Vel Phillips Memorial High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1718 106.8 16.0 15.5
1989 1675 106.4 15.7 3.9
1990 1581 93.1 16.9 4.9
1991 1484 95.9 15.4 20.2
1992 1500 96.9 15.4 15.9
1993 1474 97.5 15.1 20.6
1994 1493 95.5 15.6 20.4
1995 1642 102.8 16.0 21.8
1996 1642 102.8 16.0 21.8
1997 1782 116.8 15.3 22.5
1998 1914 119.2 16.1 21.9
1999 1957 125.2 15.6 27.6
2000 1992 129.4 15.4 28.4
2001 2064 131.3 15.7 29.5
2002 2158 137.0 15.8 19.2
2003 2158 137.0 15.8 19.2
2004 2204 142.3 15.5 22.3
2005 2286 143.8 15.9 n/a
2006 2197 144.3 15.2 n/a
2007 2164 136.0 15.9 28.5
2008 2061 132.7 15.5 29.9
2009 1928 126.1 15.3 33.1
2010 1890 119.4 15.8 34.9
2011 1866 120.8 15.4 37.3
2012 1922 123.4 15.5 38.6
2013 1849 134.1 13.7 36.5
2014 1834 129.1 14.2 36.3
2015 1922 n/a n/a 34.3
2016 1903 127.0 14.9 34.9
2017 1905 119.9 15.8 33.6
2018 1944 122.3 15.8 33.7
2019 1953 124.5 15.6 33.8
2020 2001 123.5 16.2 31
2021 2065 124.0 16.6 40
2022 2078 121.2 17.1 34.2
2023 2025 123.2 16.4 39.1

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 Vel Phillips Memorial High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $387 (2.9%) $13,008 (97.1%) $13,395
2020 $330 (2.5%) $12,819 (97.5%) $13,150
2021 $407 (3.1%) $12,535 (96.9%) $12,941

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Vel Phillips Memorial High School

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 40th of 400 High schoolsRanks 159th of 415 High schools
 28.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade Social Studies (Vel Phillips Memorial High School)59.553.5
 6%
   10th Grade Social Studies (Madison Metropolitan School District)52.847.2
 5.6%
   10th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)45.947.2
 1.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Vel Phillips Memorial High School)50.540.7
 9.8%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Madison Metropolitan School District)45.140.5
 4.6%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)38.841.4
 2.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Vel Phillips Memorial High School)47.136.3
 10.9%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)35.829.5
 6.3%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)30.829.4
 1.3%
10th Grade Science (Vel Phillips Memorial High School)4736.2
 10.8%
   10th Grade Science (Madison Metropolitan School District)37.135.5
 1.6%
   10th Grade Science (Wisconsin)32.731.7
 1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students19532025
 3.7%
African American276322
 16.7%
American Indian51
 80%
Asian226194
 14.2%
Hispanic327480
 46.8%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White988848
 14.2%
Two or More Races130163
 25.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients33.8%39.1%
 5.3%


Schools Near Vel Phillips Memorial High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Vel Phillips Memorial High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,025 students attended Vel Phillips Memorial High School.

Vel Phillips Memorial High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cesar Chavez Elementary
Elementary : Crestwood Elementary
Elementary : Huegel Elementary
Elementary : Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
Elementary : Muir Elementary
Elementary : Olson Elementary
Elementary : Orchard Ridge Elementary
Elementary : Stephens Elementary
Middle : Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School
Middle : Spring Harbor Middle
Middle : Toki Middle

Vel Phillips Memorial High School ranks 194th of 431 Wisconsin high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School are 42% White, 24% Hispanic, 16% African American, 10% Asian, 8% Two or more races.


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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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