Lowell Elementary

Summary:

Lowell Elementary is a public elementary school in Madison, Wisconsin, serving 334 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.

Lowell Elementary has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking over the past decade, ranging from a high of 147th out of 1,050 Wisconsin elementary schools in 2020-2021 to a low of 789th out of 1,075 in 2015-2016. Currently, the school ranks 589th out of 1,061 Wisconsin elementary schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. While Lowell consistently outperforms the district and state in standardized test scores, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics, it struggles with the performance of its African American and English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking in the bottom 10-15% of Wisconsin elementary schools for these subgroups. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.8% in 2018-2019 to 32.3% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state and district averages.

Compared to nearby schools, Lowell Elementary's performance is generally stronger than other schools within the Madison Metropolitan School District, such as Elvehjem Elementary, Lapham Elementary, and Emerson Elementary. However, Marquette Elementary, another school within the same district, outperforms Lowell Elementary across multiple metrics, including test scores, student subgroup performance, and chronic absenteeism. Additionally, Winnequah School, located in the neighboring Monona Grove School District, also outperforms Lowell Elementary in several areas.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 401 Maple Ave
       Madison, WI  53704-5894


(608) 204-6600

District: Madison Metropolitan School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
589th of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,452 Help


Students who attend Lowell Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    O'Keeffe Middle
High:    East High

Student/teacher ratio:  11.6 Help
Number of students:  334

Racial breakdown:

White:
52.4%
African American:
24.0%
Hispanic:
10.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  45.2% Help


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 Compare Lowell Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Lowell Elementary ranks worse than 55.5% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 10th among 29 ranked elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.31. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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: White (52.4%), African American (24%), Hispanic (10.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 45.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lowell Elementary is 11.6. 18 elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Lowell Elementary employs 28.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lowell Elementary is $14,452. 25 elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lowell Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Lowell Elementary 589th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Lowell Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Madison Metropolitan School District:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Lowell Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 50.22 398th 632 37.0%
2006 36.60 548th 712 23.0%
2007 59.12 358th 689 48.0%
2008 45.88 704th 1021 31.0%
2009 31.95 840th 1030 18.4%
2010 34.30 821st 1045 21.4%
2011 43.44 765th 1046 26.9%
2012 40.08 815th 1045 22.0%
2013 64.70 345th 1053 67.2%
2014 57.12 482nd 1061 54.6%
2015 51.69 605th 1076 43.8%
2016 33.89 789th 1075 26.6%
2017 43.84 671st 1071 37.3%
2018 62.63 383rd 1025 62.6%
2019 78.11 169th 1037 83.7%
2021 80.24 147th 1050 86.0%
2022 69.02 301st 1067 71.8%
2023 55.14 528th 1067 50.5%
2024 53.31 589th 1061 44.5%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 77.43 14th 85 83.5%
2022 40.66 41st 77 46.8%
2023 29.06 69th 96 28.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.11 284th 287 1.0%
2019 50.95 107th 275 61.1%
2022 26.13 212th 248 14.5%
2023 23.50 226th 249 9.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.26 206th 721 71.4%
2019 71.19 133rd 742 82.1%
2021 87.79 36th 746 95.2%
2022 68.28 157th 748 79.0%
2023 67.68 180th 770 76.6%
2024 41.44 453rd 790 42.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.25 531st 854 37.8%
2019 39.54 575th 874 34.2%
2021 28.13 665th 847 21.5%
2022 24.92 710th 859 17.3%
2023 15.86 793rd 871 9.0%
2024 13.12 802nd 866 7.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.75 520th 997 47.8%
2019 75.42 202nd 1002 79.8%
2021 81.86 124th 1004 87.6%
2022 75.56 207th 1017 79.6%
2023 60.14 422nd 1010 58.2%
2024 55.70 517th 1011 48.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.92 236th 997 76.3%
2019 78.81 146th 1002 85.4%
2021 72.49 222nd 1003 77.9%
2022 60.21 395th 1017 61.2%
2023 49.07 585th 1011 42.1%
2024 50.20 582nd 1012 42.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.15 76th 165 53.9%
2019 13.30 160th 161 0.6%
2021 24.65 124th 141 12.1%
2022 23.39 115th 133 13.5%
2023 24.62 116th 138 15.9%
2024 19.41 128th 137 6.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.92 63rd 271 76.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Lowell Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.08 85th 686 87.6%
2019 91.45 22nd 718 96.9%
2021 88.41 33rd 699 95.3%
2022 84.70 54th 704 92.3%
2023 84.23 61st 715 91.5%
2024 88.78 27th 727 96.3%
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.

Lowell Elementary 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: 4)
0%

100%

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Reviews:
Facebook Profile Picture by a parent on FaceBook
Friday, January 31, 2014

Open Quote Excellent 4 K teachers good to children, very devoted to this what they do. Great job! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Lowell Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 376 85 33 16 3 n/a n/a 0 513
1989 401 80 42 27 7 n/a n/a 0 557
1990 357 85 37 26 2 n/a n/a 0 507
1991 289 86 33 33 1 n/a n/a 0 442
1992 309 97 31 33 3 n/a n/a 0 473
1993 294 117 26 43 3 n/a n/a 0 483
1994 271 118 34 34 6 n/a n/a 0 463
1995 268 124 44 25 4 n/a n/a 0 465
1996 268 124 44 25 4 n/a n/a 0 465
1997 285 125 50 35 4 n/a n/a 0 499
1998 284 109 56 38 2 n/a n/a 0 489
1999 236 89 54 39 2 n/a n/a 0 420
2000 224 91 43 34 3 n/a n/a 0 395
2001 225 93 44 30 2 n/a n/a 0 394
2002 176 94 35 30 2 n/a n/a 0 337
2003 176 94 35 30 2 n/a n/a 0 337
2004 167 82 27 34 3 n/a n/a 0 313
2005 129 81 21 37 2 n/a n/a 0 270
2006 128 79 19 37 3 n/a n/a 0 266
2007 120 76 17 40 3 n/a n/a 0 256
2008 116 90 18 48 4 n/a n/a 0 276
2009 119 93 24 46 3 n/a n/a 0 285
2010 140 79 23 59 2 n/a n/a 0 303
2011 161 72 16 48 1 1 25 0 324
2012 202 81 22 70 2 1 32 0 410
2013 185 79 16 54 2 1 28 0 365
2014 202 67 10 45 2 0 41 0 367
2015 216 63 10 57 1 0 32 0 379
2016 222 62 10 78 1 0 36 0 409
2017 213 50 8 48 0 0 27 0 346
2018 220 54 9 38 0 0 27 0 348
2019 217 52 11 46 1 0 24 0 351
2020 230 51 9 33 1 0 26 0 350
2021 208 72 11 29 2 0 37 0 359
2022 201 74 9 34 1 0 34 0 353
2023 175 80 10 34 1 0 34 0 334

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 Lowell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 513 39.4 13.0 15.6
1989 557 38.3 14.5 32.9
1990 507 41.8 12.1 35.7
1991 442 39.0 11.3 19.9
1992 473 37.3 12.6 15.9
1993 483 39.6 12.2 20.5
1994 463 34.8 13.3 20.5
1995 465 37.3 12.5 21.7
1996 465 37.3 12.5 21.7
1997 499 38.4 13.0 22.4
1998 489 39.7 12.3 21.9
1999 420 39.2 10.7 27.6
2000 395 36.6 10.8 28.4
2001 394 36.4 10.8 29.4
2002 337 29.6 11.4 46
2003 337 29.6 11.4 46
2004 313 29.0 10.8 49.2
2005 270 26.9 10.0 n/a
2006 266 25.4 10.5 n/a
2007 256 23.2 11.0 48.4
2008 276 23.5 11.7 51.4
2009 285 26.3 10.8 57.5
2010 303 29.4 10.3 54.5
2011 324 30.7 10.5 50.6
2012 410 29.2 14.0 52.4
2013 365 36.3 10.0 52.3
2014 367 33.6 10.9 48.2
2015 379 n/a n/a 47.8
2016 409 33.0 12.3 46.7
2017 346 31.1 11.1 37.3
2018 348 31.3 11.1 34.5
2019 351 31.7 11.0 38.2
2020 350 29.3 11.9 33.1
2021 359 27.0 13.2 42.9
2022 353 28.2 12.5 39.9
2023 334 28.7 11.6 45.2

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 Lowell Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 513 39.4 13.0 15.6
1989 557 38.3 14.5 32.9
1990 507 41.8 12.1 35.7
1991 442 39.0 11.3 19.9
1992 473 37.3 12.6 15.9
1993 483 39.6 12.2 20.5
1994 463 34.8 13.3 20.5
1995 465 37.3 12.5 21.7
1996 465 37.3 12.5 21.7
1997 499 38.4 13.0 22.4
1998 489 39.7 12.3 21.9
1999 420 39.2 10.7 27.6
2000 395 36.6 10.8 28.4
2001 394 36.4 10.8 29.4
2002 337 29.6 11.4 46
2003 337 29.6 11.4 46
2004 313 29.0 10.8 49.2
2005 270 26.9 10.0 n/a
2006 266 25.4 10.5 n/a
2007 256 23.2 11.0 48.4
2008 276 23.5 11.7 51.4
2009 285 26.3 10.8 57.5
2010 303 29.4 10.3 54.5
2011 324 30.7 10.5 50.6
2012 410 29.2 14.0 52.4
2013 365 36.3 10.0 52.3
2014 367 33.6 10.9 48.2
2015 379 n/a n/a 47.8
2016 409 33.0 12.3 46.7
2017 346 31.1 11.1 37.3
2018 348 31.3 11.1 34.5
2019 351 31.7 11.0 38.2
2020 350 29.3 11.9 33.1
2021 359 27.0 13.2 42.9
2022 353 28.2 12.5 39.9
2023 334 28.7 11.6 45.2

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 Lowell Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $575 (4.0%) $13,957 (96.0%) $14,532
2020 $530 (3.7%) $13,974 (96.3%) $14,505
2021 $402 (2.8%) $14,051 (97.2%) $14,452

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Lowell 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 169th of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 528th of 1067 Elementary schools
 33.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lowell Elementary)71.439.6
 31.9%
   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 (Lowell Elementary)77.637.5
 40.1%
   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 (Lowell Elementary)61.548.2
 13.3%
   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 (Lowell Elementary)65.444.6
 20.7%
   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 (Lowell Elementary)7569.6
 5.4%
   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 (Lowell Elementary)65.453.6
 11.8%
   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 (Lowell Elementary)46.852.2
 5.4%
   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 (Lowell Elementary)46.838.3
 8.5%
   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 Students351334
 4.8%
African American5280
 53.8%
American Indian11
Asian1110
 9.1%
Hispanic4634
 26.1%
Pacific Islander00
White217175
 19.4%
Two or More Races2434
 41.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients38.2%45.2%
 7%


Schools Near Lowell Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Lowell Elementary

Lowell Elementary ranks 589th of 1061 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Lowell Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : O'Keeffe Middle
High : East High

Students at Lowell Elementary are 52% White, 24% African American, 10% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 334 students attended Lowell 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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