West High

Summary:

West High is a public high school located in Madison, Wisconsin, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,147 students. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, which is ranked 330 out of 428 school districts in Wisconsin and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West High has consistently been one of the top-performing high schools in Wisconsin over the past several years, ranking 51st out of 431 Wisconsin high schools and receiving a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2023-2024 school year. The school outperforms the district and state in standardized test scores, with significantly higher proficiency rates in Social Studies, English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. West High's performance is particularly strong among certain student subgroups, such as White, Multi-racial, and Male students, who consistently rank among the top high schools in the state. However, the school's performance is less strong for some other subgroups, such as Hispanic students and Low Socio-Economic Status students.

While West High has maintained a high four-year graduation rate and a relatively low dropout rate, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 23.0% in the 2019-2020 school year to 32.1% in the 2022-2023 school year. When compared to other high schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District, such as LaFollette High and East High, West High generally outperforms its peers. However, Middleton High (in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District) also demonstrates strong academic performance and may serve as a useful benchmark for West High to aspire to.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 30 Ash St
       Madison, WI  53726-3995


(608) 204-4100

District: Madison Metropolitan School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
51st of 431 Wisconsin High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,939 Help


Feeder schools for West High:

Elementary:    Franklin Elementary
    Leopold Elementary
    Lincoln Elementary
    Midvale Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Cherokee Heights Middle
    Hamilton Middle
    James Wright Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  16.7 Help
Number of students:  2,147

Racial breakdown:

White:
51.5%
Hispanic:
22.4%
African American:
10.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  31.1% Help


 See top rated Wisconsin high schools

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Performance Trends
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Compare Details West High ranks better than 88.2% of high schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks first 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 80.76. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of West High freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
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
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Compare Details West High has the largest high school student body size in the Madison Metropolitan School District. Racial makeup is: White (51.5%), Hispanic (22.4%), African American (10.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 31.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Madison Metropolitan School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West High is 16.7, which is the highest among 7 high schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District! (See more...)
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Compare West High employs 128 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at West High is $12,939. 5 high schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West High:

SchoolDigger ranks West High 51st of 431 Wisconsin public high schools. (See West High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner 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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Rank History for West High

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Rank History for all students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 66.71 97th 275 64.7%
2005 53.83 185th 287 35.5%
2006 53.82 195th 292 33.2%
2007 69.00 98th 281 65.1%
2008 63.35 175th 437 60.0%
2009 49.03 306th 438 30.1%
2010 63.66 193rd 450 57.1%
2011 63.37 189th 445 57.5%
2012 55.37 264th 452 41.6%
2013 71.85 95th 457 79.2%
2014 67.24 134th 462 71.0%
2015 57.84 250th 466 46.4%
2016 84.57 48th 408 88.2%
2017 86.03 36th 410 91.2%
2018 89.85 23rd 410 94.4%
2019 92.76 17th 400 95.8%
2021 96.92 7th 390 98.2%
2022 89.69 26th 391 93.4%
2023 86.78 39th 415 90.6%
2024 80.76 51st 431 88.2%
See the entire list of Wisconsin High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.22 2nd 35 94.3%
2021 96.32 2nd 37 94.6%
2023 95.54 2nd 56 96.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.81 2nd 5 60.0%
2019 37.68 2nd 2 0.0%
2022 78.19 1st 2 50.0%
2023 30.53 1st 1 0.0%
2024 47.27 3rd 5 40.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 56.03 15th 55 72.7%
2024 52.49 40th 95 57.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.14 191st 255 25.1%
2019 27.49 203rd 251 19.1%
2021 40.67 132nd 226 41.6%
2022 24.14 212th 250 15.2%
2023 25.04 229th 271 15.5%
2024 27.47 259th 326 20.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.27 23rd 355 93.5%
2019 88.68 23rd 343 93.3%
2021 93.31 12th 332 96.4%
2022 88.14 20th 343 94.2%
2024 74.13 68th 353 80.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.17 33rd 40 17.5%
2019 61.43 12th 32 62.5%
2021 69.57 5th 23 78.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.91 33rd 373 91.2%
2019 91.82 15th 354 95.8%
2021 96.65 4th 334 98.8%
2022 87.08 27th 347 92.2%
2023 91.24 20th 359 94.4%
2024 83.24 37th 365 89.9%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.92 23rd 51 54.9%
2019 49.93 21st 44 52.3%
2022 64.63 19th 48 60.4%
2024 73.51 13th 51 74.5%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 41.83 7th 18 61.1%
2021 66.36 4th 12 66.7%
2022 46.79 10th 20 50.0%
2023 44.97 9th 13 30.8%
2024 39.65 15th 26 42.3%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.22 42nd 76 44.7%
2019 39.29 53rd 86 38.4%
2021 33.09 45th 68 33.8%
2022 28.78 64th 86 25.6%
2023 28.60 74th 97 23.7%
2024 22.96 94th 119 21.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at West High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 99.27 2nd 261 99.2%
2019 99.37 2nd 266 99.2%
2021 99.53 1st 266 99.6%
2022 97.67 5th 269 98.1%
2023 95.92 12th 271 95.6%
2024 95.04 6th 300 98.0%
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.

West High 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 West High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1626 171 151 35 4 n/a n/a 0 1987
1989 1478 163 149 53 7 n/a n/a 0 1850
1990 1341 140 135 43 9 n/a n/a 0 1668
1991 1329 199 169 60 8 n/a n/a 0 1765
1992 1329 233 155 59 11 n/a n/a 0 1787
1993 1357 226 189 70 13 n/a n/a 0 1855
1994 1343 215 199 59 10 n/a n/a 0 1826
1995 1442 253 171 70 10 n/a n/a 0 1946
1996 1442 253 171 70 10 n/a n/a 0 1946
1997 1427 250 162 74 13 n/a n/a 0 1926
1998 1471 264 167 89 14 n/a n/a 0 2005
1999 1469 260 174 96 11 n/a n/a 0 2010
2000 1460 249 206 98 15 n/a n/a 0 2028
2001 1411 308 217 142 15 n/a n/a 0 2093
2002 1424 296 218 194 19 n/a n/a 0 2151
2003 1424 296 218 194 19 n/a n/a 0 2151
2004 1353 286 234 220 17 n/a n/a 0 2110
2005 1352 317 238 209 13 n/a n/a 0 2129
2006 1282 283 261 210 7 n/a n/a 0 2043
2007 1262 288 243 224 12 n/a n/a 0 2029
2008 1255 316 233 240 9 n/a n/a 0 2053
2009 1179 322 219 263 21 n/a n/a 0 2004
2010 1208 356 222 274 27 n/a n/a 0 2087
2011 1155 315 202 300 15 3 97 0 2087
2012 1149 307 205 303 10 2 110 0 2086
2013 1135 297 214 298 10 3 115 0 2072
2014 1125 274 188 315 8 1 124 0 2035
2015 1095 253 219 352 8 2 133 0 2062
2016 1125 251 213 381 7 2 132 0 2111
2017 1162 257 205 412 4 2 127 0 2169
2018 1169 278 228 406 6 1 144 0 2232
2019 1198 261 202 399 6 1 161 0 2228
2020 1153 250 206 423 6 2 169 0 2209
2021 1142 230 191 427 5 2 167 0 2164
2022 1146 233 178 438 3 2 175 0 2175
2023 1105 217 164 482 4 1 166 8 2147

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 West High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1987 105.6 18.8 15.5
1989 1850 102.1 18.1 8.9
1990 1668 95.5 17.4 8.4
1991 1765 94.8 18.6 15.9
1992 1787 110.4 16.1 15.9
1993 1855 114.6 16.2 20.6
1994 1826 111.9 16.3 20.4
1995 1946 117.8 16.5 21.8
1996 1946 117.8 16.5 21.8
1997 1926 122.5 15.7 22.4
1998 2005 124.5 16.1 22
1999 2010 126.3 15.9 27.7
2000 2028 126.0 16.1 28.4
2001 2093 133.9 15.6 29.5
2002 2151 136.5 15.8 18.7
2003 2151 136.5 15.8 18.7
2004 2110 134.6 15.7 24.1
2005 2129 137.7 15.5 n/a
2006 2043 131.5 15.5 n/a
2007 2029 124.0 16.4 27
2008 2053 119.8 17.1 27.3
2009 2004 117.1 17.1 31.1
2010 2087 116.8 17.8 32.7
2011 2087 125.3 16.6 35.3
2012 2086 122.3 17.0 34.4
2013 2072 132.3 15.6 34.2
2014 2035 127.1 16.0 35.2
2015 2062 n/a n/a 32.7
2016 2111 128.0 16.4 35.5
2017 2169 124.7 17.3 32.6
2018 2232 132.1 16.8 32.8
2019 2228 137.1 16.2 32.1
2020 2209 135.1 16.3 30
2021 2164 131.7 16.4 34.2
2022 2175 136.7 15.9 29.6
2023 2147 128.0 16.7 31.1

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 West High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1987 105.6 18.8 15.5
1989 1850 102.1 18.1 8.9
1990 1668 95.5 17.4 8.4
1991 1765 94.8 18.6 15.9
1992 1787 110.4 16.1 15.9
1993 1855 114.6 16.2 20.6
1994 1826 111.9 16.3 20.4
1995 1946 117.8 16.5 21.8
1996 1946 117.8 16.5 21.8
1997 1926 122.5 15.7 22.4
1998 2005 124.5 16.1 22
1999 2010 126.3 15.9 27.7
2000 2028 126.0 16.1 28.4
2001 2093 133.9 15.6 29.5
2002 2151 136.5 15.8 18.7
2003 2151 136.5 15.8 18.7
2004 2110 134.6 15.7 24.1
2005 2129 137.7 15.5 n/a
2006 2043 131.5 15.5 n/a
2007 2029 124.0 16.4 27
2008 2053 119.8 17.1 27.3
2009 2004 117.1 17.1 31.1
2010 2087 116.8 17.8 32.7
2011 2087 125.3 16.6 35.3
2012 2086 122.3 17.0 34.4
2013 2072 132.3 15.6 34.2
2014 2035 127.1 16.0 35.2
2015 2062 n/a n/a 32.7
2016 2111 128.0 16.4 35.5
2017 2169 124.7 17.3 32.6
2018 2232 132.1 16.8 32.8
2019 2228 137.1 16.2 32.1
2020 2209 135.1 16.3 30
2021 2164 131.7 16.4 34.2
2022 2175 136.7 15.9 29.6
2023 2147 128.0 16.7 31.1

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 West High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $323 (2.6%) $12,326 (97.5%) $12,648
2020 $328 (2.6%) $12,315 (97.4%) $12,644
2021 $407 (3.1%) $12,533 (96.9%) $12,939

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

Impact of COVID-19 on West High

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 17th of 400 High schoolsRanks 39th of 415 High schools
 5.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade Social Studies (West High)65.359.7
 5.7%
   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 (West High)66.260.5
 5.8%
   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 (West High)48.143.4
 4.7%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Madison Metropolitan School District)35.829.5
 6.3%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)30.829.4
 1.3%
10th Grade Science (West High)52.555.5
 2.9%
   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 Students22282147
 3.6%
African American261217
 16.9%
American Indian64
 33.3%
Asian202164
 18.8%
Hispanic399482
 20.8%
Pacific Islander11
White11981105
 7.8%
Two or More Races161166
 3.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients32.1%31.1%
 1%


Schools Near West High









Frequently Asked Questions about West High

West High ranks 51st of 431 Wisconsin high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,147 students attended West High.

Students at West High are 51% White, 22% Hispanic, 10% African American, 8% Two or more races, 8% Asian.

West High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Franklin Elementary
Elementary : Leopold Elementary
Elementary : Lincoln Elementary
Elementary : Midvale Elementary
Elementary : Randall Elementary School
Elementary : Shorewood Hills Elementary
Elementary : Thoreau Elementary
Elementary : Van Hise Elementary
Middle : Cherokee Heights Middle
Middle : Hamilton Middle
Middle : James Wright Middle


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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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