Best traditional public schools in Madison (2025)

District-run public schools. Ranked by the Success Index (US) from official American data; 45 schools in Madison, Wisconsin. Rank positions shown on each profile are within United States and Wisconsin.

1
88
Shorewood Hills ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary82% Math proficiency · 368 students
2
86
Van Hise ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary82% Math proficiency · 396 students
3
78
Hamilton MiddleMadison · Public Middle62% Math proficiency · 790 students
4
78
Midvale ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary42.2% Free/reduced-price lunch · 372 students
5
76
Franklin ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary29.9% Free/reduced-price lunch · 308 students
6
75
Randall Elementary SchoolMadison · Public Elementary67% Math proficiency · 320 students
7
72
Lapham ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary44% Free/reduced-price lunch · 182 students
8
70
Lowell ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary62% Math proficiency · 329 students
9
67
Crestwood ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary57% Math proficiency · 293 students
10
66
Marquette ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary57% Math proficiency · 169 students
11
65
Cesar Chavez ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary55% Math proficiency · 631 students
12
63
West HighMadison · Public High47% Math proficiency · 2,222 students
13
59
Thoreau ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary47% Math proficiency · 403 students
14
59
Spring Harbor MiddleMadison · Public Middle45% Math proficiency · 269 students
15
57
Elvehjem ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary52% Math proficiency · 415 students
16
56
Huegel ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary47% Math proficiency · 417 students
17
55
Stephens ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary49% Math proficiency · 447 students
18
55
Muir ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary47% Math proficiency · 377 students
19
54
Emerson ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary42% Math proficiency · 297 students
20
52
Vel Phillips Memorial High SchoolMadison · Public High45% Math proficiency · 2,004 students
21
51
O'Keeffe MiddleMadison · Public Middle38% Math proficiency · 434 students
22
48
Cherokee Heights MiddleMadison · Public Middle37% Math proficiency · 526 students
23
47
Kennedy ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary51% Math proficiency · 582 students
24
45
Lincoln ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary35% Math proficiency · 393 students
25
44
Toki MiddleMadison · Public Middle33% Math proficiency · 487 students
26
43
Ezekiel Gillespie Middle SchoolMadison · Public Middle35% Math proficiency · 462 students
27
42
Gompers ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary42% Math proficiency · 217 students
28
38
Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary SchoolMadison · Public Elementary34% Math proficiency · 462 students
29
37
Schenk ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary32% Math proficiency · 394 students
30
37
Sandburg ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary32% Math proficiency · 410 students
31
36
Orchard Ridge ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary32% Math proficiency · 265 students
32
36
Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary SchoolMadison · Public Elementary27% Math proficiency · 455 students
33
34
Hawthorne ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary32% Math proficiency · 360 students
34
33
Lindbergh ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary27% Math proficiency · 180 students
35
32
East HighMadison · Public High27% Math proficiency · 1,643 students
36
32
Sennett MiddleMadison · Public Middle25% Math proficiency · 570 students
37
31
Sherman MiddleMadison · Public Middle18% Math proficiency · 400 students
38
31
Leopold ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary18% Math proficiency · 626 students
39
29
Mendota ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary27% Math proficiency · 282 students
40
29
Whitehorse MiddleMadison · Public Middle22% Math proficiency · 415 students
41
28
James Wright MiddleMadison · Public Middle22% Math proficiency · 245 students
42
28
LaFollette HighMadison · Public High22% Math proficiency · 1,541 students
43
26
Black Hawk MiddleMadison · Public Middle15% Math proficiency · 300 students
44
26
Lake View ElementaryMadison · Public Elementary17% Math proficiency · 292 students
45
26
Southside Elementary SchoolMadison · Public Elementary22% Math proficiency · 336 students

#	School	Sector	Success Index (US)	Key result	Students
1	Shorewood Hills Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	88.0 Top 5%	82% Math proficiency	368
2	Van Hise Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	86.0 Top 5%	82% Math proficiency	396
3	Hamilton Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	78.2 Top 25%	62% Math proficiency	790
4	Midvale Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–2	Public	77.6 Top 25%	42.2% Free/reduced-price lunch	372
5	Franklin Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–2	Public	76.0 Top 25%	29.9% Free/reduced-price lunch	308
6	Randall Elementary School Madison · Elementary · Grades 3–5	Public	74.9 Top 25%	67% Math proficiency	320
7	Lapham Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–2	Public	72.0 Top 25%	44% Free/reduced-price lunch	182
8	Lowell Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	70.0 Top 25%	62% Math proficiency	329
9	Crestwood Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	67.2 Top 50%	57% Math proficiency	293
10	Marquette Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades 3–5	Public	66.1 Top 50%	57% Math proficiency	169
11	Cesar Chavez Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	64.7 Top 50%	55% Math proficiency	631
12	West High Madison · High · Grades 9–12	Public	63.1 Top 50%	47% Math proficiency	2,222
13	Thoreau Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	58.9 Top 50%	47% Math proficiency	403
14	Spring Harbor Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	58.5 Top 50%	45% Math proficiency	269
15	Elvehjem Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	56.6 Top 50%	52% Math proficiency	415
16	Huegel Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	56.2 Top 50%	47% Math proficiency	417
17	Stephens Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	55.1 Top 50%	49% Math proficiency	447
18	Muir Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	54.9 Top 50%	47% Math proficiency	377
19	Emerson Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	54.0 Top 50%	42% Math proficiency	297
20	Vel Phillips Memorial High School Madison · High · Grades 9–12	Public	52.0 Top 50%	45% Math proficiency	2,004
21	O'Keeffe Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	50.8 Top 50%	38% Math proficiency	434
22	Cherokee Heights Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	48.1 Lower 50%	37% Math proficiency	526
23	Kennedy Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	46.9 Lower 50%	51% Math proficiency	582
24	Lincoln Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	44.9 Lower 50%	35% Math proficiency	393
25	Toki Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	44.4 Lower 50%	33% Math proficiency	487
26	Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	42.5 Lower 50%	35% Math proficiency	462
27	Gompers Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	42.3 Lower 50%	42% Math proficiency	217
28	Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary School Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	37.7 Lower 50%	34% Math proficiency	462
29	Schenk Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	36.8 Lower 50%	32% Math proficiency	394
30	Sandburg Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	36.6 Lower 50%	32% Math proficiency	410
31	Orchard Ridge Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	36.4 Lower 50%	32% Math proficiency	265
32	Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	36.2 Lower 50%	27% Math proficiency	455
33	Hawthorne Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	34.0 Lower 50%	32% Math proficiency	360
34	Lindbergh Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	33.0 Lower 50%	27% Math proficiency	180
35	East High Madison · High · Grades 9–12	Public	32.2 Lower 50%	27% Math proficiency	1,643
36	Sennett Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	32.1 Lower 50%	25% Math proficiency	570
37	Sherman Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	31.2 Lower 50%	18% Math proficiency	400
38	Leopold Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	30.7 Lower 50%	18% Math proficiency	626
39	Mendota Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	29.2 Lower 50%	27% Math proficiency	282
40	Whitehorse Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	29.1 Lower 50%	22% Math proficiency	415
41	James Wright Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	28.3 Lower 50%	22% Math proficiency	245
42	LaFollette High Madison · High · Grades 9–12	Public	28.3 Lower 50%	22% Math proficiency	1,541
43	Black Hawk Middle Madison · Middle · Grades 6–8	Public	26.2 Lower 50%	15% Math proficiency	300
44	Lake View Elementary Madison · Elementary · Grades K–5	Public	26.2 Lower 50%	17% Math proficiency	292
45	Southside Elementary School Madison · Elementary · Grades PK–5	Public	26.2 Lower 50%	22% Math proficiency	336

Shorewood Hills Elementary in Madison leads the 2025 list of traditional public schools in Madison with a Success Index (US) of 88.0. Of the 45 schools shown, 45 are public.

For the full picture see the wider Wisconsin traditional public schools rankings, every school on the Madison page, or the comparison tool to put a shortlist side by side.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best public school in Madison?

Shorewood Hills Elementary in Madison, Wisconsin ranks first among traditional public schools in Madison with a Success Index (US) of 88.0 out of 100 (Enrollment: 368).

How are traditional public schools in Madison ranked?

Each school's Success Index (US) combines 4 factors: math proficiency (30%), reading proficiency (30%), community advantage (fewer free/reduced-price lunch) (25%), students per teacher (15%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across United States. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.

Are these 2025 rankings official?

No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official American data (Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES CCD, EDFacts); NCES Common Core of Data). States set their own assessments and proficiency cut scores, so proficiency rates are most comparable within a state. Use the state rankings for like-for-like comparisons.