📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (Forward Exam 2024–25), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
33 Rated Districts in the Madison, WI Metro Area
Forward Exam 2024–25 · percentile among Wisconsin districts
| Metro Rank | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Waunakee Community School District | Waunakee | 10/10 Excellent | 92nd |
| #2 | Middleton-Cross Plains School District | Middleton | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #3 | New Glarus School District | New Glarus | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #4 | Barneveld School District | Barneveld | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #5 | Poynette School District | Poynette | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #6 | Belleville School District | Belleville | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #7 | Oregon School District | Oregon | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #8 | Wisconsin Heights School District | Mazomanie | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #9 | Mount Horeb Area School District | Mount Horeb | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #10 | Mineral Point School District | Mineral Point | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #11 | Lodi School District | Lodi | 8/10 Good | 76th |
| #12 | DeForest Area School District | DeForest | 8/10 Good | 73rd |
| #13 | Verona Area School District | Verona | 7/10 Good | 69th |
| #14 | Deerfield Community School District | Deerfield | 7/10 Good | 66th |
| #15 | Monroe School District | Monroe | 7/10 Good | 64th |
| #16 | Fall River School District | Fall River | 7/10 Good | 63rd |
| #17 | Stoughton Area School District | Stoughton | 6/10 Average | 59th |
| #18 | Juda School District | Juda | 6/10 Average | 56th |
| #19 | Rio Community School District | Rio | 6/10 Average | 56th |
| #20 | Monona Grove School District | Monona | 6/10 Average | 55th |
| #21 | Iowa-Grant School District | Livingston | 6/10 Average | 54th |
| #22 | Monticello School District | Monticello | 5/10 Average | 49th |
| #23 | Albany School District | Albany | 5/10 Average | 45th |
| #24 | Cambria-Friesland School District | Cambria | 5/10 Average | 44th |
| #25 | Dodgeville School District | Dodgeville | 5/10 Average | 44th |
| #26 | Pardeeville Area School District | Pardeeville | 4/10 Below Average | 37th |
| #27 | Sun Prairie Area School District | Sun Prairie | 4/10 Below Average | 37th |
| #28 | McFarland School District | McFarland | 4/10 Below Average | 35th |
| #29 | Marshall School District | Marshall | 4/10 Below Average | 30th |
| #30 | Brodhead School District | Brodhead | 3/10 Below Average | 28th |
| #31 | Madison Metropolitan School District | Madison | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
| #32 | Portage Community School District | Portage | 3/10 Below Average | 21st |
| #33 | Highland School District | Highland | 2/10 Poor | 15th |
Best School Districts in the Madison, WI Metro Area (2026)
Counties are assigned to metropolitan areas using the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 delineation, and each district is placed in the county of its NCES directory listing. Ratings come from Forward Exam 2024–25 (Wisconsin) and are percentile-ranked within the district's own state. Always confirm your assignment by address.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in the Madison, WI metro area? ▼
Among the 33 rated districts in the Madison, WI metro area, the highest-rated is Waunakee Community School District (Waunakee), rated 10/10 (Excellent) and in the 92nd percentile of Wisconsin districts on Forward Exam 2024–25 reading and math proficiency.
How are these rankings calculated? ▼
Each district's rating comes from the share of its students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments, percentile-ranked against all rated districts in its state and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.