📊 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 →
49 Rated Districts in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
Forward Exam 2024–25 · percentile among Wisconsin districts
| Metro Rank | District | District Office | Rating | State Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Cedarburg School District | Cedarburg | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #2 | Fox Point Joint No. 2 School District | Milwaukee | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #3 | Lake Country School District | Hartland | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #4 | Merton Community School District | Merton | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #5 | Swallow School District | Hartland | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #6 | Whitefish Bay School District | Whitefish Bay | 10/10 Excellent | 99th |
| #7 | Elmbrook School District | Brookfield | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #8 | Richmond School District | Sussex | 10/10 Excellent | 98th |
| #9 | Hamilton School District | Sussex | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #10 | Muskego-Norway School District | Muskego | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #11 | Slinger School District | Slinger | 10/10 Excellent | 97th |
| #12 | Grafton School District | Grafton | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #13 | Hartland-Lakeside Joint No. 3 School District | Hartland | 10/10 Excellent | 96th |
| #14 | Arrowhead Union High School District | Hartland | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #15 | Maple Dale-Indian Hill School District | Fox Point | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #16 | North Lake School District | North Lake | 10/10 Excellent | 95th |
| #17 | Mukwonago School District | Mukwonago | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #18 | Stone Bank School District | Oconomowoc | 10/10 Excellent | 94th |
| #19 | Mequon-Thiensville School District | Mequon | 10/10 Excellent | 93rd |
| #20 | New Berlin School District | New Berlin | 10/10 Excellent | 93rd |
| #21 | Pewaukee School District | Pewaukee | 10/10 Excellent | 92nd |
| #22 | Kettle Moraine School District | Wales | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #23 | Oconomowoc Area School District | Oconomowoc | 10/10 Excellent | 91st |
| #24 | Holy Hill Area School District | Richfield | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #25 | Shorewood School District | Shorewood | 10/10 Excellent | 90th |
| #26 | Greendale School District | Greendale | 9/10 Excellent | 89th |
| #27 | Erin School District | Hartford | 9/10 Excellent | 87th |
| #28 | Franklin Public School District | Franklin | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #29 | Kewaskum School District | Kewaskum | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #30 | Whitnall School District | Greenfield | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #31 | Germantown School District | Germantown | 9/10 Excellent | 83rd |
| #32 | Nicolet Union High School District | Glendale | 9/10 Excellent | 80th |
| #33 | Menomonee Falls School District | Menomonee Falls | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #34 | West Bend School District | West Bend | 8/10 Good | 77th |
| #35 | Northern Ozaukee School District | Fredonia | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #36 | Port Washington-Saukville School District | Port Washington | 8/10 Good | 75th |
| #37 | Wauwatosa School District | Wauwatosa | 8/10 Good | 72nd |
| #38 | Oak Creek-Franklin School District | Oak Creek | 7/10 Good | 68th |
| #39 | Waukesha School District | Waukesha | 7/10 Good | 64th |
| #40 | Hartford Joint No. 1 School District | Hartford | 6/10 Average | 57th |
| #41 | Hartford Union High School District | Hartford | 6/10 Average | 50th |
| #42 | St. Francis School District | Saint Francis | 4/10 Below Average | 36th |
| #43 | Glendale-River Hills School District | Glendale | 3/10 Below Average | 29th |
| #44 | Brown Deer School District | Brown Deer | 3/10 Below Average | 26th |
| #45 | Greenfield School District | Greenfield | 3/10 Below Average | 26th |
| #46 | Cudahy School District | Cudahy | 2/10 Poor | 12th |
| #47 | South Milwaukee School District | South Milwaukee | 2/10 Poor | 10th |
| #48 | West Allis School District | West Allis | 1/10 Poor | 9th |
| #49 | Milwaukee School District | Milwaukee | 1/10 Poor | 2nd |
Best School Districts in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area? ▼
Among the 49 rated districts in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area, 6 share the top position at 10/10 (Excellent), 99th percentile of Wisconsin districts on Forward Exam 2024–25 reading and math proficiency: Cedarburg School District (Cedarburg); Fox Point Joint No. 2 School District (Milwaukee); Lake Country School District (Hartland); Merton Community School District (Merton); Swallow School District (Hartland); Whitefish Bay School District (Whitefish Bay).
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.