📊 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 →
All 15 Rated Districts in Dane County, WI
Sorted by rating, then state percentile
| County 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 | Belleville School District | Belleville | 9/10 Excellent | 86th |
| #4 | Oregon School District | Oregon | 9/10 Excellent | 85th |
| #5 | Wisconsin Heights School District | Mazomanie | 9/10 Excellent | 84th |
| #6 | Mount Horeb Area School District | Mount Horeb | 9/10 Excellent | 81st |
| #7 | DeForest Area School District | DeForest | 8/10 Good | 73rd |
| #8 | Verona Area School District | Verona | 7/10 Good | 69th |
| #9 | Deerfield Community School District | Deerfield | 7/10 Good | 66th |
| #10 | Stoughton Area School District | Stoughton | 6/10 Average | 59th |
| #11 | Monona Grove School District | Monona | 6/10 Average | 55th |
| #12 | Sun Prairie Area School District | Sun Prairie | 4/10 Below Average | 37th |
| #13 | McFarland School District | McFarland | 4/10 Below Average | 35th |
| #14 | Marshall School District | Marshall | 4/10 Below Average | 30th |
| #15 | Madison Metropolitan School District | Madison | 3/10 Below Average | 22nd |
Best School Districts in Dane County, Wisconsin (2026)
This page lists the 15 public school districts headquartered in Dane County, Wisconsin that have a SchoolDistrictFinder rating, scored using Forward Exam 2024–25 state assessment data. The county rank is simply their order here; the state percentile compares each district with every rated district in Wisconsin, which is how the 1–10 rating is set. Ratings are not comparable with districts in other states.
Districts are placed in the county of their NCES directory listing. A district's boundaries can cross county lines, and a home in Dane County may be served by a district headquartered next door — search your address or zip code to confirm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-rated school district in Dane County, Wisconsin? ▼
Among the 15 rated districts in Dane County, Wisconsin, 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 (Forward Exam 2024–25), percentile-ranked against all rated districts in Wisconsin and converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.