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#1097 of 2,105 schools in WI

James Wright Middle

Middle School · Madison Metropolitan School District · Madison, WI

A Madison Metropolitan School District middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

1717 Fish Hatchery Rd, Madison, WI 53713

  • Math 24% vs WI 53% (2025)
  • Reading 36% vs WI 53% (2025)
  • 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.0Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.52 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.8Below Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency23.7% (2025 FORWARD)
Reading/ELA Proficiency35.9% (2025 FORWARD)
Math vs. State Avg-28.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16.9 pts
Overall Proficiency30% (2025 FORWARD, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)32% (model expectation from 2025 FORWARD)
vs. Expected-2.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile29th
Resources & Environment7.6Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.3:1
District spending per student$17,411
Chronic Absenteeism32.8%

Students at James Wright Middle score 30% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 32%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 FORWARD proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WI average.

Math Proficiency24%(2025 FORWARD)
School
State
53%(2025 FORWARD)
ELA Proficiency36%(2025 FORWARD)
School
State
53%(2025 FORWARD)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 18 points since 2020, reaching 30% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
57%
ELA
69%
2010
Math
59%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
18%
ELA
13%
2012
Math
17%
ELA
16%
2013
Math
16%
ELA
14%
2014
Math
15%
ELA
28%
2015
Math
16%
ELA
19%
2016
Math
20%
ELA
22%
2017
Math
22%
ELA
22%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
23%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
23%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
17%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
17%
2022
Math
17%
ELA
17%
2025
Math
24%
ELA
36%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 23% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 28% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from WI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

67.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where James Wright Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 58Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 43Some Transit
  • Bike 95Biker’s Paradise
  • City Safety: High2,124/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Madison), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$57,833

Median home value

$259,100

Median rent

$1,173/mo

College educated

39.3%

Homeownership

30.7%

Poverty rate

16.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 53713; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Badger Rock MiddleCharter · enrollment unverified8.06–81.4 mi99Compare →
Metro SchoolEnrollment path unverifiedNot rated4–121.8 mi23Compare →
Cherokee Heights MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.76–82.5 mi537Compare →
One City Preparatory AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified5.76–72.9 mi53Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Madison Metropolitan School District

Schools in district
54
Rank in district
#28 of 52
District spending per student
$17,411NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

James Wright Middle is listed in Madison Metropolitan School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About James Wright Middle

James Wright Middle is a public middle school in Madison, WI, part of Madison Metropolitan School District, serving approximately 259 students in grades 6th-8th with a 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 out of 10 and ranks #1,097 of 2,105 schools in WI. State assessment records show 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 28% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about James Wright Middle

What grades does James Wright Middle serve?

James Wright Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend James Wright Middle?

James Wright Middle has an enrollment of approximately 259 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at James Wright Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at James Wright Middle is 11.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does James Wright Middle rank in WI?

James Wright Middle ranks #1,097 of 2,105 schools in WI.

What is James Wright Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

James Wright Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at James Wright Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, James Wright Middle has 23% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 28% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is James Wright Middle a charter school?

No, James Wright Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is James Wright Middle a Title I school?

No, James Wright Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for James Wright Middle?

67.6% of students at James Wright Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
259
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Dane County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.8%
Area population (ZIP 53713)
23,744
Area average commute
17.1 min
Area median age
30.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 FORWARD · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 FORWARD. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 FORWARD · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 FORWARD. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 53713; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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