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#1213 of 2,105 schools in WI

Sandburg Elementary

Elementary School · Madison Metropolitan School District · Madison, WI

A Madison Metropolitan School District elementary school where students score 9 points below what's typical for similar communities.

4114 Donald Dr, Madison, WI 53704

  • Math 25% vs WI 53% (2025)
  • Reading 29% vs WI 51% (2025)
  • 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.3Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.78 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.2Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency24.7% (2025 FORWARD)
Reading/ELA Proficiency29.3% (2025 FORWARD)
Math vs. State Avg-29.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-21.9 pts
Overall Proficiency27% (2025 FORWARD, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2025 FORWARD)
vs. Expected-8.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile23th
Resources & Environment8.6Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.1:1
District spending per student$17,411
Chronic Absenteeism25.5%

Students at Sandburg Elementary score 27% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 FORWARD proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WI average.

Math Proficiency25%(2025 FORWARD)
School
State
53%(2025 FORWARD)
ELA Proficiency29%(2025 FORWARD)
School
State
51%(2025 FORWARD)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 38 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 27% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
62%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
62%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
32%
ELA
12%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
17%
2013
Math
32%
ELA
17%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
27%
2015
Math
27%
ELA
22%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
22%
ELA
22%
2018
Math
32%
ELA
22%
2019
Math
32%
ELA
22%
2022
Math
23%
ELA
15%
2025
Math
25%
ELA
29%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 33% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 29% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

Based on 30 test records from WI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

61.6%

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 Sandburg Elementary 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 28Car-Dependent
  • Transit 35Some Transit
  • Bike 52Bikeable
  • 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

$75,007

Median home value

$289,000

Median rent

$1,231/mo

College educated

49.5%

Homeownership

53.5%

Poverty rate

11.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 53704; 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
Eastside Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition6.9privatePK–80.5 mi96Compare →
Wings to Soar Online AcademyPrivate · tuition4.2privateK–121.5 mi135Compare →
Hawthorne ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.5PK–51.8 mi321Compare →
Holy Cross Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition5.7privateK–82.3 mi165Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Madison Metropolitan School District

Schools in district
54
Rank in district
#34 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

Sandburg Elementary is listed in Madison Metropolitan School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Sandburg Elementary

Sandburg Elementary is a public elementary school in Madison, WI, part of Madison Metropolitan School District, serving approximately 411 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,213 of 2,105 schools in WI. State assessment records show 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 29% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sandburg Elementary

What grades does Sandburg Elementary serve?

Sandburg Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Sandburg Elementary?

Sandburg Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 411 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sandburg Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Sandburg Elementary is 11.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sandburg Elementary rank in WI?

Sandburg Elementary ranks #1,213 of 2,105 schools in WI.

What is Sandburg Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Sandburg Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.1 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 Sandburg Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sandburg Elementary has 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 29% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Sandburg Elementary a charter school?

No, Sandburg Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Sandburg Elementary a Title I school?

No, Sandburg Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Sandburg Elementary?

61.6% of students at Sandburg Elementary 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
411
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
37
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Dane County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.5%
Area population (ZIP 53704)
47,136
Area average commute
21.3 min
Area median age
35.2
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 53704; 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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