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Average

#990 of 2,105 schools in WI

Top 47% in state

West High

High School · Madison Metropolitan School District · Madison, WI

A Madison Metropolitan School District high school serving grades 9th – 12th.

30 Ash St, Madison, WI 53726

  • Math 49% proficient (2021)
  • Reading 62% proficient (2021)
  • 91.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress7.0Very Good25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data13
Annual Change-1.52 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2021
TrendDeclining
Academics7.0Very Good25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency49% (2021 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency62% (2021 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency56% (2021 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)55% (model expectation from 2021 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+0.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile56th
College Readiness8.4Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate91%
AP Participation34.4%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.4Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.6:1
District spending per student$17,411
Chronic Absenteeism38.7%

Students at West High score 56% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 55%).

How we calculate scores →

2021 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WI average.

Math Proficiency49%(2021 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2021 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency62%(2021 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2021 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 21 points across the 13-year record (2009–2021) and has held near 56% recently.

Show all 13 years
2009
Math
75%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
78%
ELA
80%
2011
Math
55%
ELA
55%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
58%
2013
Math
53%
ELA
55%
2014
Math
55%
ELA
67%
2015
Math
54%
ELA
65%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
59%
2017
Math
51%
ELA
59%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
65%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
65%
2020*
Math
49%
ELA
62%
2021*
Math
49%
ELA
62%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 56% (multi-year average, 2009-2021) · reading/ELA 64% (multi-year average, 2009-2021)

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

Based on 26 test records from WI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

28.7%

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 West High 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 81Very Walkable
  • Transit 53Good Transit
  • Bike 90Biker’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

$39,779

Median home value

$600,500

Median rent

$1,408/mo

College educated

91.8%

Homeownership

35.2%

Poverty rate

33.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 53726; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
34.4% participation·State avg: 2.4 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics26sports offered
13 boys'·13 girls'·49 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
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
Capital HighEnrollment path unverified8.09–120.6 mi123Compare →
Edgewood High School of the Sacred HeartPrivate · tuition6.3private9–120.7 mi528Compare →
Horizon HighPrivate · tuitionNot rated9–122.1 mi10Compare →
Metro SchoolEnrollment path unverifiedNot rated4–122.2 mi23Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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
#26 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

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

About West High

West High is a public high school in Madison, WI, part of Madison Metropolitan School District, serving approximately 2,137 students in grades 9th-12th with a 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 out of 10 and ranks #990 of 2,105 schools in WI. State assessment records show 56% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021) and 64% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about West High

What grades does West High serve?

West High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend West High?

West High has an enrollment of approximately 2,137 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at West High?

The student-teacher ratio at West High is 16.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does West High rank in WI?

West High ranks #990 of 2,105 schools in WI.

What is West High's MySchoolScout rating?

West High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 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 West High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, West High has 56% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021) and 64% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2021).

Is West High a charter school?

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

Is West High a Title I school?

No, West High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for West High?

28.7% of students at West High 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,137
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
129
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Dane County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
38.7%
4-Year Graduation
91.0%
Area population (ZIP 53726)
5,043
Area median age
23.4
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 · 2021 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2021 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2021 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2021 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • 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 53726; 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, 2009-2021; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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