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Madison, Wisconsin - 53 schools
An equity score of 66/100 ranks Madison Metropolitan School District #102 of 403 districts in Wisconsin (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $17,181 per pupil, Madison Metropolitan School District ranks #62 of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending (Wisconsin districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
25,237
Total Enrollment
53
Schools
$17,181
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Middle
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Madison Metropolitan School District operates 53 public schools serving 25,237 students, placing it among the larger districts in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 28 combined, 12 middle, 7 high, 6 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a sizeable portfolio before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Dane County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,181 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending. See how Wisconsin compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 72.6% local, 18.4% state, and 9.0% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 66/100, ranked #102 of 403 in Wisconsin against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 53 schools offering Advanced Placement (79 AP courses district-wide), a 276.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 40.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 37.8% White, 24.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lindbergh Elementary, with a diversity index of 77.5/100.
Its largest campus is West High, enrolling 2,222 students (9% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Metro School, at 12 students, a 185x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Madison Metropolitan School District school enrollment varies 185× across entities
Madison Metropolitan School District school enrollment ranges from 12 students (lowest) to 2,222 students (highest), a spread of 2,210 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Madison Metropolitan School District student-counselor ratio is 276:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Madison Metropolitan School District is typically wider than the Madison Metropolitan School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Madison Metropolitan School District chronic absenteeism rate is 40.5% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Comparisons are relative to Madison Metropolitan School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
Nearby Districts in Wisconsin
Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.
How many schools are in Madison Metropolitan School District?
Madison Metropolitan School District has 53 schools, including 7 high, 12 middle, 28 combined, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 25,237 students.
How much does Madison Metropolitan School District spend per student?
Madison Metropolitan School District spends $17,181 per student. The district has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #102 in Wisconsin.
What is the demographic composition of Madison Metropolitan School District?
Madison Metropolitan School District students are 37.8% White, 24.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% African American, 6.7% Asian, averaged across 53 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Madison Metropolitan School District?
Madison Metropolitan School District has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #102 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin.