Unfortunately, Wisconsin test scores fell in 2019 and less-than-half of the state’s students met proficiency standards in math and reading. However, despite the state’s education woes, a number of Badger State school districts truly excel in academics and extracurricular activities. Let’s take a look at Wisconsin’s five best school districts.

Elmbrook Schools is the best school district in Wisconsin. The large district serves a total enrollment of over 7,400 students in several Milwaukee area suburbs and its two flagship high schools regularly place in the top ten in the state for their ACT scores and participation rates. 

Placing 2nd in Wisconsin is Hamilton School District, which comprises four elementary schools, one intermediate school, one middle school, and one high school serving six communities in northern Waukesha County. Long one of the most lauded school districts in the state, HSD has earned Advance Placement’s “AP Honor Roll” distinction for nine consecutive years. 

Muskego-Norway Schools earns Wisconsin’s 3rd spot. Comprising six schools with a total enrollment of 4,800 students, Muskego-Norway boasts a four-year graduation rate of 96% and has the highest average composite ACT score in Waukesha County for special education students.  

Wisconsin’s 4th best school district is the School District of New Berlin, made up of four elementary schools and two 7-12 middle/high schools serving 4,348 total students. The district’s remarkable 98% graduation rate bests the state average by over five percentage points. 

Rounding out the top five is Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, consisting of ten schools in south-central Wisconsin. Nine MCPASD schools either exceeded or significantly exceeded expectations on the 2018-2019 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Report Cards. 

Top School Districts in Wisconsin, 2020

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.