Can I use Dane County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Dane County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Dane County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Dane County?

Start with the 169 listed public schools and 18 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Dane County Schools & Education

Name: Dane County, Wisconsin Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Dane County, Wisconsin

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

56/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

89.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

89.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 91.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,161

National avg $13,239

State avg $8,113

School Score

56/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 65/100

State Score Position

#56

of 72 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dane County

Measured School Summary

Dane County performs at an average level with a school score of 56/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.0%.

Funding Context

Dane County spends $8,161 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 15% below the Wisconsin average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dane County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

169 public schools and 18 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

56/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #56 of 72 Wisconsin counties with school score data.

Completion

89.0%

2.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,161

roughly matches the state average

School coverage

169

18 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Dane County has 169 public schools across 18 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Dane County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

Dane County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#56

of 72 Wisconsin counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Madison Metropolitan School District

Elementary to high school visible

25,237 students

Elementary 32Middle 13High 7Other 2

54 listed schools in this county slice.

Sun Prairie Area School District

Elementary to high school visible

8,302 students

Elementary 9Middle 3High 3Other 1

16 listed schools in this county slice.

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Elementary to high school visible

7,263 students

Elementary 7Middle 2High 2Other 1

12 listed schools in this county slice.

Verona Area School District

Elementary to high school visible

5,827 students

Elementary 7Middle 2High 1Other 2

12 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Madison Metropolitan School District is the largest listed district slice, with 54 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Dane County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dane County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Dane County, Wisconsin

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Powerhouse of Education in Dane

As a major educational hub, Dane County manages 169 public schools and 18 districts for 77,798 students. The vast infrastructure includes 84 elementary schools, 36 middle schools, and 34 high schools. This scale allows for specialized programming, including 13 alternative schools and 15 'other' category institutions.

The Madison Metropolitan Giant

The Madison Metropolitan School District is the county's cornerstone, overseeing 54 schools and 25,237 students. Dane County also features a high concentration of charter schools, with 16 institutions making up 9.5% of the total landscape. Sun Prairie and Middleton-Cross Plains districts also play major roles, together serving over 15,000 students.

From Urban Centers to Growing Suburbs

Dane County offers the most diverse locale mix in the state, with 69 suburban and 57 city schools. Middleton High is the county’s largest school with 2,309 students, contributing to an overall average school size of 469. This variety means families can choose between bustling urban campuses and modern suburban facilities.

School Overview

Total Schools

169

in Dane County

Reported Enrollment

77,798

169 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

9% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary84

Middle36

High34

Other15

18 School Districts in Dane County

Madison Metropolitan School District

Sun Prairie Area School District

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Verona Area School District

McFarland School District

Waunakee Community School District

De Forest Area School District

Monona Grove School District

Stoughton Area School District

6 schools

2,755 students

Mount Horeb Area School District

6 schools

2,387 students

169 Public Schools in Dane County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 16 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 169 matching schools

Public schools in Dane County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Middleton High	Profile	Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District	Middleton, 53562Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,309
West High	Profile	Madison Metropolitan School District	Madison, 53726City: Large	9–12	High	2,147
Vel Phillips Memorial High	Profile	Madison Metropolitan School District	Madison, 53717City: Large	9–12	High	2,025
Verona Area High	Profile	Verona Area School District	Verona, 53593Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,802
East High	Profile	Madison Metropolitan School District	Madison, 53704City: Large	9–12	High	1,649
LaFollette High	Profile	Madison Metropolitan School District	Madison, 53716City: Large	9–12	High	1,482
Wisconsin Virtual Academy K-8 (WIVA)	Profile	McFarland School District	McFarland, 53558Suburb: Large	KG–8	CharterVirtual	1,365
Waunakee High	Profile	Waunakee Community School District	Waunakee, 53597Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,327
Sun Prairie West High	Profile	Sun Prairie Area School District	Sun Prairie, 53590Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,294
Sun Prairie East High	Profile	Sun Prairie Area School District	Sun Prairie, 53590Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	1,274
Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (WIVA)	Profile	McFarland School District	McFarland, 53558Suburb: Large	9–12	CharterVirtual	1,270
Oregon High	Profile	Oregon School District	Oregon, 53575Town: Fringe	9–12	High	1,269
Kromrey Middle	Profile	Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District	Middleton, 53562Suburb: Large	5–8	Middle	1,191
De Forest High	Profile	De Forest Area School District	De Forest, 53532Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,099
Monona Grove High	Profile	Monona Grove School District	Monona, 53716Suburb: Large	9–12	High	1,083
Glacier Creek Middle	Profile	Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District	Cross Plains, 53528Rural: Fringe	5–8	Middle	935
Harvest Intermediate School	Record	De Forest Area School District	DeForest, 53532Rural: Fringe	4–6	Middle	914
Stoughton High	Record	Stoughton Area School District	Stoughton, 53589Suburb: Large	9–12	High	875
Mount Horeb High	Record	Mount Horeb Area School District	Mount Horeb, 53572Town: Fringe	9–12	High	793
McFarland High	Record	McFarland School District	McFarland, 53558Suburb: Large	9–12	High	777

Middleton High

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Middleton, 53562 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,309 students

West High

Madison Metropolitan School District

Madison, 53726 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,147 students

Vel Phillips Memorial High

Madison Metropolitan School District

Madison, 53717 / City: Large

Profile9–12High2,025 students

Verona Area High

Verona Area School District

Verona, 53593 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,802 students

East High

Madison Metropolitan School District

Madison, 53704 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,649 students

LaFollette High

Madison Metropolitan School District

Madison, 53716 / City: Large

Profile9–12High1,482 students

Wisconsin Virtual Academy K-8 (WIVA)

McFarland School District

McFarland, 53558 / Suburb: Large

ProfileKG–8CharterVirtual1,365 students

Waunakee High

Waunakee Community School District

Waunakee, 53597 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,327 students

Sun Prairie West High

Sun Prairie Area School District

Sun Prairie, 53590 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,294 students

Sun Prairie East High

Sun Prairie Area School District

Sun Prairie, 53590 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,274 students

Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (WIVA)

McFarland School District

McFarland, 53558 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12CharterVirtual1,270 students

Oregon High

Oregon School District

Oregon, 53575 / Town: Fringe

Profile9–12High1,269 students

Kromrey Middle

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Middleton, 53562 / Suburb: Large

Profile5–8Middle1,191 students

De Forest High

De Forest Area School District

De Forest, 53532 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,099 students

Monona Grove High

Monona Grove School District

Monona, 53716 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,083 students

Glacier Creek Middle

Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

Cross Plains, 53528 / Rural: Fringe

Profile5–8Middle935 students

Harvest Intermediate School

De Forest Area School District

DeForest, 53532 / Rural: Fringe

Record4–6Middle914 students

Stoughton High

Stoughton Area School District

Stoughton, 53589 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High875 students

Mount Horeb High

Mount Horeb Area School District

Mount Horeb, 53572 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High793 students

McFarland High

McFarland School District

McFarland, 53558 / Suburb: Large

Record9–12High777 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,161

State avg $8,113

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dane County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Wisconsin counties have the highest graduation rates?

Ozaukee County (97.6%), Oneida County (96.8%), and Vilas County (96.1%) currently lead Wisconsin among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Wisconsin?

Across Wisconsin counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $8,113. The highest current county values are Bayfield County ($10,665), Vilas County ($10,435), and Florence County ($10,426). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Dane County?

Dane County has a school score of 56/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Dane County?

The high school graduation rate in Dane County is 89.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Dane County spend per student?

Dane County spends $8,161 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Dane County, Wisconsin — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dane County, Wisconsin?

What are the major school districts in Dane County, Wisconsin?

What is the school experience like in Dane County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Lincoln County

Wisconsin

-0 pts

55/100

School score

Outagamie County

Wisconsin

+1 pts

56/100

School score

Richland County

Wisconsin

-1 pts

54/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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