These Are The Best Elementary, Middle Schools In WI, New Ranking Says

WISCONSIN — Dozens of elementary schools and middle schools in Wisconsin are included among the best in the country, according to new rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

The news outlet based its 2024 Best Elementary and Middle School rankings on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education, focusing on student proficiency in core subject areas.

In Wisconsin, the top 10 elementary schools are:

1. Mill Valley Elementary — Muskego, WI
2. Kohler Elementary — Kohler, WI
3. Wauwatosa STEM — Wauwatosa, WI
4. Marcy Elementary — Menomonee Falls, WI
5. Shorewood Hills — Elementary Madison, WI
6. Parkview Elementary — Cedarburg, WI
7. Houlton Elementary — Houlton, WI
8. Lakeview Elementary — Wind Lake, WI
9. Lake Country School — Hartland, WI
10. Thorson Elementary — Cedarburg, WI

The top 10 middle schools in Wisconsin are:

1. North Lake Elementary — North Lake, WI
2. Woodland Intermediate — Appleton, WI
3. Lake Country School — Hartland, WI
4. Muskego Lakes Middle — Muskego, WI
5. North Shore Middle — Hartland, WI
6. Whitefish Bay Middle — Whitefish Bay, WI
7. Hamilton Middle — Madison, WI
8. Classical School — Appleton, WI
9. Swallow Elementary — Hartland, WI
10. Innovations Stem Academy — Sparta, WI

The U.S. News list includes data on more than 79,000 public elementary and middle schools nationwide.

In the analysis, U.S. News looked closely at state assessments of students who were proficient or above-proficient in mathematics and reading/language arts, while also accounting for student backgrounds, achievement in core subjects, and how well schools are educating their students. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.

LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News, said the state and district-level rankings are intended to give parents a snapshot of their child’s school and how well it’s doing within its community.

“Easily accessible data on student-teacher ratio, district spending, and the number of school counselors available at the school can keep parents informed and involved,” Jones said.

To be included in district-level rankings, at least two of the top-performing schools must rank in the top 75 percent of the overall elementary or middle school rankings to qualify for district-level recognition.