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Public School
Madison Metropolitan School District

West High School

#2 in Best Public High Schools in Madison Area
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • Public
  • 9-12
  • Madison, WI
  • 286 reviews
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    A+
  2. Diversity
    A
  3. Teachers
    A
  4. College Prep
    A+
  5. Clubs & Activities
    B+
  6. Health & Safety
    B
  7. Administration
    C+
  8. Sports
    A
  9. Food
    C-
  10. Resources & Facilities
    C-
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West High School is a top rated, public school located in Madison, WI. It has 2,111 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1. According to state test scores, 54% of students are at least proficient in math and 65% in reading.
Address
30 Ash St
Madison, WI 53726
Telephone
(608) 204-4100
Website
madison.k12.wi.us

West High School Rankings

Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.

Academics

Percent Proficient - Reading
65%
Percent Proficient - Math
54%
Average Graduation Rate
87%
Average SAT
1400
78 responses
Average ACT
28
381 responses
AP Enrollment
23%
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Living in the Area
A+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Cost of Living
    B-
  2. Good for Families
    A+
  3. Housing
    B
Area Feel
Suburban
Median Household Income
$59,387
National
$55,322
Median Rent
$1,008
National
$949
Median Home Value
$223,300
National
$184,700

Culture & Safety

Health & Safety
B
Based on chronic student absenteeism, suspensions/expulsions, and survey responses on the school environment from students and parents.
Poll
73%
of students agree that they feel safe at their school.26 responses
Poll
65%
of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there.26 responses
Poll
What are your favorite school events or traditions?
Based on 82 responses
Report
  • Fine Arts Week - a week of student performances
    32%
  • Singing Valentines
    26%
  • Football games
    18%
  • The senior prank is always fun
    10%
  • Every event is fun
    5%
  • Homecoming
    4%
  • Senior assassins
    4%

Students

Diversity
A
Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.
Students
2,111
Free or Reduced Lunch
36%
82%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive.34 responses
97%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy.34 responses
79%
of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic.34 responses

Teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
National
17:1
Average Teacher Salary
$64,224
Teachers in First/Second Year
8.2%
69%
of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons.39 responses
89%
of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students.38 responses
74%
of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom.39 responses

Clubs & Activities

Clubs & Activities
B+
Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.
Girls Athletic Participation
High
Boys Athletic Participation
High
Expenses Per Student
$14,858/ year
National
$12,239
93%
of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in.40 responses
48%
of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need.40 responses
88%
of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations.40 responses
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West High School Reviews

286 reviews
All Categories
West High School is definitely the best school in the Madison school district! I'm going to be a senior this upcoming school year and I've had overwhelmingly positive experiences. Most of the teachers are highly qualified and really do care about your education and experience, although I have had a few teachers that definitely have no place teaching high school kids. There are TONS of electives to choose from as well. West has All Nations Day which celebrates diversity, Fine Arts Week (the best week of the year) where students can perform dance, music, theater, and art class projects are displayed in the gallery and around the school. West is a pretty artsy school so the art, music, and theater classes are at a very high level. But, with the increasing number of students attending, some classes don't even have enough desks for all the students.
Overall, my three years at West so far have been really great and I would highly recommend this school to anyone!
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I really like West. Classes have a big range of quality and difficulty. A couple teachers definitely need improvement, but a majority of teachers truly care about students and the material they are teaching. Teachers generally try to make it really easy to get help and tutors are available. There is a really strong sense of school spirit especially during Fine Arts Week and Homecoming week. West tries really hard to celebrate its diversity through events like All Nations day. The flag from every student or former student's country of citizenship is displayed on the wall in the hallways. West is also working toward being a more sustainable school. West isn't perfect, but it can still provide a quality education to prepare you for life after high school.
Generally, West High School is a great school with a lot of academic opportunities. My favorite thing about West was how liberal the students were. Issues that can commonly occur in schools such as bullying was not tolerated at West. The LGBTQ community as well as racial minorities were pretty well accepted here. The staff was helpful and teachers really cared about students. The educational quality was phenomenal - West can take you anywhere!