Best High Schools in Madison, MS

High Schools located in the city of Madison, Mississippi, include two public high schools—Germantown High School and Madison Central High School—serving grades 9–12 and 10–12 respectively, within the Madison County Schools district. Both schools are highly rated, with Madison Central ranked #4 in the state and Germantown ranked #48, and they offer strong academic environments in a relatively advantaged community.

Madison Central High School is the overall standout, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 98th percentile statewide. It excels in English and history, with 2025–26 English II proficiency at 76.2% and 2024–25 U.S. History proficiency at 89.3%. However, it struggles in math and science, scoring below state averages in Algebra I and Biology. Germantown High School, meanwhile, shines in graduation rate (97.3%) and STEM subjects—its Algebra I proficiency reached 77.1% and Biology 65.6% in 2025–26, far exceeding Madison Central’s 51.7% and 45.5%. These complementary strengths mean no single school is uniformly better; parents should weigh subject priorities when choosing.

Both schools share a striking challenge: chronic absenteeism is roughly 40–42%, nearly double the district average of 20.4% and well above the state’s 23.9%. This is surprising given their strong graduation rates and high rankings. The district ranks 20th out of 134 in Mississippi with a 4-star rating, and both schools have favorable student-teacher ratios (13.1–14.7) and low free/reduced lunch percentages (22–26%). Because Germantown serves 9th graders while Madison Central starts at 10th grade, some test comparisons—especially in Algebra I—may reflect different student cohorts rather than true performance gaps. Overall, Madison parents have two solid options, each with distinct academic identities and a shared need to address absenteeism.