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Vel Phillips Memorial High School

Q: Is Vel Phillips Memorial High School a good school?

Vel Phillips Memorial High School ranks 205 th of 533 Wisconsin high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

205^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 533 Wisconsin High Schools

Better than 62% of Wisconsin high schools

Summary

Vel Phillips Memorial High School is a 9–12 comprehensive high school serving 2,004 students on Madison's west side as part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, making it one of the largest high schools in the area — bigger than East High, Verona Area High and Waunakee High, though smaller than Middleton High and West High.

The school earned 3 stars and ranked 205th of 533 Wisconsin high schools (62nd percentile) in 2025-26 — considerably stronger than its district, which ranks 321st of 432. Memorial beat both its district and the state on all three 10th-grade ACT subjects, but trails both on Forward social studies, falling from 53.52 to 43.94 over three years; no other school in this comparison set shows that split. Graduation and dropout are genuine strengths: a 90.6% graduation rate that is 6.0 points above the district's and above West High's, with a 1.1% dropout rate matching the state. ACT scores have climbed roughly 13 points in English language arts and math over three years even as the statewide percentile stayed near 62nd. The biggest weakness is chronic absenteeism at 36.5%, more than double the state's 17.3% — although West High's rate is even higher at 37.8%, indicating a district-wide pattern rather than a Memorial-only problem.

Results also vary widely between student groups within the building. English learners rank at the 90th percentile statewide and special education students at the 57th, while low-income students sit at the 17th percentile and have been in the bottom fifth of the state for three consecutive years. That internal spread is wider than the gap between Memorial and any neighboring school, and it is the clearest target for improvement.

2,004

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,129

Per pupil spending ?

42.4%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

201 S Gammon Rd
Madison, WI 53717-1499

(608) 663-5990

District: Madison Metropolitan School District

Feeder schools for Vel Phillips Memorial High School:

Elementary:	Cesar Chavez Elementary
	Crestwood Elementary
	Huegel Elementary
	Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
	More...
	Muir Elementary
	Olson Elementary
	Orchard Ridge Elementary
	Stephens Elementary
Middle:	Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School
	Spring Harbor Middle
	Toki Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

40.4%

Hispanic:

26.3%

African American:

15.3%

See top rated Wisconsin high schools

Compare Vel Phillips Memorial High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 92nd percentile in 2016 → 62nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Wisconsin median (62nd percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (36% vs 17% Wisconsin)

!Ranking has slipped — down 30 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school49%

District avg47%

Wisconsin avg46%

205^th of 533

Wisconsin public high schools ?

Top 38%▼ down 31 pts since 2016

From top 8% (2016) to top 38% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 7High Schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District

321^st of 432Madison Metropolitan School District among Wisconsin districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	62.4	205 of 533	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.7	156 of 431	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	53.3	194 of 431	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.6	159 of 415	61.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.3	108 of 391	72.4%	★★★★☆
2021	89.1	33 of 390	91.5%	★★★★★
2019	83.4	40 of 400	90.0%	★★★★★
2018	82.1	47 of 410	88.5%	★★★★☆
2017	87.1	33 of 410	92.0%	★★★★★
2016	88.0	32 of 408	92.2%	★★★★★
2015	54.8	271 of 466	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	57.7	215 of 462	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	61.5	171 of 457	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	58.2	235 of 452	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2011	61.2	211 of 445	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2010	51.6	308 of 450	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	44.9	329 of 438	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	39.1	354 of 437	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	45.3	215 of 281	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	46.4	223 of 292	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	56.9	166 of 287	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	53.4	175 of 275	36.4%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	48.1	36 of 84	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	28.8	17 of 26	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.1	19 of 26	26.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.0	5 of 13	61.5%	★★★★☆
2018	33.3	13 of 20	35.0%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	75.8	13 of 57	77.2%	★★★★☆
2024	42.8	26 of 51	49.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.4	25 of 50	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.5	20 of 48	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	77.7	10 of 44	77.3%	★★★★☆
2019	69.9	12 of 44	72.7%	★★★★☆
2018	85.1	7 of 51	86.3%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2019	50.1	16 of 32	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	53.2	16 of 40	60.0%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	79.3	12 of 115	89.6%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	60.3	186 of 461	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.1	187 of 353	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	61.6	128 of 343	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	77.7	55 of 332	83.4%	★★★★☆
2019	81.0	42 of 343	87.8%	★★★★☆
2018	78.3	52 of 355	85.4%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	27.3	142 of 187	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.5	109 of 126	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.9	108 of 119	9.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.8	82 of 97	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.0	57 of 86	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	42.4	40 of 68	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.6	44 of 86	48.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.1	53 of 76	30.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	23.9	372 of 446	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	16.5	294 of 335	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.8	294 of 326	9.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.6	253 of 271	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	21.4	222 of 250	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	49.7	102 of 226	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	19.4	226 of 251	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.6	212 of 255	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	63.1	128 of 380	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	51.0	179 of 365	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.0	188 of 359	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	66.4	88 of 347	74.6%	★★★★☆
2021	91.6	19 of 334	94.3%	★★★★★
2019	80.3	49 of 354	86.2%	★★★★☆
2018	80.9	50 of 373	86.6%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	79.5	16 of 102	84.3%	★★★★☆
2025	68.4	21 of 81	74.1%	★★★★☆
2024	79.7	9 of 71	87.3%	★★★★☆
2022	41.0	23 of 41	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	58.6	16 of 37	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.4	15 of 35	57.1%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	48.3	144 of 333	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	37.7	66 of 93	29.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.0	37 of 95	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	37.7	37 of 55	32.7%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2026	84.8	37 of 344	89.2%	★★★★☆
2025	94.3	12 of 285	95.8%	★★★★★
2024	85.4	26 of 300	91.3%	★★★★★
2023	84.8	33 of 271	87.8%	★★★★☆
2022	85.7	32 of 269	88.1%	★★★★☆
2021	94.2	12 of 266	95.5%	★★★★★
2019	95.9	10 of 266	96.2%	★★★★★
2018	91.9	16 of 261	93.9%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2026)90th percentile+28 vs school

White (2026)89th percentile+28 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)84th percentile+23 vs school

Asian (2025)77th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2025)66th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)60th percentile~ school

African American (2026)57th percentile-4 vs school

Special Education (2026)57th percentile-5 vs school

Disabled (2019)50th percentile-40 vs school

Hispanic (2026)24th percentile-37 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)17th percentile-45 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts54%+5 vs state

Mathematics49%+6 vs state

Science47%+4 vs state

Social Studies44%-4 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a student
Thursday, November 20, 2014

I received an amazing education from this school (31 on the ACT and a 4.0 at a challenging university my freshman year) . They offer an abundance of advanced placement (college credit possible pending test score) classes as well as an inspiring art program, competitive athletic programs in nearly every sport, and a ten time state winning Forensics (drama and speech) team. Go Spartans! Close Quote

Schools Near Vel Phillips Memorial High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ACT English Language Arts (2026)	ACT Mathematics (2026)	ACT Science (2026)	Forward Exam Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ACT English Language Arts 10th Grade	ACT Mathematics 10th Grade	ACT Science 10th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Vel Phillips Memorial High School	Public	9-12	201 S Gammon Rd	Madison	53717	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 663-5990	2,004	127	15.7	42.4%	810 (40.4%)	306 (15.3%)	527 (26.3%)	172 (8.6%)	1 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	175 (8.7%)	62.4	205^th of 533 public high schools	61.5%		60.7	156^th of 431 public high schools	63.8%	49	53.8	49.4	46.9	43.9	$18,129	$521	$17,608
Middleton High	Public	9-12	2100 Bristol St	Middleton	53562	Dane County	Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 829-9660	2,303	150	15.3	17.8%	1,495 (64.9%)	112 (4.9%)	250 (10.9%)	278 (12.1%)	7 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	155 (6.7%)	93.8	18^th of 533 public high schools	96.6%		95.9	9^th of 431 public high schools	97.9%	9	74.6	69.6	68.3	74.7	$16,092	$436	$15,655
Clark Street Community School	Public, Charter	9-12	2100 Bristol Street	Middleton	53562	Dane County	Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District	Yes	No	No	No	(608) 829-9640	108	10	11.3	25.9%	79 (73.1%)	2 (1.9%)	7 (6.5%)	2 (1.9%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (11.1%)	59.4	226^th of 533 public high schools	57.6%		85.2	41^st of 431 public high schools	90.5%	185	51.7	24.1	51.9	70.6	$17,468	$402	$17,066
Capital High	Public	9-12	3802 Regent St	Madison	53705	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 204-4220	129	15	8.6	84.5%	18 (14.0%)	57 (44.2%)	27 (20.9%)	7 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (15.5%)	2.3	524^th of 533 public high schools	1.7%					(n/a)	6.9	0.0	3.6	8.3	$25,317	$831	$24,485
West High	Public	9-12	30 Ash St	Madison	53726	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-4100	2,222	137	16.1	34.2%	1,072 (48.2%)	231 (10.4%)	553 (24.9%)	165 (7.4%)	1 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	177 (8.0%)	88.4	34^th of 533 public high schools	93.6%		83.6	47^th of 431 public high schools	89.1%	13	69.3	63.5	62.6	65.2	$17,499	$519	$16,980
Metro School	Public	6-12	115 W Doty St	Madison	53703	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 663-1634	12	6	2.0	41.7%	3 (25.0%)	3 (25.0%)	3 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (25.0%)								(n/a)					$13,729	$490	$13,239
Verona Area High	Public	9-12	234 Wildcat Way	Verona	53593	Dane County	Verona Area School District	No	No	No	(n/a)	(608) 653-1000	1,820	120	15.1	26.6%	1,029 (56.5%)	125 (6.9%)	461 (25.3%)	63 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	126 (6.9%)	78	81^st of 533 public high schools	84.8%		55	200^th of 431 public high schools	53.6%	119	62.8	50.3	55.9	60.3	$17,940	$370	$17,570
Innovative High	Public	9-12	1045 E Dayton St	Madison	53703	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 204-4220	138	18	7.8	72.5%	22 (15.9%)	64 (46.4%)	33 (23.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (12.3%)	30.2	407^th of 533 public high schools	23.6%					(n/a)	40.0	20.0	50.0	0.0	$12,178	$490	$11,688
East High	Public	9-12	2222 E Washington Ave	Madison	53704	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-1600	1,643	106	15.4	57.9%	562 (34.2%)	371 (22.6%)	415 (25.3%)	112 (6.8%)	6 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	160 (9.7%)	53.3	268^th of 533 public high schools	49.7%		24.4	358^th of 431 public high schools	16.9%	90	51.5	38.7	43.3	42.4	$19,014	$780	$18,233
Shabazz-City High	Public	9-12	1601 N Sherman Ave	Madison	53704	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-2440	106	15	7.2	47.2%	57 (53.8%)	12 (11.3%)	16 (15.1%)	1 (0.9%)	2 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (9.4%)	31.8	394^th of 533 public high schools	26.1%		49.1	227^th of 431 public high schools	47.3%	167	23.8	9.5	19.1	72.7	$33,129	$490	$32,639

Frequently Asked Questions about Vel Phillips Memorial High School

How many students attend Vel Phillips Memorial High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,004 students attended Vel Phillips Memorial High School.

Is Vel Phillips Memorial High School a good school?

Vel Phillips Memorial High School ranks 205^th of 533 Wisconsin high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Vel Phillips Memorial High School?

Students at Vel Phillips Memorial High School are 40% White, 26% Hispanic, 15% African American, 9% Two or more races, 9% Asian.

What schools feed into Vel Phillips Memorial High School?

Vel Phillips Memorial High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cesar Chavez Elementary
Elementary : Crestwood Elementary
Elementary : Huegel Elementary
Elementary : Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
Elementary : Muir Elementary
Elementary : Olson Elementary
Elementary : Orchard Ridge Elementary
Elementary : Stephens Elementary
Middle : Ezekiel Gillespie Middle School
Middle : Spring Harbor Middle
Middle : Toki Middle

What district is Vel Phillips Memorial High School in?

Madison Metropolitan School District

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Latest Wisconsin data All new data »

2018–19 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 20, 2026

2016–17 through 2017–18 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2025–26 ACT & Forward Exam scoresOct 1, 2026

2021–22 through 2024–25 school spending dataJul 16, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.