Summary
LaFollette High is a large public high school in Madison, Wisconsin, serving 1,541 students in grades 9–12 as part of the Madison Metropolitan School District. It ranks 428th of 533 Wisconsin high schools in 2025–26 — the 20th percentile, or 1 star — a modest rebound from the 5th–8th percentiles it posted from 2021–22 through 2024–25, though it has spent most of the past decade in the bottom quintile. About 58.27% of students were eligible for free or reduced lunch in 2024–25, up from 52.59% the year before.
Test scores have improved but remain below average. In 2025–26, proficiency was 36.15% in English language arts, 27.46% in math, 27.62% in science, and 32.35% in social studies — below both the district and the state in every subject, and well behind East High (same district, 50th percentile), Monona Grove High (83rd percentile) and McFarland High (91st percentile). Graduation tells a different story: 86.2%, above the district and slightly above East, with a 1.1% dropout rate equal to the state average. The biggest day-to-day challenge is attendance — 42.3% of students are chronically absent, versus 29.6% in the district and 17.3% statewide, similar to East and Shabazz-City High but far above Monona Grove (19.5%) and McFarland (12.5%).
Results vary widely by student group. English language learners rank near the 71st percentile statewide, and students with disabilities rank at the 48th percentile, up from the 25th in 2023–24. Low-income students, who make up more than half the school, rank in the bottom 9% with 0 stars; female students (14th percentile) and multi-racial students (19th percentile) also trail. LaFollette spends $19,615 per student — more than East and Monona Grove — with a 14.7 student–teacher ratio, so funding levels alone do not explain the gap.
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