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Thoreau Elementary

Q: Is Thoreau Elementary a good school?

Thoreau Elementary ranks 395 th of 1044 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

395^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,044 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Better than 62% of Wisconsin elementary schools

Summary

Thoreau Elementary is a public elementary school in Madison, Wisconsin, serving 398 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, which is ranked 317 out of 426 districts in the state.

Thoreau Elementary has consistently ranked in the top 40-50% of Wisconsin elementary schools, with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics for grades 3-5 were higher than the district and state averages, indicating strong academic performance. Compared to nearby schools, Thoreau's performance is generally on par with Huegel Elementary and Lincoln Elementary, but lags behind the high-performing Van Hise Elementary and Shorewood Hills Elementary.

Thoreau has a diverse student population, with a significant representation of White, Hispanic, and African American students. The school's performance on academic metrics varies across different student subgroups, with White students consistently performing at the top 5-10% of Wisconsin elementary schools, while Hispanic and African American students perform in the bottom 10-20%. Thoreau also has a relatively high percentage of English Language Learners and Special Education students, who tend to perform in the bottom 20-30% of Wisconsin elementary schools. Additionally, the school has experienced relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, which can negatively impact student learning and academic achievement.

403

Students ?

10.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,078

Per pupil spending ?

43.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3870 Nakoma Rd
Madison, WI 53711-3096

(608) 204-6940

District: Madison Metropolitan School District

Students who attend Thoreau Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Cherokee Heights Middle
	James Wright Middle
High:	West High

Racial breakdown:

White:

51.1%

Hispanic:

25.6%

African American:

13.9%

See top rated Wisconsin elementary schools

Compare Thoreau Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 54th percentile in 2015 → 62nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (60% vs 54% meeting standards)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 8 percentile points since 2015

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Madison Metropolitan School District

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school60%

District avg47%

Wisconsin avg54%

395^th of 1,044

Wisconsin public elementary schools ?

Top 38%▲ up 8 pts since 2015

From top 46% (2015) to top 38% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^th of 29Elementary Schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District

317^th of 426Madison 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
2025	64.3	395 of 1044	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.5	460 of 1061	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.1	395 of 1067	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	62.4	408 of 1067	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.1	581 of 1050	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	61.4	411 of 1037	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	71.5	257 of 1025	74.9%	★★★★☆
2017	46.3	639 of 1071	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	62.1	405 of 1075	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	59.6	491 of 1076	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	54.8	537 of 1061	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	44.4	706 of 1053	33.0%	★★☆☆☆
2012	29.5	881 of 1045	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	27.6	890 of 1046	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	26.1	887 of 1045	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	37.7	797 of 1030	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	52.9	606 of 1021	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	40.1	521 of 689	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	39.7	531 of 712	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	30.8	493 of 632	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	24.4	522 of 633	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2019	23.6	136 of 161	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	50.5	58 of 165	64.8%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	25.6	220 of 255	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	39.7	157 of 269	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.4	199 of 249	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	43.8	128 of 248	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.3	127 of 275	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.6	91 of 287	68.3%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	73.1	250 of 1001	75.0%	★★★★☆
2024	67.3	333 of 1011	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	68.5	303 of 1010	70.0%	★★★★☆
2022	56.2	466 of 1017	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.4	687 of 1004	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.4	507 of 1002	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	57.6	446 of 997	55.3%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	24.6	262 of 322	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	42.4	183 of 331	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.5	182 of 290	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.7	153 of 274	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.6	178 of 266	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.1	162 of 271	40.2%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	11.8	825 of 870	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	15.7	789 of 866	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	15.3	799 of 871	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	18.8	767 of 859	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.3	793 of 847	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	23.2	762 of 874	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.6	637 of 854	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	53.5	516 of 1000	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.5	507 of 1012	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.3	456 of 1011	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.7	296 of 1017	70.9%	★★★★☆
2021	66.7	304 of 1003	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	68.3	281 of 1002	72.0%	★★★★☆
2018	82.0	116 of 997	88.4%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2019	37.9	48 of 76	36.8%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	24.5	649 of 802	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	44.9	416 of 790	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.7	428 of 770	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.2	534 of 748	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	66.4	169 of 746	77.3%	★★★★☆
2019	41.0	412 of 742	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	61.2	214 of 721	70.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	91.8	11 of 718	98.5%	★★★★★
2024	86.7	42 of 727	94.2%	★★★★★
2023	88.2	37 of 715	94.8%	★★★★★
2022	89.6	24 of 704	96.6%	★★★★★
2021	84.2	64 of 699	90.8%	★★★★★
2019	87.4	44 of 718	93.9%	★★★★★
2018	90.3	30 of 686	95.6%	★★★★★

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)

White (2025)98th percentile+36 vs school

Female (2025)75th percentile+13 vs school

Male (2025)48th percentile-14 vs school

Multi-racial (2019)37th percentile-24 vs school

Special Education (2025)19th percentile-43 vs school

Hispanic (2025)19th percentile-44 vs school

African American (2019)16th percentile-45 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)14th percentile-48 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)5th percentile-57 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2024-2025) ?

Social Studies70%+6 vs state

Science62%+12 vs state

English Language Arts60%+8 vs state

Mathematics56%+3 vs state

★

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Schools Near Thoreau Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2025)			Forward Exam Mathematics (2025)			Forward Exam Social Studies (2025)	Forward Exam Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Forward Exam English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 4th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 3rd Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 4th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 4th Grade	Forward Exam Science 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thoreau Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3870 Nakoma Rd	Madison	53711	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-6940	403	37	10.9	43.4%	206 (51.1%)	56 (13.9%)	103 (25.6%)	5 (1.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.2%)	64.3	395^th of 1044 public elementary schools	62.2%		61.5	460^th of 1061 public elementary schools	56.6%	65	60.7	57.1	60.9	60.7	53.6	54.7	69.6	62.5	$15,078	$470	$14,609
Midvale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	502 Caromar Dr	Madison	53711	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 204-6700	372	36	10.4	42.2%	165 (44.4%)	38 (10.2%)	124 (33.3%)	17 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.5%)								(n/a)									$16,458	$891	$15,568
Van Hise Elementary	Public	K-5	4747 Waukesha St	Madison	53705	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-4800	396	28	13.9	16.7%	234 (59.1%)	22 (5.6%)	42 (10.6%)	50 (12.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (11.9%)	84.1	106^th of 1044 public elementary schools	89.8%		88.9	44^th of 1061 public elementary schools	95.9%	62	69.3	70.8	82.4	66.7	75.8	80.9	81.0	71.9	$13,664	$520	$13,145
Leopold Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2602 Post Rd	Madison	53713	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 204-4240	626	62	10.1	56.2%	127 (20.3%)	128 (20.4%)	301 (48.1%)	16 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (8.3%)	15	907^th of 1044 public elementary schools	13.1%		13.4	930^th of 1061 public elementary schools	12.3%	23	18.9	40.0	24.7	17.4	30.1	14.7	40.2	38.6	$15,747	$1,146	$14,602
Orchard Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5602 Russett Rd	Madison	53711	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 204-2320	265	23	11.3	52.1%	107 (40.4%)	70 (26.4%)	50 (18.9%)	6 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (11.7%)	32.3	793^rd of 1044 public elementary schools	24.0%		38	751^st of 1061 public elementary schools	29.2%	42	62.8	40.0	34.4	55.8	29.3	28.1	41.5	31.7	$18,086	$989	$17,098
Randall Elementary School	Public	3-5	1802 Regent St	Madison	53726	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-3300	320	22	14.8	25.3%	196 (61.3%)	38 (11.9%)	38 (11.9%)	18 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (9.4%)	79.9	158^th of 1044 public elementary schools	84.9%		85.8	76^th of 1061 public elementary schools	92.8%	82	72.6	70.1	71.1	68.4	68.4	63.9	80.4	68.0	$13,876	$564	$13,313
Lincoln Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	909 Sequoia Trl	Madison	53713	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 204-4900	393	36	10.8	46.8%	150 (38.2%)	39 (9.9%)	152 (38.7%)	26 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.1%)	38.4	742^nd of 1044 public elementary schools	28.9%		42.3	703^rd of 1061 public elementary schools	33.7%	39	35.9	47.7	50.4	36.5	45.3	39.6	53.1	50.0	$15,911	$747	$15,164
Shorewood Hills Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1105 Shorewood Blvd	Madison	53705	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-1200	368	32	11.5	24.2%	175 (47.6%)	15 (4.1%)	35 (9.5%)	104 (28.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (10.3%)	94.8	7^th of 1044 public elementary schools	99.3%		91.5	25^th of 1061 public elementary schools	97.6%	18	82.0	86.3	83.6	90.0	90.6	89.8	94.3	83.0	$14,642	$399	$14,244
Stephens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	120 S Rosa Rd	Madison	53705	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 204-1900	447	43	10.3	44.1%	187 (41.8%)	52 (11.6%)	133 (29.8%)	37 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.5%)	48.7	603^rd of 1044 public elementary schools	42.2%		50.4	624^th of 1061 public elementary schools	41.2%	21	51.2	51.3	51.4	48.8	40.2	51.3	59.8	54.9	$15,396	$499	$14,898
Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6323 Woodington Way	Madison	53711	Dane County	Madison Metropolitan School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 204-2180	455	43	10.4	50.8%	157 (34.5%)	84 (18.5%)	140 (30.8%)	25 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (9.9%)	32.5	789^th of 1044 public elementary schools	24.4%		20.5	883^rd of 1061 public elementary schools	16.8%	94	38.8	53.6	30.7	44.1	45.6	33.8	50.9	42.1	$17,345	$1,174	$16,172

Frequently Asked Questions about Thoreau Elementary

What district is Thoreau Elementary in?

Madison Metropolitan School District

What schools do graduates of Thoreau Elementary attend?

Students who attend Thoreau Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cherokee Heights Middle
Middle : James Wright Middle
High : West High

What is the racial makeup of Thoreau Elementary?

Students at Thoreau Elementary are 51% White, 26% Hispanic, 14% African American, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Thoreau Elementary a good school?

Thoreau Elementary ranks 395^th of 1044 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Thoreau Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 403 students attended Thoreau Elementary.

Rate Thoreau Elementary!

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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.