Kromrey Middle

Kromrey Middle is a public middle school in Middleton, Wisconsin, serving grades 5–8 with 1,230 students in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, making it the largest school in its immediate comparison group. It ranks 63rd of 643 Wisconsin middle schools in 2025–2026 — the 90th percentile, with a 5-star rating — though its standing has eased from the mid-90s percentile in the mid-2010s.

On the 2025–2026 Forward Exam, Kromrey's proficiency runs roughly 16–21 points above state averages in most core subjects, with about 70–77% of students proficient in most English language arts and math grades versus state rates in the low-to-mid 50s. Within its own district, however, it generally sits below the district average in most grades, partly because Glacier Creek Middle serves the same grades and tends to score higher. Nearby Waunakee Middle and Hamilton Middle also post higher proficiency in several key grades, while Kromrey substantially outperforms most Madison Metropolitan middle schools. Its relative bright spots are 6th grade ELA and math; its larger gaps against the district are 8th grade ELA, Social Studies 8, 8th grade math, and 5th grade math.

Attendance is Kromrey's standout strength: 11.4% chronic absenteeism in 2024–2025 is lower than the district (15.4%), the state (17.3%), and every nearby comparison school, and dropout rates are near zero in most years. Kromrey also spends $15,950 per pupil — the lowest among the comparison schools — with a student-teacher ratio of 12.3, suggesting strong outcomes with relatively lean resources. The clearest concern is an equity gap: while the school ranks in the 90th percentile overall, its effectiveness ranking for low-income students sits around the 42nd percentile and was 25th in 2024–2025. Special education students rank in the 92nd percentile in 2025–2026, and English learner rankings have improved sharply, so there are encouraging signs alongside that gap.