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Waunakee High

Public Grades 9-12

42^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 431 Wisconsin High Schools

Better than 90% of Wisconsin high schools

Summary

Waunakee High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,346 students. Located in Waunakee, Wisconsin, the school is part of the Waunakee Community School District, which is ranked 34th out of 426 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Waunakee High has consistently been ranked among the top high schools in Wisconsin, with a current ranking of 42nd out of 431 high schools and a 5-star rating.

Waunakee High excels academically, consistently outperforming the state and district averages on standardized tests. In the 2024-2025 school year, 71.94% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better in Social Studies, compared to the state average of 47.67%. The school also boasts excellent graduation rates, with a 4-year graduation rate of 96.8% in the 2023-2024 school year, significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, Waunakee High performs exceptionally well across various student subgroups, ranking 30th out of 380 Wisconsin high schools for male students and 54th out of 358 high schools for female students, both with 5-star ratings.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Vel Phillips Memorial High School and East High, both part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, Waunakee High stands out as a high-performing institution with significantly higher academic performance and lower rates of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. While Waunakee High is an exceptional school, there may be opportunities to further support students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, as the school's ranking for this subgroup is relatively lower than its overall performance.

1,335

Students ?

12.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,104

Per pupil spending ?

9.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

301 Community Dr
Waunakee, WI 53597-1639

(608) 849-2100

District: Waunakee Community School District

Feeder schools for Waunakee High:

Elementary:	Arboretum Elementary
	Waunakee Heritage Elementary
	Waunakee Prairie Elementary
Middle:	Waunakee Intermediate
	Waunakee Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.1%

Hispanic:

7.9%

Two or more races:

4.3%

See top rated Wisconsin high schools

Compare Waunakee High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 98th percentile in 2018 → 90th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Wisconsin average (65% vs 46% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 10% of Wisconsin high schools

✓99% graduate in 4 years — above the Wisconsin average (92%)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 98th-percentile peak (2018) to 90th (2025)

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school65%

District avg65%

Wisconsin avg46%

42^nd of 431

Wisconsin public high schools ?

Top 10%▲ up 7 pts since 2015

From top 17% (2015) to top 10% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Wisconsin High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

34^th of 426Waunakee Community 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	84.6	42 of 431	90.3%	★★★★★
2024	92.9	17 of 431	96.1%	★★★★★
2023	86.9	37 of 415	91.1%	★★★★★
2022	94.0	14 of 391	96.4%	★★★★★
2021	95.0	13 of 390	96.7%	★★★★★
2019	94.3	15 of 400	96.3%	★★★★★
2018	96.4	8 of 410	98.0%	★★★★★
2017	96.1	13 of 410	96.8%	★★★★★
2016	96.4	12 of 408	97.1%	★★★★★
2015	74.0	77 of 466	83.5%	★★★★☆
2014	92.2	5 of 462	98.9%	★★★★★
2013	81.0	35 of 457	92.3%	★★★★★
2012	76.0	67 of 452	85.2%	★★★★☆
2011	75.3	72 of 445	83.8%	★★★★☆
2010	77.5	50 of 450	88.9%	★★★★☆
2009	76.1	64 of 438	85.4%	★★★★☆
2008	77.9	49 of 437	88.8%	★★★★☆
2007	75.4	52 of 281	81.5%	★★★★☆
2006	77.7	35 of 292	88.0%	★★★★☆
2005	79.7	29 of 287	89.9%	★★★★★
2004	78.6	32 of 275	88.4%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2018	75.0	9 of 40	77.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	79.2	54 of 358	84.9%	★★★★☆
2024	94.7	8 of 353	97.7%	★★★★★
2022	94.5	8 of 343	97.7%	★★★★★
2021	95.4	4 of 332	98.8%	★★★★★
2019	93.6	14 of 343	95.9%	★★★★★
2018	96.2	5 of 355	98.6%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	50.5	54 of 126	57.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	74.3	23 of 119	80.7%	★★★★☆
2023	73.3	22 of 97	77.3%	★★★★☆
2022	71.7	20 of 86	76.7%	★★★★☆
2019	69.6	19 of 86	77.9%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	30.6	254 of 335	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	53.4	149 of 326	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	81.0	29 of 271	89.3%	★★★★☆
2022	48.8	118 of 250	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.6	61 of 226	73.0%	★★★★☆
2019	85.7	12 of 251	95.2%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	86.2	30 of 380	92.1%	★★★★★
2023	87.1	29 of 359	91.9%	★★★★★
2022	89.5	21 of 347	93.9%	★★★★★
2021	90.3	21 of 334	93.7%	★★★★★
2019	91.9	14 of 354	96.0%	★★★★★
2018	94.3	12 of 373	96.8%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	62.4	27 of 81	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	76.2	13 of 71	81.7%	★★★★☆
2022	97.3	1 of 41	97.6%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2024	84.9	7 of 95	92.6%	★★★★★
2023	53.3	20 of 55	63.6%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Wisconsin percentile	Rating
2025	81.3	43 of 285	84.9%	★★★★☆
2024	91.4	17 of 300	94.3%	★★★★★
2023	81.7	37 of 271	86.3%	★★★★☆
2022	90.6	20 of 269	92.6%	★★★★★
2021	92.6	17 of 266	93.6%	★★★★★
2019	91.7	20 of 266	92.5%	★★★★★
2018	95.2	10 of 261	96.2%	★★★★★

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)

Special Education (2024)93rd percentile-3 vs school

Male (2025)92nd percentile~ school

Female (2025)85th percentile-5 vs school

White (2025)85th percentile-5 vs school

Disabled (2018)78th percentile-21 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)67th percentile-24 vs school

Hispanic (2025)57th percentile-33 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)24th percentile-66 vs school

By subject vs Wisconsin (2024-2025) ?

Social Studies72%+24 vs state

Science67%+24 vs state

Mathematics64%+21 vs state

English Language Arts54%+5 vs state

★

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Schools Near Waunakee High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ACT English Language Arts (2025)	ACT Mathematics (2025)	ACT Science (2025)	Forward Exam Social Studies (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	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
Waunakee High	Public	9-12	301 Community Dr	Waunakee	53597	Dane County	Waunakee Community School District	No	No	No	No	(608) 849-2100	1,335	103	12.9	9.1%	1,109 (83.1%)	20 (1.5%)	105 (7.9%)	44 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (4.3%)	84.6	42^nd of 431 public high schools	90.3%		92.9	17^th of 431 public high schools	96.1%	25	54.1	63.8	67.0	71.9	$12,104	$201	$11,903
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%)	85.2	41^st of 431 public high schools	90.5%		45.5	248^th of 431 public high schools	42.5%	207		46.2	75.0	76.9	$17,973	$162	$17,811
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%)	95.9	9^th of 431 public high schools	97.9%		94.5	14^th of 431 public high schools	96.8%	5	76.1	70.2	74.3	75.0	$12,015	$188	$11,827
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%)	49.1	227^th of 431 public high schools	47.3%		41.7	271^st of 431 public high schools	37.1%	44	55.6	27.8	44.4	56.3	$23,155	$399	$22,758
De Forest High	Public	9-12	815 Jefferson St	DeForest	53532	Dane County	De Forest Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(608) 842-6600	1,137	80	14.1	16.2%	912 (80.2%)	41 (3.6%)	81 (7.1%)	33 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (6.2%)	66.7	123^rd of 431 public high schools	71.5%		70.4	98^th of 431 public high schools	77.3%	25	52.9	49.8	50.6	60.3	$12,537	$180	$12,358
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%)	24.4	358^th of 431 public high schools	16.9%		26.5	348^th of 431 public high schools	19.3%	10	37.0	31.4	34.8	38.7	$13,938	$411	$13,528
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%)								(n/a)				13.6	$25,715	$538	$25,178
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%)								(n/a)					$10,910	$1,245	$9,666
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%)	83.6	47^th of 431 public high schools	89.1%		80.8	51^st of 431 public high schools	88.2%	4	60.6	57.2	63.0	70.3	$12,939	$407	$12,533
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%)	60.7	156^th of 431 public high schools	63.8%		53.3	194^th of 431 public high schools	55.0%	38	54.3	48.6	48.4	50.7	$12,941	$407	$12,535

Frequently Asked Questions about Waunakee High

Is Waunakee High a good school?

Yes. Waunakee High ranks in the top 9.7% of Wisconsin high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Waunakee High?

Students at Waunakee High are 83% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Waunakee High?

Waunakee High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Arboretum Elementary
Elementary : Waunakee Heritage Elementary
Elementary : Waunakee Prairie Elementary
Middle : Waunakee Intermediate
Middle : Waunakee Middle

What district is Waunakee High in?

Waunakee Community School District

How many students attend Waunakee High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,335 students attended Waunakee High.

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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.