James Wright Middle, Madison WI - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on James Wright Middle

James Wright Middle sits on Fish Hatchery Road in Madison, a regular public school serving grades six through eight as part of the Madison Metropolitan School District. It is a relatively small middle school, and its student body reflects the diversity of its surrounding neighborhood and the district more broadly. A large majority of students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school’s racial and ethnic composition is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a smaller share of white, Asian, and multiracial students.

The academic picture at Wright Middle is one where state test results show areas of challenge, particularly in math and English language arts. Across sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, the share of students reaching proficiency in math was on the lower side. English language arts results were somewhat stronger but still well below the state average, with eighth-grade students performing notably better than the younger grades in that subject. In science, tested only in eighth grade, proficiency was reported at a modest level. Social studies, also tested in eighth grade, had a higher proficiency rate, the strongest result among the tested subjects at the school. Overall, when compared with other middle schools within the district and across Dane County, Wright Middle’s combined proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. The school does maintain high participation rates on assessments, meaning the data represents nearly all of its enrolled students.

The data does not include a graduation rate for this school, which is expected for a middle school that does not serve high school grades. There was no publicly reported information on chronic absenteeism or on the share of students receiving special education services or English learner supports. A parent looking to understand the full support landscape at Wright Middle would want to ask the school directly about these populations and any targeted programs available.

Madison is the state capital and home to the University of Wisconsin, a combination that gives the city a distinctive character. The local economy is anchored by government, higher education, healthcare, and technology, with the university and UW Health among the largest employers, and Epic Systems the largest private-sector employer in the region. The city is growing faster than any other in Wisconsin, a trend that has brought development pressure and a tight housing market. Home prices in the school’s zip code are above the state benchmark, and rents have been rising. The school sits in a neighborhood that is a short distance from downtown and the isthmus, areas known for high walkability, a strong bike network, and lakefront recreation.

The Madison Metropolitan School District, which Wright Middle belongs to, is a large urban district that has faced the usual challenges of serving a diverse and changing population. Publicly reported district developments in recent years include new school construction and facility upgrades, though specific plans affecting Wright Middle were not found in available materials.

James Wright Middle offers a tight-knit, urban school experience within a growing and economically mixed city. Its academic performance on state tests is an area where families will want to dig deeper, seeking out information on classroom instruction, interventions, and enrichment offerings directly from the school. The student body is economically diverse but heavily weighted toward lower-income families, and the school serves a predominantly Hispanic and Black student population. For a family weighing this school, the primary considerations are a small school setting in a dynamic city, combined with a need to understand how the school is working to raise academic achievement across the board.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 620%

School 20% · District 46% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 34 pts below state median · ▼ 39 pts below county median

Grade 725%

School 25% · District 45% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 29 pts below state median · ▼ 37 pts below county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 42% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 631%

School 31% · District 50% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 730%

School 30% · District 49% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 52% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Science

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 48% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 856%

School 56% · District 60% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

This schoolMadison Metropolitan School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income20%Higher-income54%34 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income24%Higher-income42%19 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income41%Higher-income67%26 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income16%Higher-income27%11 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income46%33 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income16%Higher-income57%41 pp gap