The city of Madison’s recent rapid growth has not been reflected in its local school district.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, which reviewed publicly available data, Madison’s population grew by 31.3%, from 221,735 to 291,037, between 2005 and 2024. Enrollment in the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), meanwhile, grew from 24,452 to 25,155, or 2.9%, between 2005-06 and 2024-25.
Population growth in 11 Madison suburbs between 2005-24 ranged from 10% to 93.5%, and the suburbs’ growth was mirrored in their school districts. Six of them saw enrollment increases of between 25.9% and 50% between 2005-06 and 2024-25.
Some of the trend could be related to demographic shifts: In 2010, 22.2% of Madison households had children under 18, while in 2023, that number was estimated at 18.8%.
In Fitchburg, Middleton and Sun Prairie, the percentages of households with children were 20%, 24% and 30%, respectively.
Open enrollment has also played a role. MMSD has not seen more students transferring into the district than out since at least 2005, according to data from the Department of Public Instruction. In the interim period, the district has lost a net total of 13,005 students through the program, and with them roughly $90,000 in state funding based on enrollment.
MMSD has also seen its state aid cut by around $20.5 million as a result of district students opting into state voucher programs for private schools.
