MMSD high school completion rates climb nearly 9%

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Newly released state data show continued long-term growth in high school completion across the Madison Metropolitan School District, along with improvements in attendance following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Districtwide, 85.2% of MMSD students completed high school in the 2024–25 school year, representing an increase of nearly nine percentage points since the state began tracking the four-year adjusted cohort rate in 2009-2010, when the district’s completion rate was 76.5%. 

“Every student who crosses the stage at graduation represents years of hard work and support from educators, families and the broader community,” Superintendent Joe Gothard said in a statement.  

MMSD’s four comprehensive high schools achieved completion rates above 84% in 2024–2025. Completion rates by school were as follows: 

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  • Vel Phillips Memorial High School: 90.7% 

  • West High School: 89.1% 

  • Robert M. La Follette High School: 86.2%  

  • East High School: 84.4%. 

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Attendance rates have also shown steady improvement since the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Districtwide attendance reached 89.3% in the 2024–2025 school year, continuing an upward trend from 87.5% in 2021–2022 and 87.8% in 2022–2023. 

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