ABOUT

Welcome! We invite you to get to know us.

The Madison Metropolitan School District is the second largest school district in Wisconsin and serves over 27,000 students in 52 schools. The district covers approximately 74 square miles including all or part of the cities of Madison and Fitchburg, the villages of Maple Bluff and Shorewood Hills, and the towns of Blooming Grove, Burke and Madison.

Welcome to the Madison Metropolitan School District. We are privileged to serve the children and families of our community.

Superintendent's Welcome

Our Board of Education is a 7-member policymaking body. Members are elected in April to serve staggered 3-year terms.

Board of Education

Here's what drives us and where we're headed

79%

Literacy Benchmark Overall

84%

Graduation Rate
+2 - 2 year trend

Strategic Framework - Annual Report

Our vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community.

Our first Strategic Framework helped put our school district on an upward trajectory, but more important, it set the foundation for us to make even more progress in the future.

Our new strategy builds on our progress with three ambitious goals:

That all students achieve academically
That all students and adults thrive in positive school climates
Black Excellence – that African American children and youth excel in school

We invite you to learn more about our strategy by reading the full framework and join us in taking our next step together as a district. It is an honor to serve Madison's children and youth, and we look forward to seeing our new strategies in action, achieving our goals and bringing our vision to life together, as one Madison community.

Get to know us

We know that the human connection is important, and that we must create opportunities for the voices of our vibrant, diverse community to be heard. Meet some of the many talented, bold and brilliant students, staff and families who make up our district at mmsd.org/stories.

27,000+

Students

2nd Largest
District in

2,760

Teacher Unit Employees

60.79% have a master's degree or higher

Schools

4 Community Schools

Student Diversity

Black/African-American 18%

Asian 9%

Latino 21%

White 43%

Two or more races 9%

Languages Spoken

Schools offering dual language immersion: 14

MMSD Historical Timeline

Early history and timeline of public education in Madison, WI

*read MMSD Staff News source article here* (Sept. 16, 1988)

Pre Civil-War:

1836

Wisconsin becomes a territory (July 3, 1838)

1838

Madison, WI has 62 residents and a dozen homes
March 1838: public education begins in log cabin home (corner of King St & Doty St)

First teacher is 22 year old Louisa Brayton; teaches approximately one dozen students
May 1838: first 3-month school term ends

1839

First regular school house acquired (corner of E Johnson St & Pinckney St)
- currently on property of the WI Department of Public Instruction building

1844

Enrollment increases to 50 students

1845

New brick school building constructed (corner of E Washington Ave & N Butler St)
Enrollment increases to 60 students

1846

Madison, WI begins as a village
Enrollment increases to 100 students

1848

Wisconsin becomes a state (admitted to the Union May 29,1848)

1855

1st Superintendent of Schools (until 1860) - Damon Kilgore (former school teacher)

1856

Madison, WI receives city status
1,602 total school-age population
- Enrollment increases to 450 students (150 in private schools)
- 1000 children not receiving formal instruction
4 teachers with student-teacher ratio of 125:1
- taught in brick schoolhouse, churches and a carriage factory
Madison Board of Education created
- Damon Kilgore prompts WI Assembly and Senate Committees on Education to pass legislature creating the Board

1858

Board of Education purchases bankrupt private school; becomes Madison Central High School

1860

Superintendent Damon Kilgore resigns
- During five-year career: two new elementary schools built, city high school created, graded school system, staff of trained teacher, growing support for public education from Madison Citizens

Post Civil-War:

1866-1870

Second Ward School
3 combination elementary-middle schools built

1867: Second Ward School built ("architectural delight with indoor plumbing")

1873

New high school built

1876

Student teacher ratio decreases to 45:1
School improvements: additions in art, music, penmanship

1880-1890

Public school enrollment increases by 150%

1895

1 in 6 high Madison school aged students enrolled in public high school
- National average: 1 in 53 enrolled in public high school

1900s-1920s

1917: WI Legislature passes law making student attendance mandatory
Expansion of kindergarten, starting PTA movement, annual physical exams for students, in-school hot lunches
11 new elementary schools and one high school built

Superintendents (since 1855)

Years	Name
1855-1860 (5 years)	Damon Y. Kilgore
1860 (> 1 year)	David Atwood, Pro-Tem
1860-1862 (2 years)	O. M. Conover
1862 (> 1 year)	James W. Ward
1862-1863 (1 year)	Charles H. Allen
1863-1864 (1 year)	F. B. Williams
1864-1865 (1 year)	William M. Colby
1865 (> 1 year)	William Welch, Pro-Tem
1865-1866 (1 year)	J. T. Lovewell
1866-1872 (6 years)	B. M. Reynolds
1872-1873 (1 year)	Walter H. Chase
1873-1884 (11 years)	Samuel Shaw
1884-1891 (7 years)	William H. Beach
1891-1920 (29 years)	R. B. Dudgeon
1920-1921 (1 year)	Charles S. Meek
1921-1928 (7 years)	Thomas W. Gosling
1928-1936 (8 years)	Richard W. Bardwell
1937-1962 (acting 1937; 25 years)	Philip H. Falk
1963-1967 (4 years)	Robert D. Gilberts
1967-1980 (13 years)	Douglas S. Ritchie
1980-1986 (6 years)	Donald A. Hafeman
1986-1992 (6 years)	E. James Travis
1992-1998 (5 years)	Cheryl H. Wilhoyte
1999-2008 (Interim 1998; 9 years)	Arthur L. Rainwater
2008-2012 (4 years)	Daniel Nerad
2012-2013 (Interim, 1 year)	Jane Belmore
2013-2019 (6 years)	Jennifer Cheatham
2019-2020 (Interim, 1 year)	Jane Belmore
2020-present	Dr. Carlton D. Jenkins

List of Superintendents

Board Presidents (since 1978)

Years Served	Board President
April 28, 1978 - 1981	Mrs. Harper
April 26, 1982 - 1985	Mr. Salter
April 28, 1986 - 1988	Barbara Arnold
April 24, 1989 - 1991	Nan Brien
April 27, 1992 - 1994	Peter Williams
May 8, 1995 - 1996	Carol Carstensen
May 5, 1997	Juan Jose Lopez
May 4, 1998 - 1999	Carol Carstensen
May 1, 2000 - 2001	Calvin Williams
April 22, 2002 - 2004	Bill Keys
May 2, 2005	Carol Carstensen
May 1, 2006	Johnny Winston, Jr.
May 7, 2007 - 2009	Arlene Silveira
May 10, 2010	Maya Cole
May 23, 2011 - 2012	James Howard
April 29, 2013	Ed Hughes
May 12, 2014	Arlene Silveira
April 27, 2015	James Howard
May 21, 2018	Mary Burke
May 20, 2019 - 2020	Gloria Reyes
April 26, 2021	Ali Muldrow

Board Presidents

Board Members (since 1991)

Year	Name, Role
1991-1992	Nan B. Brien, President Carol Carstensen Paul F. Dvorak James L. Fullin Jr. Greg C. Samp Jerry E. Smith Jr. Peter W. Williams
1992-1993	Peter Williams, President Carol Carstensen, Vice President Paul Dvorak, Clerk Greg Samp, Treasurer Nan Brien, Member Nancy Mistele, Member Jerry Smith, Member
1993-1994	Peter W. Williams, President Carol Carstensen, Vice President Paul F. Dvorak,Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Deborah C. Lawson, Member Nancy M. Mistele, Member Jerry E. Smith Jr., Member
1994-1995	Peter W. Williams, President Carol Carstensen, Vice President Mary Jan Rosenak, Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Deborah C. Lawson, Member Nancy M. Mistele, Member Ray Allen, Member
1995-1996	Carol Carstensen, President Juan Jose Lopez, Vice President Ray Allen, Clerk Deborah C. Lawson, Treasurer Mary Jan Rosenak, Member Nancy M. Mistele, Member Peter W. Williams, Member
1996-1997	Carol Carstensen, President Juan Jose Lopez, Vice President Ray Allen, Clerk Deborah C. Lawson, Treasurer Mary Jan Rosenak, Member Calvin J. Williams, Member Barbara B. Arnold, Member
1997-1998	Juan Jose Lopez, President Deborah C. Lawson, Vice President Ray Allen, Clerk Mary Jan Rosenak, Treasurer Carol Carstensen, Member Calvin J. Williams, Member Ruth Robarts, Member
1998-1999	Carol Carstensen, President Calvin J. Williams, Vice President Ray Allen, Clerk Deborah C. Lawson, Treasurer Joann Elder, Member Juan Jose Lopez, Member Ruth Robarts, Member
1999-2000	Carol Carstensen, President Calvin Williams, Vice President Ray Allen, Clerk Deborah Lawson, Treasurer Joann Elder, Member Juan Jose Lopez, Member Ruth Robarts, Member
2000-2001	Calvin J. Williams, President Ruth Robarts, Vice President Ray Allen, Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Joann Elder, Member Carol Carstensen, Member Bill Keys, Member
2001-2002	Calvin J. Williams, President Ruth Robarts, Vice President Ray Allen, Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Shwaw Vang, Member Carol Carstensen, Member Bill Keys, Member
2002-2003	Bill Keys, President Ray Allen, Vice President Carol Carstensen, Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Shwaw Vang, Member Bill Clingan, Member Ruth Robarts, Member
2003-2004	Bill Keys, President Ray Allen, Vice President Carol Carstensen, Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Shwaw Vang, Member Bill Clingan, Member Ruth Robarts, Member
2004-2005	Bill Keys, President Bill Clingan, Vice President Carol Carstensen, Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Shwaw Vang, Member Johnny Winston Jr., Member Ruth Robarts, Member Oliver Kiefer, Student Representative Lena Song, Alternate Student Rep.
2005-2006	Carol Carstensen, President Johnny Winston Jr., Vice President Shwaw Vang, Clerk Juan Jose Lopez, Treasurer Lawrie Kobza, Member Bill Keys, Member Ruth Robarts, Member Connor Gants, Student Representative Jesse Ayala, Alternate Student Rep.
2006-2007	Johnny Winston Jr., President Lawrie Kobza, Vice President Shwaw Vang, Clerk Carol Carstensen, Treasurer Arlene Silveira, Member Lucy Mathiak, Member Ruth Robarts, Member Joe Carlsmith, Student Representative Jacinth Sohi, Alternate Student Rep.
2007-2008	Arlene Silveira, President Lawrie Kobza, Vice President Johnny Winston Jr., Clerk Carol Carstensen, Treasurer Maya Cole, Member Lucy Mathiak, Member Beth Moss, Member Sarah Maslin, Student Representative Chelli Riddiough, Alternate Student Rep.
2008-2009	Arlene Silveira, President Lucy Mathiak, Vice President Beth Moss, Clerk Johnny Winston Jr., Treasurer Maya Cole, Member Marg Passman, Member Ed Hughes, Member Chelli Riddiough, Alternate Student Rep.
2009-2010	Arlene Silveira, President Lucy Mathiak, Vice President Maya Cole, Clerk Johnny Winston Jr., Treasurer Beth Moss, Treasurer Marg Passman, Member Ed Hughes, Member Jessica Brooke, Alternate Student Rep.
2010-2011	Maya Cole, President Beth Moss, Vice President Ed Hughes, Clerk Marg Passman, Member Lucy Mathiak, Member Arlene Silveira, Member Wyeth Jackson, Student Representative Jessica Brooke, Alternate Student Rep.
2011-2012	James Howard, President Marg Passman, Vice President Ed Hughes, Clerk Beth Moss, Treasurer Maya Cole, Member Lucy Mathiak, Member Arlene Silveira, Member Filippo Bulgarelli, Student Representative Meredith Paker, Alternate Student Rep.
2012-2013	James Howard, President Marg Passman, Vice President Ed Hughes, Clerk Beth Moss, Treasurer Maya Cole, Member Mary Burke, Member Arlene Silveira, Member Libby Scholz, Student Representative Kassi Rosenthal, Alternate Student Rep.
2013-2014	Ed Hughes, President Arlene Silveira, Vice President Mary Burke, Clerk TJ Mertz, Treasurer James Howard, Member Dean Loumos, Member Marj Passman, Member Luke Gangler, Student Representative Alternate Student Rep. -- Vacant
2014-2015	Arlene Silveira, President James Howard, Vice President Dean Loumos, Clerk TJ Mertz, Treasurer Michael Flores, Member Mary Burke, Member Ed Hughes, Member Brianna Hanson, Student Representative Henry Gaylord/Caroline Zhou, Alternate Student Rep.
2015-2016	James Howard, President Mary Burke, Vice President Dean Loumos, Clerk TJ Mertz, Treasurer Michael Flores, Member Anna Moffit, Member Ed Hughes, Member Anthony Chung, Student Representative Ameya Sanyal, Alternate Student Rep.
2016-2017	James Howard, President Mary Burke, Vice President Anna Moffit, Clerk TJ Mertz, Treasurer Michael Flores, Member Dean Loumos, Member Ed Hughes, Member Ameya Sanyal, Student Representative Danielle Wendricks, Alternate Student Rep.
2017-2018	James Howard, President Anna Moffit, Vice President Nicki Vander Meulen, Clerk Kate Toews, Treasurer Mary Burke, Member Dean Loumos, Member TJ Mertz, Member Laura Nicholas, Student Representative Morten Lee, Alternate Student Rep.
2018-2019	Mary Burke, President James Howard, Vice President Nicki Vander Meulen, Clerk Kate Toews, Treasurer Dean Loumos, Member TJ Mertz, Member Gloria Reyes, Member Imaad Said, Student Representative Morten Lee, Alternate Student Rep.
2019-2020	Gloria Reyes, President Kate Toews, Vice President Nicki Vander Meulen, Clerk Cristiana Carusi, Treasurer Savion Castro, Member ananda mirilli, Member Ali Muldrow, Member Anika Sanyal, Student Representative Rebecca Cutforth, Alternate Student Rep.
2020-2021	Gloria Reyes, President Ali Muldrow, Vice President Nicki Vander Mullen, Clerk Savion Castro, Treasurer ananda mirilli, Member Cristiana Carusi, Member Christina Gomez Schmidt, Member Julia Amann, Student Representative Anika Sanyal, Alternative Student Rep.
2021-2022	Ali Muldrow, President Savion Castro, Vice President Nicki Vander Mullen, Clerk ananda mirilli, Treasurer Cristiana Carusi, Member Christina Gomez Schmidt, Member Maia Pearson, Member Namrata Pandy, Student Representative Gordon Allen, Alternative Student Rep.

Additional Historical Resources

History of Madison Public Schools - two articles from MMSD's Staff News (1988 & 1989) (UW Library archive)
Development of a Public Education System in Wisconsin (WI Historical Society - Historical Essay)
American Indian Education in Wisconsin (June, 2015) (WI Dept. of Public Instruction)
Black History in Wisconsin (Education: sections 4, 5, 6) (WI Historical Society - Historical Essay)

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