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Burlington Downtown Historic District Looking southwest WIS36Photo: I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license: · CC BY-SA 3.0
B
Schools in Burlington · Waterford Union High School District, Burlington Area School District

Burlington’s public schools outscore 60% of Wisconsin districts

On the state reading tests, 44% of Burlington’s students scored proficient, above the Wisconsin average (38%). The grade covers the two public school districts serving Burlington, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Wisconsin, not nationally.

#185of 362 Wisconsin townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Wisconsin state tests taken in spring 2022, when 97% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
44%
▲ 6 pts vs WI 38%
2021–22
Math proficiency
44%
▲ 5 pts vs WI 39%
2021–22
Graduate on time
96%
▲ 6 pts vs WI 90%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$14.5K
▼ 12% vs WI $16.5K
FY2024 · Burlington Area
Students per teacher
14.7
WI 13.6 · larger classes
Schools in town
9
2,526 students on the public path
In brief

Burlington’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 1311 Wisconsin towns with household incomes within a quarter of Burlington’s, its schools beat 67%, higher than their 60% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 44% and math 44% across both districts in spring 2022, against 38% and 39% statewide; 96% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 90%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

Waterford Union High spends $23,692 per student and Burlington Area $14,544, against $16,459 across Wisconsin (FY2024). Neither counts toward the grade. Districts ↓

Choice beyond the district

Burlington Catholic School (private), St. Johns Lutheran School (private) and Catholic Central High School (private) are in town. Wisconsin Connect Charter School, an online school, is based here too; it isn’t counted as a local school. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Burlington’s grade

B+ Test scoresB− Graduation

B: better than 60% of Wisconsin school districts, #185 of 362 Wisconsin towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Wisconsin average; test scores are the stronger of the two.

Wisconsin school districts we grade (441)Better than 60%
Lower resultsHigher results
Wisconsin towns with similar household incomes (1311)Better than 67%
B−B+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 1,695 test results and a graduating class of 283 could put Burlington anywhere from B− to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 97% of Burlington’s students in the tested grades sat them (1,695 in math, 1,695 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Burlington, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–43 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressB− to A
5–8Karcher Middle SchoolBurlington Area School DistrictB
9–12Burlington High SchoolBurlington Area School DistrictB−

Burlington runs its own schools through grade 12 (Burlington Area School District). From grade 9, students attend the Waterford Union High School District, shared with Burlington, Dover, Norway, Rochester, Vernon, Waterford and Waterford. Parts of Burlington (3% of its land) are served by Waterford Joint No. 1 instead. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

Two districts serve Burlington

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Waterford Union High School DistrictGrades 9–12 · 1 schools · 889 students, down 6% since 2020–21 · 13.0 per teacher (WI 13.6)
$23,692WI $16,459 · FY2024
B+
Burlington Area School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 8 schools · 2,876 students, up 4% since 2023–24 · 15.4 per teacher (WI 13.6)
$14,544WI $16,459 · FY2024
B
Test scores · 2021–22

Well above the state in reading

Reading · 9–12, Waterford Union High School District42%
State average 38.1% · 263 students tested
Math · 9–12, Waterford Union High School District44%
State average 38.7% · 263 students tested
Reading · PK–12, Burlington Area School District44%
State average 38.1% · 1432 students tested
Math · PK–12, Burlington Area School District44%
State average 38.7% · 1432 students tested

Burlington vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Wisconsin towns that share Burlington’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
BurlingtonBBurlington Area PK–12 · Waterford Union High 9–12
LyonsB+Lake Geneva Joint No. 1 PK–8 · Burlington Area PK–12 · Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High 9–12
Spring PrairieBBurlington Area PK–12 · East Troy PK–12 · Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High 9–12

All 2 neighbors share Burlington Area with Burlington for grades PK–12, so their letters differ mainly through the lower grades.

Every school in Burlington

10 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Wisconsin’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Burlingtonby address
Dyer Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4
A
395 students15:1Rate it →
Cooper Montessori
Elementary · Grades PK–6
B+
225 students18:1Rate it →
Waller Elementary
Elementary · Grades K–4
B−
247 students14:1Rate it →
Karcher Middle School
Middle · Grades 5–8
B
779 students16:1Rate it →
Burlington High School
High · Grades 9–12
B−
880 students16:1Rate it →
Other district programsby referral or application
Burlington Alternative School
Grades K–12
Alternative Education
65 students15:1Rate it →
Online schools based in Burlingtonnot counted as local schools
Wisconsin Connect Charter School
Grades PK–12
CharterOnline
78 studentsRate it →
Private schoolstuition; no state tests, so no grade
Burlington Catholic School
Elementary · Grades PK–8
Private · Catholic
427 students17:1Rate it →
St. Johns Lutheran School
Elementary · Grades PK–8
Private · Religious
135 students14:1Rate it →
Catholic Central High School
High · Grades 9–12
Private · Catholic
129 students7:1Rate it →

Questions about Burlington’s schools

Are Burlington’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of Wisconsin: the public schools Burlington children attend outscore 60% of Wisconsin’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B Schools grade, #185 of 362 Wisconsin towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 67%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Burlington in?

Two districts: Burlington Area School District runs grades PK–12, and Waterford Union High School District runs grades 9–12, shared with Burlington, Dover, Norway, Rochester, Vernon, Waterford and Waterford.

Where do Burlington kids go to high school?

Burlington High School, with 880 students; its own test results earn a B−.

What is Burlington’s graduation rate?

96% of the class of 2023 in Waterford Union High School District graduated in four years, against 90% across Wisconsin.

How much does Burlington spend per student?

$23,692 in Waterford Union High School District and $14,544 in Burlington Area School District (FY2024), against $16,459 across Wisconsin. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Are there private schools in Burlington?

Yes: Burlington Catholic School (Catholic, grades PK–8, 427 students), St. Johns Lutheran School (religious, grades PK–8, 135 students) and Catholic Central High School (Catholic, grades 9–12, 129 students).

Parents talk

What Burlington families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Burlington → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Wisconsin. Stars are from neighbors.