Madison High School

2500 James Madison Drive

School District

Fairfax County Public Schools
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for Fairfax County Public Schools

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 26, 2023

My 3 sons graduated from Madison. They are very different students and all had fantastic experiences. Madison is a special school where the teachers really care about their students, the administrators work well beyond their scope, and the community is supportive and highly involved. We chose our home because it was in the Madison pyramid and we are so grateful our boys went there.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2021

Two of my children graduated from Madison high school. They were well prepared for college and seamlessly transitioned into an engineering curriculum.
Submitted by parent on May 02, 2021

Academically the school is great. There are appropriate levels for all kids whether they’re operating at or above standard grade level. Plenty of AP options and teachers are solid; some challenging but overall good for a teenagers growth. There is extra curricular options for all and some really standout sports programs and some ok; overall above average for FFX county.
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2021

There are great teachers and bad teachers. I have very bad experience in history.The teacher don't know how to teach.For example,in an 1.5-hours class,she asked us to do a practice,then reviewed the last quiz,then did new quiz,next we were left plenty of time to do homework by ourselves.The teacher is very picky and don't care about our grades.She need to be fired.But the administrator may never attend our class to find out.Or the administrator doesn't care.
Submitted by parent on April 21, 2021

We purposely bought a home in the Madison school district and paid more money for our home because this is such an excellent school. I have one child who graduated from Madison high school and went to a top-notch college and another child with disabilities who still attends.Both children had different interests and experiences but all were positive with excellent teachers, unbelievable school spirit (which the town participates and supports) and plenty of activities.
Submitted by student on July 13, 2020

Very good experience. Just walking into the school has such a positive effect on you. I definitely would recommend.
Submitted by student on March 27, 2020

Very high. I had a wonderful experience at James Madison High School. Highly recommended.
Submitted by parent on January 07, 2018

Both of our children are JMHS graduates, matriculated at UVA, and are now successful, thanks at least in part to the rigorous academics and caring teachers at Madison. The reality is that the majority of high schools in Northern Virginia offer opportunities for learning and growth that far exceed the national norm. Yes, there are subtle differences between these schools, but too few to affect the ratings in my opinion. Marshall, Madison, and Oakton in the Vienna area are all great high schools.
Submitted by parent on November 11, 2017

This school needs a major improvement in how they help iep kids who take honors and ap classes
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2017

My youngest son is a freshman at Madison. There's a new principal who is creative and focused on academics. The former principal, who had been at Madison for way too long, focused too much on sports, particularly football and baseball. Fortunately, the new principal has a better attitude. He is bringing back the Senior Ethics' Day and evaluating various programs. He is hiring new teachers, asking how they are going to stretch the students' academically and offer creativity. He is open and accessible. This is tiny, but it made a difference: he moved the school's graduation from another high school's gym to DAR Constitution Hall in DC. My two older sons are now in college and find themselves well prepared. They each received a lot of AP credit (thank you, Fairfax County tax payers!). They also made life-long friends at Madison. They appreciate the help of their teachers.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2017

This is an absolutely incredible school. We had just switched over from Green Hedges School which is a private school and extremely happy with the performance of Madison High School.We also had children that went to Langley and Mclean before but they liked Madison a lot more. It is definitely very academically challenging but the teachers are there to provide incredible support. The overall extracurricular activity options are great including their music program since playing the piano and violin is required at our household.
Submitted by other on October 02, 2016

Excellent academic focused school with attention to getting students ready for college. According to US News and World Report it is ranked #3 after Mclean High School.Madison is ranked higher than Langley, Marshall and Oakton which are also very good schools in the area but for some reason on the Great Schools ranking they are lower than those schools which does not make sense.I would highly recommend Madison High School if college preparedness and quality of education is what you are looking for. Madison is highly recruited by the top Ivy League Universities and University of Virginia.
Submitted by parent on December 19, 2015

My children found the transition to this school, from a private school, to be smooth. The teachers seem dedicated and motivated to teach those students who are willing to learn. My children were able to excel with the curriculum in place and they found the course work to be challenging but manageable.
Submitted by student on July 21, 2015

Madison has lighthanded administrators, and a strict student body. Students are very, very, very, very, very much encouraged to take classes that challenge them, to the point in which a student feels it necessary to take at least one AP class. Students, even in non-AP classes, are asked to try harder than their best, even when it's difficult. The teachers are a truly unique and individual crowd. They really show their rare and uncommon personalities through their teaching. The school has a college-esque way of scheduling their students to further prepare them for the future. The majority of the student body comes from a well-to-do background, but prefer to get in touch with their urban roots. They are always open to new experiences, and don't let trivial matters, such as bureaucracy, get in the way of different and new adventures. The school has begun taking action against students constantly bowing out, and has taken their downtime and turned it into a much stricter study hall. Due to this, students have been given the ability to learn a life lesson in peaceful protest, even under outright suppression by the administration. All in all, I would definately reccomend this school for those who wish to take part in a such a rich, powerful environment.
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2015

Best high school! AP and Honors courses are excellent. My child thrived there and is in college at an Ivey League school - Cornell. Several students are accepted to Harvard, Yale, UVA, William & Mary. Teachers are always available for questions and review of tests and quizzes. Parents can receive a weekly grade report if they choose.
Submitted by parent on December 17, 2014

Math department is horrible and in general all this school seems to do is to give quizzes and tests with no feedback to the students about what they did wrong. I don't understand how it gets the ratings that it does. If I had to do it over again, I would never send my child here.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2013

My daughter is a freshman this year. I'm really grateful for enrolling her into this school as they encourages students to acheive success and made the students enjoy in school while working hard. It's the best school one will ever want to enter. GO WARHAWKS!!
Submitted by student on September 09, 2013

I graduated from Madison in 2012 as the oldest of three. I played 3 varsity sports, I was actively involved in various clubs and took multiple AP courses. I'm an average student, not a genius but Madison was a great school, they teach you to be independent, to manage your time wisely and to strive to be successful. Not only is a great place for an education, but for a social life as well, work hard during the week and enjoy the great sports teams and friends on the weekends. I didn't realize or appreciate all that I had been taught until I was 1. Accepted into All 7 of the universities I applied to 2. worked full time and 3. tackled 18 credit hours my first semester while making new friends. It's true that there are competitive, over protective, "Helicopter" parents (and students!) all over the place.... but this is Northern Virginia....the suburbs of the Nations Capital. There are so many advantages to being a Madison student. BUT! It is up to you (the student) you must utilize the NUMEROUS materials, opportunities, and resources they provide. Its not a cake walk, but with a little hard work you'll eventually appreciate the rewards. Go Warhawks!
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2013

Madison High School is a perpect match for a student who wants excel and study hard. My son has been attending Madison since 9th grade and we are pleased with the school so far. Most teachers are great at their subjects and they are willing to go the extra mile to teach their students the best way they can. But the child should be willing to learn, other wise, the pace is fast, it might be hard for an a avarage student to catch up. They don't hand out the grades right away like Montgomery County schools and the parent portal is not as good as edline, but it is about Fairfax county school system, not just Madison. So your child needs to follow everything very carefully, they want the students to be independent. It is hard for a parent to follow their grades and warn the student before hand. As long as you child is responsible and hard working the school has everything. Good teachers, discipline and it is very safe...and great sports teams. The only thing I'd like to see more of is paying more attention to arts...I recommend Madison for sure to everybody.....
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2013

I agree with the Student who submitted the Dec '12 review: JMHS is a high-stress school with NoVA overachiever parents pushing kids to do better than well. There is an emphasis on sports and grades on SOLs at JMHS, which can lead to those kids in the middle, or those who are not in sports, to fall through the cracks. It also leads to "teaching to the tests" mentality, which does not exactly push learning. The Principal is a non-presence, in spite of drug and bullying issues at JMHS. The Guidance department is very good, which is a saving grace of this school. I completely agree with issues related to the teachers; one would think that a school of this calibre in this part of the county (and country) would attract high-achievers. Both my children have had real losers for teachers: teachers who do not teach, who are distracted by their other activities and interests, prima donnas who exhibit real vindictive streaks when called out, etc. Those should be weeded out and dismissed and the Front Office needs to be more engaged in this exercise as well. JMHS students perform above the average because we parents push them and are fortunate to have access to help outside the classroom.