Jefferson County Schools & Education
Jefferson County, Iowa
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
66/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
92.9%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.9%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 92.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,722
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,591
School Score
66/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 61/100
State Score Position
#39
of 99 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Jefferson County
Measured School Summary
Jefferson County performs at an average level with a school score of 66/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.9%.
Funding Context
At $7,722 per pupil, Jefferson County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 8% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Jefferson County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
6 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
66/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #39 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.
Completion
92.9%
0.6 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,722
$131 above the state average
School coverage
6
2 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Jefferson County has 6 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Jefferson County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Small-system county
Jefferson County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#39
of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 5 points above the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Fairfield Comm School District
Elementary to high school visible
1,514 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
Pekin Comm School District
Elementary and high visible
642 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Fairfield Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 4 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Jefferson County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Jefferson County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Data Story
Two Main Districts Manage Jefferson County Public Education
Education data brief for Jefferson County, Iowa.
Jefferson County utilizes a consolidated district structure with only two public school districts serving a total enrollment of 2,156 students. This organizational model is notable given the count of six schools in the county, with the Fairfield Community School District managing 1,514 of those students across four campuses. The Pekin Community School District serves the remaining student population. Four of the county's schools are located in town locales, while two are rural. The county's composite school score is 66.0, which is higher than the state average of 61.3. Educational spending per pupil is $7,722, slightly above the Iowa state average of $7,591 but well below the national expenditure of $13,000. The graduation rate of 92.9% aligns closely with the state average of 92.3% and remains above the national average of 87.0%. Compare district boundaries before drawing conclusions.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Jefferson County
Reported Enrollment
2,156
6 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Jefferson County
Fairfield Comm School District
Pekin Comm School District
6 Public Schools in Jefferson County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield High School | Record | Fairfield Comm School District | Fairfield, 52556Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 476 |
| Fairfield Middle School | Record | Fairfield Comm School District | Fairfield, 52556Town: Remote | 5–8 | Middle | 438 |
| Pekin Elementary School | Record | Pekin Comm School District | Packwood, 52580Rural: Remote | PK–6 | Primary | 350 |
| Pence Elementary | Record | Fairfield Comm School District | Fairfield, 52556Town: Remote | 2–4 | Primary | 333 |
| Pekin Community Junior/ Senior High School | Record | Pekin Comm School District | Packwood, 52580Rural: Remote | 7–12 | High | 292 |
| Washington Elementary | Record | Fairfield Comm School District | Fairfield, 52556Town: Remote | PK–1 | Primary | 267 |
Fairfield High School
Fairfield Comm School District
Fairfield, 52556 / Town: Remote
Fairfield Middle School
Fairfield Comm School District
Fairfield, 52556 / Town: Remote
Pekin Elementary School
Pekin Comm School District
Packwood, 52580 / Rural: Remote
Pence Elementary
Fairfield Comm School District
Fairfield, 52556 / Town: Remote
Pekin Community Junior/ Senior High School
Pekin Comm School District
Packwood, 52580 / Rural: Remote
Washington Elementary
Fairfield Comm School District
Fairfield, 52556 / Town: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,722
State avg $7,591
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Jefferson County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Iowa counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Iowa?
How should I read the school score in Jefferson County?
What is the graduation rate in Jefferson County?
How much does Jefferson County spend per student?
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.