Jefferson County Schools & Education
Jefferson County, Wisconsin
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
72/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Higher Signal
Graduation Rate
93.3%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
93.3%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$8,134
National avg $13,239
State avg $8,113
School Score
72/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 65/100
State Score Position
#17
of 72 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Jefferson County
Measured School Summary
Jefferson County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 72/100 and a graduation rate of 93.3%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.
Funding Context
Jefferson County spends $8,134 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 11% above the Wisconsin average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% 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
30 public schools and 5 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
72/100
Higher measured signal. Ranks #17 of 72 Wisconsin counties with school score data.
Completion
93.3%
1.5 pts above the state average
Funding context
$8,134
roughly matches the state average
School coverage
30
5 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Jefferson County has 30 public schools across 5 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.
Higher-signal county
Jefferson County screens well on the measured county-level school signal. The next check is whether that strength is broad across districts or concentrated in a few school pathways.
State position
#17
of 72 Wisconsin counties with school score data. The county score is 7 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.
Fort Atkinson School District
Elementary to high school visible
2,508 students
7 listed schools in this county slice.
Jefferson School District
Elementary to high school visible
1,728 students
5 listed schools in this county slice.
Lake Mills Area School District
Elementary to high school visible
1,508 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Waterloo School District
Elementary to high school visible
761 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Fort Atkinson School District is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Data Story
Jefferson County School System Centered in Town-Based Districts
Education data brief for Jefferson County, Wisconsin.
Jefferson County’s public education system is distinguished by its town-based structure, with 21 of its 30 schools classified in the town locale by the NCES. This system serves 9,673 students across five school districts, the largest being the Fort Atkinson School District with 2,508 students. The county’s graduation rate of 93.3% exceeds both the state average of 91.8% and the national average of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure is recorded at $8,134, which is consistent with the Wisconsin average of $8,113 but significantly lower than the national benchmark of $13,000. The composite school score for the county is 72.0, surpassing the state average of 65.0 and the national median of 50.0. While the county is primarily town-focused, it includes eight rural schools and one suburban school. One charter school operates within the county, representing 3.3% of the total school count. Compare district boundaries via the NCES map tool before drawing conclusions.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
30
in Jefferson County
Reported Enrollment
9,673
30 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
1
3% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Jefferson County
Fort Atkinson School District
Jefferson School District
Lake Mills Area School District
Waterloo School District
Johnson Creek School District
30 Public Schools in Jefferson County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 30 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Atkinson High | Profile | Fort Atkinson School District | Fort Atkinson, 53538Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 960 |
| Riverside Middle | Record | Watertown Unified School District | Watertown, 53094Town: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 693 |
| Lake Mills Elementary | Record | Lake Mills Area School District | Lake Mills, 53551Town: Distant | PK–4 | Primary | 610 |
| Jefferson High | Record | Jefferson School District | Jefferson, 53549Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 607 |
| Johnson Creek Public School | Record | Johnson Creek School District | Johnson Creek, 53038Rural: Fringe | PK–12 | Other | 605 |
| Fort Atkinson Middle | Record | Fort Atkinson School District | Fort Atkinson, 53538Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 504 |
| Lake Mills High | Record | Lake Mills Area School District | Lake Mills, 53551Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 488 |
| Lake Mills Middle | Record | Lake Mills Area School District | Lake Mills, 53551Town: Distant | 5–8 | Middle | 410 |
| Jefferson Middle | Record | Jefferson School District | Jefferson, 53549Town: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 389 |
| Webster Elementary | Record | Watertown Unified School District | Watertown, 53094Town: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 369 |
| East Elementary | Record | Jefferson School District | Jefferson, 53549Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 308 |
| Waterloo Elementary | Record | Waterloo School District | Waterloo, 53594Rural: Fringe | PK–4 | Primary | 285 |
| Ixonia Elementary | Record | Oconomowoc Area School District | Ixonia, 53036Suburb: Large | PK–4 | Primary | 279 |
| West Elementary | Record | Jefferson School District | Jefferson, 53549Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 270 |
| Purdy Elementary | Record | Fort Atkinson School District | Fort Atkinson, 53538Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 268 |
| Waterloo High | Record | Waterloo School District | Waterloo, 53594Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 255 |
| Schurz Elementary | Record | Watertown Unified School District | Watertown, 53094Town: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 244 |
| Cambridge High | Record | Cambridge School District | Cambridge, 53523Town: Distant | 9–12 | High | 241 |
| Rockwell Elementary | Record | Fort Atkinson School District | Fort Atkinson, 53538Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 231 |
| Luther Elementary | Record | Fort Atkinson School District | Fort Atkinson, 53538Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 226 |
Fort Atkinson High
Fort Atkinson School District
Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant
Riverside Middle
Watertown Unified School District
Watertown, 53094 / Town: Fringe
Lake Mills Elementary
Lake Mills Area School District
Lake Mills, 53551 / Town: Distant
Johnson Creek Public School
Johnson Creek School District
Johnson Creek, 53038 / Rural: Fringe
Fort Atkinson Middle
Fort Atkinson School District
Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant
Lake Mills High
Lake Mills Area School District
Lake Mills, 53551 / Town: Distant
Lake Mills Middle
Lake Mills Area School District
Lake Mills, 53551 / Town: Distant
Jefferson Middle
Jefferson School District
Jefferson, 53549 / Town: Distant
Webster Elementary
Watertown Unified School District
Watertown, 53094 / Town: Fringe
East Elementary
Jefferson School District
Jefferson, 53549 / Town: Distant
Waterloo Elementary
Waterloo School District
Waterloo, 53594 / Rural: Fringe
Ixonia Elementary
Oconomowoc Area School District
Ixonia, 53036 / Suburb: Large
West Elementary
Jefferson School District
Jefferson, 53549 / Town: Distant
Purdy Elementary
Fort Atkinson School District
Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant
Schurz Elementary
Watertown Unified School District
Watertown, 53094 / Town: Fringe
Rockwell Elementary
Fort Atkinson School District
Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant
Luther Elementary
Fort Atkinson School District
Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$8,134
State avg $8,113
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 Wisconsin counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Wisconsin?
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.