Can I use Jefferson County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Jefferson County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Jefferson County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Jefferson County?

Start with the 30 listed public schools and 5 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Jefferson County Schools & Education

Name: Jefferson County, Wisconsin Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Jefferson County, Wisconsin

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School 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

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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

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

Elementary 4Middle 1High 1Other 1

7 listed schools in this county slice.

Jefferson School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,728 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Lake Mills Area School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,508 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Waterloo School District

Elementary to high school visible

761 students

Elementary 1Middle 2High 1Other 0

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?

Education Overview

About Schools in Jefferson County, Wisconsin

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Robust District Options and High Enrollment

Jefferson County features a large educational footprint with 30 schools serving 9,673 students across five districts. This includes 13 elementary schools and 7 middle schools, providing a deep pipeline for student development.

Fort Atkinson and Watertown Lead Charge

Fort Atkinson School District is the largest with seven schools and 2,508 students, followed closely by the Jefferson School District. The county also offers specialized options, including one charter school and four 'other' level campuses.

A Predominantly Town-Based School System

Most students attend school in town settings, with 21 of the 30 schools located in urban clusters. Schools like Fort Atkinson High (960 students) offer a comprehensive high school experience, while the county average remains a manageable 322 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Jefferson County

Reported Enrollment

9,673

30 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

3% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary13

Middle7

High6

Other4

5 School Districts in Jefferson County

Fort Atkinson School District

7 schools

2,508 students

Jefferson School District

5 schools

1,728 students

Lake Mills Area School District

3 schools

1,508 students

Waterloo School District

4 schools

761 students

Johnson Creek School District

1 school

605 students

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 data

Search schools

Level

Sort

Showing 20 of 30 matching schools

Public schools in Jefferson County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
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

Profile9–12High960 students

Riverside Middle

Watertown Unified School District

Watertown, 53094 / Town: Fringe

Record6–8Middle693 students

Lake Mills Elementary

Lake Mills Area School District

Lake Mills, 53551 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary610 students

Jefferson High

Jefferson School District

Jefferson, 53549 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High607 students

Johnson Creek Public School

Johnson Creek School District

Johnson Creek, 53038 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–12Other605 students

Fort Atkinson Middle

Fort Atkinson School District

Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle504 students

Lake Mills High

Lake Mills Area School District

Lake Mills, 53551 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High488 students

Lake Mills Middle

Lake Mills Area School District

Lake Mills, 53551 / Town: Distant

Record5–8Middle410 students

Jefferson Middle

Jefferson School District

Jefferson, 53549 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle389 students

Webster Elementary

Watertown Unified School District

Watertown, 53094 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary369 students

East Elementary

Jefferson School District

Jefferson, 53549 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary308 students

Waterloo Elementary

Waterloo School District

Waterloo, 53594 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary285 students

Ixonia Elementary

Oconomowoc Area School District

Ixonia, 53036 / Suburb: Large

RecordPK–4Primary279 students

West Elementary

Jefferson School District

Jefferson, 53549 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary270 students

Purdy Elementary

Fort Atkinson School District

Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary268 students

Waterloo High

Waterloo School District

Waterloo, 53594 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High255 students

Schurz Elementary

Watertown Unified School District

Watertown, 53094 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary244 students

Cambridge High

Cambridge School District

Cambridge, 53523 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High241 students

Rockwell Elementary

Fort Atkinson School District

Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary231 students

Luther Elementary

Fort Atkinson School District

Fort Atkinson, 53538 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary226 students

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 Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Wisconsin counties have the highest graduation rates?

Ozaukee County (97.6%), Oneida County (96.8%), and Vilas County (96.1%) currently lead Wisconsin among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Wisconsin?

Across Wisconsin counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $8,113. The highest current county values are Bayfield County ($10,665), Vilas County ($10,435), and Florence County ($10,426). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Jefferson County?

Jefferson County has a school score of 72/100, which is a higher measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Jefferson County?

The high school graduation rate in Jefferson County is 93.3%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Jefferson County spend per student?

Jefferson County spends $8,134 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Jefferson County, Wisconsin — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Jefferson County, Wisconsin?

What are the major school districts in Jefferson County, Wisconsin?

What is the school experience like in Jefferson County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Trempealeau County

Wisconsin

-0 pts

72/100

School score

Waukesha County

Wisconsin

-0 pts

72/100

School score

Washington County

Wisconsin

-1 pts

71/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.

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