Jefferson School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Jefferson, Wisconsin - 5 schools

An equity score of 60/100 ranks Jefferson School District #144 of 403 districts in Wisconsin (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $15,075 per pupil, Jefferson School District ranks #146 of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending (Wisconsin districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,731
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$15,075
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Jefferson School District operates 5 public schools serving 1,731 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Jefferson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,075 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending. See how Wisconsin compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 47.2% local, 42.9% state, and 9.9% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 60/100, ranked #144 of 403 in Wisconsin against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (17 AP courses district-wide), a 288.2:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 17.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 74.3% White, 20.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is West Elementary, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.

Its largest campus is Jefferson High, enrolling 603 students (37% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Sullivan Elementary, at 144 students, a 4x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Jefferson High accounts for 34.8% of all Jefferson School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Jefferson School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Jefferson School District school enrollment varies 4.2× across entities

Jefferson School District school enrollment ranges from 144 students (lowest) to 603 students (highest), a spread of 459 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Jefferson School District student-counselor ratio is 288:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Jefferson School District is typically wider than the Jefferson School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Jefferson School District chronic absenteeism rate is 17.8% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Jefferson School District is typically wider than the Jefferson School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.9%
Federal
42.9%
State
47.2%
Local

Funding Equity

60
Equity Score
144 / 403
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Jefferson School District.

White 74.3%
Hispanic or Latino 20.6%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.7%
Multiracial 3.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 37.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Jefferson School District's schools, about the same as the Wisconsin average of 35.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 West Elementary 55.4
  2. 2 Jefferson High 43.9
  3. 3 East Elementary 39.7
  4. 4 Jefferson Middle 39.0
  5. 5 Sullivan Elementary 9.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
17 AP courses total
288.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.8%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Jefferson School District

School Enrollment
Jefferson High
603
Jefferson Middle
349
East Elementary
283
West Elementary
233
Sullivan Elementary
144

How Jefferson School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Wisconsin districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Baldwin-Woodville Area School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Grantsburg School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Oconto Falls Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Ripon Area School District Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Kewaskum School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Jefferson School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Wisconsin

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Milwaukee School District
67,500 students · 156 schools · $17,847/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson School District →
Kenosha School District
19,069 students · 43 schools · $14,309/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson School District →
Racine Unified School District
16,182 students · 26 schools · $15,577/pupil
Compare vs Jefferson School District →

Compare Jefferson School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Milwaukee School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Jefferson School District?

Jefferson School District has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 1,731 students.

How much does Jefferson School District spend per student?

Jefferson School District spends $15,075 per student. The district has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #144 in Wisconsin.

What is the demographic composition of Jefferson School District?

Jefferson School District students are 74.3% White, 20.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American, 0.7% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Jefferson School District?

Jefferson School District has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #144 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin.