Jefferson School District

The Jefferson School District in Wisconsin serves about 1,612 students across five schools — three elementaries (East Elementary, West Elementary, and Sullivan Elementary, grades PK–5), one middle school (Jefferson Middle, grades 6–8), and one high school (Jefferson High, grades 9–12). The district ranks 174th of 432 Wisconsin districts (60th percentile) with a 3-star rating.

Sullivan Elementary is the district's standout: the only 4-star school, ranked #218 of 1,039 elementary schools, climbing from the 50th to the 79th percentile over three years. It has the lowest chronic absenteeism (5.3%), the lowest poverty rate (23.61% free/reduced lunch), and the lowest per-student spending ($14,637) — while beating both district and state in every reported subject. Jefferson High posted the biggest turnaround, jumping from the 34th to the 69th percentile in a single year (2 to 3 stars), with ACT gains in math (+12.6 points), science (+11.9), and ELA (+5.7); all four subjects now exceed the state. West Elementary is the district's concern: the only 2-star school (45th percentile), with 4th- and 5th-grade math at 34.29 and 33.33 — roughly 19–20 points below state — despite the highest spending ($19,044) and smallest class sizes. Jefferson Middle holds steady at the 60th percentile with math above state in every grade, and East Elementary sits at the 57th percentile with a strong 4th grade but weaker 3rd-grade ELA.

A few patterns matter for families. Spending does not track with results here: the lowest-spending school ranks highest and the highest-spending school ranks lowest, though West's higher costs reflect its higher poverty and smaller size. Chronic absenteeism is the middle school's biggest issue at 25.7% — three times East Elementary's 8.7% despite nearly identical poverty rates. Enrollment also narrows in the middle grades (660 elementary students, 349 in middle school, 603 in high school), suggesting students enter or return at the high school level. Note that achievement data is from 2025-26 while context metrics are from 2024-25, and small schools produce volatile numbers.