Summary
Watertown High is a public high school serving grades 9–12 in Watertown, Wisconsin, with 1,012 students, making it one of the largest high schools in its immediate area — second only to Oconomowoc High (1,591 students) and far larger than nearby Horicon High School (248) or Hustisford High (158). It belongs to the Watertown Unified School District, which ranks 289th of 432 Wisconsin districts. The school itself ranks 316th of 533 state high schools in 2025–2026, placing it in the 41st percentile with 2 stars — roughly typical of its recent history, though below its 2023–2024 high point of 196th of 431 (55th percentile, 3 stars).
Completion metrics are a clear strength. The graduation rate is 98.3%, well above Wisconsin's 92.0%, and the dropout rate is just 0.2%. Chronic absenteeism (15.2%) is better than the state's 17.3%, though slightly above the district's 14.4%. About 34.7% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, a mid-range figure locally, and per-student spending sits at $18,015 — the second-highest among nearby schools — with a student–teacher ratio of 14.9. Academically, 2025–2026 proficiency trails state averages in every reported subject: Social Studies 43.13% (state 48.25%), ELA 41.67% (state 48.47%), Math 38.75% (state 42.93%), and Science 38.75% (state 43.2%).
Two patterns stand out for families. First, the gap between strong completion and weaker proficiency: students are graduating, but 10th-grade test results suggest many are not reaching proficiency in core subjects, with Social Studies and ELA consistently at or near the bottom of the local comparison group. Second, results have swung sharply — Math and Science were above state averages in 2023–2024 but fell below by 2025–2026. On equity, English learner students are a genuine bright spot, ranking in the 80th percentile statewide, while low-income students (17th percentile) and special education students (20th percentile) lag well behind. For context, schools with similar poverty rates and lower spending — such as Jefferson High and Horicon High — outperform Watertown in all four subjects, and the same-campus Endeavor Charter School posts dramatically higher scores with far fewer students.
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