Is Jefferson High School a good school?

Jefferson High School ranks in the bottom 12.6% of Illinois high schools.

How many students attend Jefferson High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,170 students attended Jefferson High School.

What is the racial makeup of Jefferson High School?

Students at Jefferson High School are 55% Hispanic, 20% African American, 18% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools feed into Jefferson High School?

Jefferson High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Arthur Froberg Elementary School Elementary : Cherry Valley Elementary School Elementary : Julia Lathrop Elementary School Elementary : Riverdahl Elementary School Elementary : Swan Hillman Elementary School Elementary : Washington Elementary School Middle : Rockford Envrnmntl Science Academy

Jefferson High School

Summary:

Jefferson High School is a public high school located in Rockford, Illinois, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 2,114 students. The school is part of the Rockford School District 205, which is ranked 737 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Jefferson High School has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Illinois high schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years.

Jefferson High School consistently performs significantly below the state and district averages in standardized test scores, with only 2.3% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT Mathematics and 5.6% proficient or better in SAT English Language Arts. The school's performance on the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) is also below the state and district averages, with only 28.8% of students proficient or better. Additionally, Jefferson High School has a relatively low four-year graduation rate, which has been steadily increasing from 63.1% in 2020-2021 to 74.7% in 2023-2024, and a higher dropout rate than the state and district averages, ranging from 6.8% to 13.8% over the past few years. The school also struggles with a very high chronic absenteeism rate, reaching 64% in the 2021-2022 school year, which is significantly higher than the state and district averages.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Auburn High School, Guilford High School, and Rockford East High School, generally perform better than Jefferson High School across various metrics, including academic achievement, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism. Additionally, Jefferson High School has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 68.97% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, which likely contributes to the school's challenges. Despite the school's struggles, its per-student spending has increased from $12,165 in 2020-2021 to $14,318 in 2022-2023, suggesting that additional funding and resources are being directed towards the school, but the performance metrics have not shown significant improvement.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4145 Samuelson Rd
Rockford, IL 61109-3249

(815) 874-9536

District: Rockford School District 205

SchoolDigger Rank:
609^th of 697 Illinois High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,365

Feeder schools for Jefferson High School:

Elementary:	Arthur Froberg Elementary School
	Cherry Valley Elementary School
	Julia Lathrop Elementary School
	Riverdahl Elementary School
	More...
	Swan Hillman Elementary School
	Washington Elementary School
Middle:	Rockford Envrnmntl Science Academy

Student/teacher ratio: 19.3

Number of students: 2,170

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

54.5%

African American:

20.0%

White:

18.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 75.2%

See top rated Illinois high schools

Compare Jefferson High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Jefferson High School ranks worse than 87.4% of high schools in Illinois. It also ranks last among 4 ranked high schools in the Rockford School District 205. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.05. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Jefferson High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Jefferson High School has the largest high school student body size in the Rockford School District 205. Student population at Jefferson High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (54.5%), African American (20%), White (18.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 75.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Jefferson High School is 19.3. 4 high schools in the Rockford School District 205 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Jefferson High School employs 112.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Jefferson High School is $14,365. 4 high schools in the Rockford School District 205 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Jefferson High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson High School 609^th of 697 Illinois public high schools. (See Jefferson High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Rockford School District 205:

SchoolDigger ranks Rockford School District 205 737^th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Jefferson High School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Jefferson High School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2003	22.07	483^rd	586	17.6%
2004	44.01	395^th	592	33.3%
2005	25.46	486^th	590	17.6%
2006	17.90	502^nd	596	15.8%
2007	14.60	527^th	612	13.9%
2008	14.21	535^th	624	14.3%
2009	16.50	539^th	632	14.7%
2010	14.13	551^st	643	14.3%
2011	17.95	542^nd	655	17.3%
2012	16.47	559^th	665	15.9%
2013	17.94	550^th	670	17.9%
2014	18.77	553^rd	670	17.5%
2015	30.73	429^th	614	30.1%
2016	19.57	537^th	643	16.5%
2017	13.97	561^st	642	12.6%
2018	15.97	556^th	647	14.1%
2019	17.27	583^rd	701	16.8%
2021	16.05	582^nd	688	15.4%
2022	18.48	570^th	699	18.5%
2023	16.13	592^nd	699	15.3%
2024	14.05	609^th	697	12.6%

See the entire list of Illinois High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	6.84	151^st	154	1.9%
2019	7.65	161^st	165	2.4%
2021	7.96	154^th	160	3.8%
2022	16.11	139^th	170	18.2%
2023	15.77	146^th	163	10.4%
2024	8.94	173^rd	182	4.9%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	31.50	105^th	151	30.5%
2019	29.57	141^st	183	23.0%
2021	45.35	70^th	189	63.0%
2022	32.31	146^th	205	28.8%
2023	33.20	147^th	217	32.3%
2024	28.56	158^th	248	36.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	27.23	248^th	374	33.7%
2019	41.31	199^th	473	57.9%
2021	29.28	270^th	453	40.4%
2022	31.21	286^th	493	42.0%
2023	26.81	331^st	476	30.5%
2024	28.19	313^th	482	35.1%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	22.53	488^th	585	16.6%
2019	30.55	457^th	639	28.5%
2021	25.04	480^th	611	21.4%
2022	26.80	478^th	626	23.6%
2023	20.53	533^rd	644	17.2%
2024	16.34	573^rd	639	10.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	38.75	47^th	91	48.4%
2022	55.78	25^th	98	74.5%
2023	28.07	55^th	104	47.1%
2024	25.74	68^th	125	45.6%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	18.30	519^th	620	16.3%
2019	15.65	553^rd	665	16.8%
2021	14.00	554^th	639	13.3%
2022	13.15	567^th	658	13.8%
2023	13.80	563^rd	656	14.2%
2024	14.38	582^nd	664	12.3%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	29.99	288^th	428	32.7%
2024	30.42	249^th	429	42.0%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	13.58	541^st	619	12.6%
2019	19.35	551^st	675	18.4%
2021	18.04	536^th	653	17.9%
2022	24.66	502^nd	664	24.4%
2023	18.80	555^th	668	16.9%
2024	14.43	582^nd	668	12.9%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2019	20.77	109^th	130	16.2%
2021	1.48	132^nd	135	2.2%
2022	4.42	133^rd	141	5.7%
2024	1.25	136^th	137	0.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	37.10	141^st	253	44.3%
2019	26.21	227^th	299	24.1%
2021	24.78	231^st	281	17.8%
2022	24.17	237^th	294	19.4%
2023	34.35	178^th	301	40.9%
2024	26.20	237^th	299	20.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	17.44	258^th	291	11.3%
2019	21.93	255^th	317	19.6%
2021	21.99	266^th	317	16.1%
2022	23.49	260^th	335	22.4%
2023	15.84	301^st	333	9.6%
2024	14.01	318^th	336	5.4%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Jefferson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IL State Percentile
2018	13.00	503^rd	548	8.2%
2019	12.81	521^st	552	5.6%
2021	11.55	524^th	553	5.2%
2022	17.27	498^th	560	11.1%
2023	20.34	489^th	557	12.2%
2024	15.30	500^th	554	9.7%

See the entire list of Best Illinois High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Jefferson High School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Jefferson High School, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Jefferson High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1759	150	27	29	8	n/a	n/a	0	1973
1989	1626	150	36	31	4	n/a	n/a	0	1847
1990	1563	357	34	80	1	n/a	n/a	0	2035
1991	1386	361	37	73	2	n/a	n/a	0	1859
1992	1307	352	43	95	4	n/a	n/a	0	1801
1993	1252	329	45	98	4	n/a	n/a	0	1728
1994	1145	298	43	96	5	n/a	n/a	0	1587
1995	1068	288	33	110	3	n/a	n/a	0	1502
1996	1068	288	33	110	3	n/a	n/a	0	1502
1997	1046	295	41	123	4	n/a	n/a	0	1509
1998	1041	340	51	121	4	n/a	n/a	0	1557
1999	1016	368	60	154	5	n/a	n/a	0	1603
2000	1002	382	60	168	2	n/a	n/a	0	1614
2001	1013	456	64	179	2	n/a	n/a	0	1714
2002	981	512	66	203	4	n/a	n/a	0	1766
2003	981	512	66	203	4	n/a	n/a	0	1766
2004	990	531	63	221	2	n/a	n/a	0	1807
2005	1035	533	68	287	1	n/a	n/a	0	1924
2006	969	564	75	345	3	n/a	n/a	8	1964
2007	952	563	77	396	3	n/a	n/a	19	2010
2008	940	595	77	434	2	n/a	n/a	37	2085
2009	832	529	73	455	3	n/a	n/a	40	1932
2010	809	469	63	469	2	n/a	n/a	50	1862
2011	737	398	54	515	3	0	72	0	1779
2012	641	327	49	611	7	1	84	0	1720
2013	625	366	44	625	8	1	81	0	1750
2014	603	383	44	639	5	0	84	0	1758
2015	531	420	43	634	4	1	71	0	1704
2016	516	395	38	660	4	2	77	0	1692
2017	467	381	39	668	4	2	72	0	1633
2018	439	372	39	739	6	2	83	0	1680
2019	418	363	46	794	5	1	91	0	1718
2020	370	360	53	872	7	1	84	0	1747
2021	417	391	55	1017	3	0	96	0	1979
2022	434	439	48	1083	3	0	104	0	2111
2023	398	403	49	1164	4	1	95	0	2114
2024	397	434	50	1183	10	0	96	0	2170

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Jefferson High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1973	103.1	19.1	n/a
1989	1847	104.4	17.6	n/a
1990	2035	110.8	18.3	n/a
1991	1859	112.8	16.4	n/a
1992	1801	109.4	16.4	n/a
1993	1728	97.5	17.7	n/a
1994	1587	96.8	16.4	n/a
1995	1502	86.6	17.3	n/a
1996	1502	86.6	17.3	n/a
1997	1509	80.0	18.9	n/a
1998	1557	81.3	19.2	n/a
1999	1603	81.2	19.7	n/a
2000	1614	78.5	20.6	n/a
2001	1714	89.0	19.3	n/a
2002	1766	98.5	17.9	46.2
2003	1766	98.5	17.9	46.2
2004	1807	92.3	19.6	48.2
2005	1924	95.8	20.1	53.5
2006	1964	100.1	19.6	57.2
2007	2010	86.0	23.4	62.5
2008	2085	87.0	24.0	63.8
2009	1932	109.1	17.7	73.4
2010	1862	104.9	17.7	74.8
2011	1779	101.0	17.6	76.1
2012	1720	87.8	19.5	79.4
2013	1750	105.8	16.5	80.1
2014	1758	100.6	17.4	81.3
2015	1704	102.0	16.7	87.6
2016	1692	106.0	15.9	61.7
2017	1633	100.2	16.2	50.2
2018	1680	101.0	16.6	55.8
2019	1718	99.8	17.1	69.1
2020	1747	101.5	17.2	68.5
2021	1979	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	2111	97.7	21.5	44.9
2023	2114	92.1	22.9	69
2024	2170	112.2	19.3	75.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Jefferson High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1973	103.1	19.1	n/a
1989	1847	104.4	17.6	n/a
1990	2035	110.8	18.3	n/a
1991	1859	112.8	16.4	n/a
1992	1801	109.4	16.4	n/a
1993	1728	97.5	17.7	n/a
1994	1587	96.8	16.4	n/a
1995	1502	86.6	17.3	n/a
1996	1502	86.6	17.3	n/a
1997	1509	80.0	18.9	n/a
1998	1557	81.3	19.2	n/a
1999	1603	81.2	19.7	n/a
2000	1614	78.5	20.6	n/a
2001	1714	89.0	19.3	n/a
2002	1766	98.5	17.9	46.2
2003	1766	98.5	17.9	46.2
2004	1807	92.3	19.6	48.2
2005	1924	95.8	20.1	53.5
2006	1964	100.1	19.6	57.2
2007	2010	86.0	23.4	62.5
2008	2085	87.0	24.0	63.8
2009	1932	109.1	17.7	73.4
2010	1862	104.9	17.7	74.8
2011	1779	101.0	17.6	76.1
2012	1720	87.8	19.5	79.4
2013	1750	105.8	16.5	80.1
2014	1758	100.6	17.4	81.3
2015	1704	102.0	16.7	87.6
2016	1692	106.0	15.9	61.7
2017	1633	100.2	16.2	50.2
2018	1680	101.0	16.6	55.8
2019	1718	99.8	17.1	69.1
2020	1747	101.5	17.2	68.5
2021	1979	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	2111	97.7	21.5	44.9
2023	2114	92.1	22.9	69
2024	2170	112.2	19.3	75.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Immunization Rates