Watertown School District 14-4

200 Ne 9th St
Watertown, SD 57201
(District boundaries shown in map)
: 
8/
10
Top 30%

Top Rankings

Watertown School District 14-4 ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Dakota for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 8 public schools serving 3,606 students in Watertown School District 14-4. This district's average testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public schools in South Dakota.
Public Schools in Watertown School District 14-4 have an average math proficiency score of 50% (versus the South Dakota public school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 60% (versus the 51% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 20% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the South Dakota public school average of 34% (majority American Indian).

Overview

This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
8 Schools
724 Schools
# Students
3,606 Students
146,776 Students
# Teachers
240 Teachers
10,614 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Watertown School District 14-4, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 146 school districts in South Dakota (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 86% has decreased from 87% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (SD)
#43 out of 148 school districts
(Top 30%)

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

50%
42%

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

59%
51%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

49%
42%
86%
84%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

(2022-23)
20.5%
22.5%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.35
0.53

Showing 2014–2023. Full 31-year historical data available below ↓

% American Indian
4%
14%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 31-year historical data available below ↓

% Asian
1%
2%

Showing 2011–2023. Full 31-year historical data available below ↓

% Hispanic
8%
9%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 24-year historical data available below ↓

% Black
n/a
3%
% White
80%
66%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 31-year historical data available below ↓

% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
7%
6%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 12-year historical data available below ↓

All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,738 in this school district is less than the state median of $14,736. The school district revenue/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,885 is less than the state median of $15,173. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
This School District
This State (SD)
Total Revenue
$46 MM
$2,163 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending
$50 MM
$2,227 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Revenue / Student
$12,738
$14,736

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending / Student
$13,885
$15,173

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Best Watertown School District 14-4 Public Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Lincoln Elementary - 05
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
1100 13th St Ne
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6340
Gr: 1-4 | 361 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 25%
Rank: #22.
Mckinley Early Childhood Center - 06
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
5 12th St Sw
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6350
Gr: PK-K | 296 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #33.
Watertown Middle School - 02
(Math: 50% | Reading: 64%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
1700 11th St Ne
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6370
Gr: 7-8 | 575 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 18%
Rank: #44.
Jefferson Elementary - 09
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1701 N Maple St
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6390
Gr: 1-4 | 333 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 17%
Rank: #55.
Watertown High School - 01
(Math: 36% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
200 Ne 9th St
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6316
Gr: 9-12 | 1,222 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 19%
Rank: #66.
Mellette Elementary - 07
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
619 2nd St Nw
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6385
Gr: 1-4 | 267 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 28%
Rank: #77.
Watertown Intermediate School - 13
(Math: 41% | Reading: 54%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
601 11th St Ne
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6355
Gr: 5-6 | 532 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: n/an/a
Sunrise Colony - 15
45425 152nd St
Summit, SD 57266
(605) 882-6340
Gr: K-8 | 20 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Watertown School District 14-4?
Watertown School District 14-4 manages 8 public schools serving 3,606 students.
What is the rank of Watertown School District 14-4?
Watertown School District 14-4 is ranked #33 out of 146 school districts in South Dakota (top 30%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of South Dakota school districts for: Highest graduation rate (Top 20%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Watertown School District 14-4?
80% of Watertown School District 14-4 students are White, 8% of students are Hispanic, 7% of students are Two or more races, 4% of students are American Indian, and 1% of students are Asian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Watertown School District 14-4?
Watertown School District 14-4 has a student/teacher ratio of 15:1, which is higher than the South Dakota state average of 14:1.
What is Watertown School District 14-4's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $13,885 is less than the state median of $15,173. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 8 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 3,606 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 20%
  • : 86% (Top 20% in SD)
  • : Top 30%
  • : 50% (Top 50%)
  • : 59% (Top 30%)
  • : 49% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), SD Dept. of Education

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