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 2025 school year, there are 4 public preschools serving 1,160 students in Watertown School District 14-4. This district's average pre testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public pre schools in South Dakota.
Public Preschools in Watertown School District 14-4 have an average math proficiency score of 69% (versus the South Dakota public pre school average of 45%), and reading proficiency score of 56% (versus the 45% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 20% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the South Dakota public preschool average of 34% (majority American Indian and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (SD)
# Schools
8 Schools
146 Schools
# Students
3,542 Students
30,673 Students
# Teachers
234 Teachers
2,365 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
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 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 90% has increased from 86% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#46 out of 148 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
51%
42%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
59%
51%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
49%
42%
Graduation Rate
90%
82%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.32
0.54
# American Indian Students
129 Students
4,061 Students
% American Indian Students
4%
13%
# Asian Students
26 Students
393 Students
% Asian Students
1%
1%
# Hispanic Students
263 Students
2,670 Students
% Hispanic Students
7%
9%
# Black Students
9 Students
1,561 Students
% Black Students
n/a
5%
# White Students
2,911 Students
20,183 Students
% White Students
82%
66%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
34 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
204 Students
1,771 Students
% of Two or more races Students
6%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
64
3,169
# Students in K Grade:
236
5,257
# Students in 1st Grade:
215
4,537
# Students in 2nd Grade:
219
4,500
# Students in 3rd Grade:
223
4,204
# Students in 4th Grade:
215
4,421
# Students in 5th Grade:
283
3,746
# Students in 6th Grade:
276
451
# Students in 7th Grade:
299
182
# Students in 8th Grade:
290
206
# Students in 9th Grade:
333
-
# Students in 10th Grade:
303
-
# Students in 11th Grade:
293
-
# Students in 12th Grade:
293
-
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $12,794 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,121. The school district revenue/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,363 is higher than the state median of $12,623. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$45 MM
$1,916 MM
Spending
$47 MM
$1,844 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,794
$13,121
Spending / Student
$13,363
$12,623
Best Watertown School District 14-4 Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Lincoln Elementary - 05
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 70-74%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
1100 13th St Ne
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6340
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6340
Grades: PK-4
| 338 students
Rank: #22.
Mckinley Elementary - 06
(Math: 55-59% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
5 12th St Sw
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6350
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6350
Grades: PK-4
| 255 students
Rank: #33.
Mellette Elementary - 07
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
619 2nd St Nw
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6385
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6385
Grades: PK-4
| 235 students
Rank: #44.
Jefferson Elementary - 09
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
1701 N Maple St
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6390
Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-6390
Grades: PK-4
| 332 students
Recent Articles
Year-Round Or Traditional Schedule?
Which is more appropriate for your child? A year-round attendance schedule or traditional schedule? We look at the pros and cons.
Why You Should Encourage Your Child to Join a Sports Team
Participating in team sports has a great many benefits for children, there is no doubt. In this article you will learn what those benefits are.
White Students are Now the Minority in U.S. Public Schools
Increasing birth rates among immigrant families from Asia and Central and South America, combined with lower birth rates among white families, means that for the first time in history, public school students in the United States are majority-minority. This shift in demographics poses difficulties for schools as they work to accommodate children of varying language abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.
