Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 9 schools in district

Watertown High School - 01

200 NE 9th St, Watertown, SD 57201Watertown School District 14-4 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,220
Students
Total enrolled
92%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 6% vs nat'l
$12,432
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 13% vs nat'l
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 8% vs nat'l
53/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,220 students in grades 09–12 in Watertown, South Dakota.
13% below average funding
District spends $12,432 per pupil, 13% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 53th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Watertown High School - 01 is a very large high in Watertown, South Dakota, serving grades 09–12 with 1,220 students. The district invests $12,432 per student — 13% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 22% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 92% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Watertown High School - 01

1,220
Total Students
16.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
22%
Free Lunch
73
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution609 male · 611 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility22%
National avg 52% · 273 students
Student Composition
85%
Asian1%
White85%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black1%
Multiracial4%
Native American4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 467662000717

Academic Outcomes at Watertown High School - 01

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
92
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
92%
State avg
78%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
53
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 53th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 88th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 57201

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,432Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,432
State avg
$16,272
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,470
Student Support$2,362
Administration$1,492
Operations$1,865
Other$1,243
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,432 spent per student, an estimated $5,507 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
34%
49%
State government
34.2%
Local (property tax)
49.1%
Federal programs
16.7%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 92% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Jefferson Elementary - 09Lincoln Elementary - 05McKinley Elementary - 06Roosevelt Elementary - 08
+1 more
↓
Middle
Watertown Middle School - 02Watertown Intermediate School - 13
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyCodington County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWatertown School District 14-4 →
Phone: (605)882-6316
NCES ID: 467662000717
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Watertown seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Watertown School District 14-4
Mid
Watertown Middle School - 02
600 students · 07–08
● 53 opp26% FRL
Mid
Watertown Intermediate School - 13
548 students · 05–06
● 53 opp31% FRL
Elem
Jefferson Elementary - 09
361 students · KG–04
● 53 opp15% FRL
Elem
Lincoln Elementary - 05
338 students · KG–04
● 53 opp19% FRL
Elem
McKinley Elementary - 06
234 students · PK–04
● 53 opp53% FRL
Elem
Roosevelt Elementary - 08
228 students · PK–04
● 53 opp57% FRL
Elem
Mellette Elementary - 07
212 students · KG–04
● 53 opp34% FRL
Other
Garfield Education Center - 14
50 students · PK–PK
● 53 opp6% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
200 NE 9th St, Watertown, SD 57201
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.