Total enrollment
5,314
-288 (-5%) vs SY 2020-21
Jefferson County
Illinois · Public K-12
Jefferson County in Illinois has 31 public K-12 schools in service today, collectively responsible for roughly 5,314 students with Mount Vernon SD 80 the largest district. By level, that breaks down as 18 elementary, 2 middle, and 8 high schools.
4-year change in Jefferson County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
21
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Jefferson County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Illinois | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 32.4% | #81 of 88 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 5,314 | #37 of 89 | #1,274 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 21 | #31 of 89 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.6:1 | #30 of 89 | #755 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 60.3% | #15 of 89 | #1,109 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 41.5% | #30 of 89 | #1,431 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Jefferson County school rankings
Residents
36,550
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
31
16 districts
Enrollment
5,314
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$63,118
Below Illinois avg
Free/reduced lunch
60.3%
Above Illinois avg
Elementary
18
3,202 students
Middle
2
473 students
High
8
1,639 students
Combined / other
3
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Mount Vernon SD 80
1,445 students · 16 districts in Jefferson County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Jefferson County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
18.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
10.6%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.8%
civilian labor
Median age
41
22.3% under 18
Test scores in Jefferson County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 15 schools ranked. Illinois state average: 51.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Summersville Grade School· 67.4%
- Rome Comm Cons Elem School· 59.2%
- Waltonville Grade School· 56.1%
- Woodlawn Grade School· 52.4%
- Spring Garden Elementary School· 50.0%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Dr Nick Osborne Primary Center· 25.5%
- Zadok Casey Middle School· 29.8%
- J L Buford Intermediate Ed Ctr· 37.4%
- Bluford Grade School· 39.4%
- Grand Prairie Elem School· 40.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon High School | Mount Vernon | High | 09-12 | 1,233 | · |
| Dr Nick Osborne Primary Center | Mount Vernon | Elementary | KG-03 | 562 | · |
| Zadok Casey Middle School | Mount Vernon | Middle | 06-08 | 380 | · |
| Woodlawn Grade School | Woodlawn | Elementary | PK-08 | 322 | · |
| Rome Comm Cons Elem School | Dix | Elementary | PK-08 | 286 | · |
| Summersville Grade School | Mount Vernon | Elementary | PK-08 | 283 | · |
| J L Buford Intermediate Ed Ctr | Mount Vernon | Elementary | 04-05 | 260 | · |
| Dr Andy Hall Early Educ Ctr | Mount Vernon | Elementary | PK-PK | 243 | · |
| Bluford Grade School | Bluford | Elementary | PK-08 | 236 | · |
| Field Elementary School | Texico | Elementary | PK-08 | 233 | · |
| Waltonville Grade School | Waltonville | Elementary | PK-08 | 212 | · |
| Woodlawn High School | Woodlawn | High | 09-12 | 174 | · |
| Bethel Grade School | Mount Vernon | Elementary | PK-08 | 154 | · |
| Webber High School | Bluford | High | 09-12 | 134 | · |
| Spring Garden Elementary School | Mount Vernon | Elementary | KG-04 | 124 | · |
| Opdyke-Belle Rive Grade Sch | Opdyke | Elementary | PK-08 | 122 | · |
| Waltonville High School | Waltonville | High | 09-12 | 98 | · |
| Spring Garden Middle School | Ina | Middle | 05-08 | 93 | · |
| Grand Prairie Elem School | Centralia | Elementary | KG-08 | 63 | · |
| McClellan Elementary School | Mount Vernon | Elementary | KG-08 | 56 | · |
| Farrington Elem School | Bluford | Elementary | KG-08 | 46 | · |
| Clnton/Mrn/Wshngtn Pre-Kind Prog | Mount Vernon | Elementary | PK-PK | 0 | · |
| MVTHS East Campus | Mount Vernon | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Mt Vernon Alternative School | Mount Vernon | High | 07-12 | 0 | · |
| Mt Vernon Area Career Center | Mount Vernon | High | 11-12 | 0 | · |
| ROE 13 High Needs | Mount Vernon | Combined | 04-12 | 0 | · |
| ROE 13 Seniors Plus | Mount Vernon | Combined | 04-12 | 0 | · |
| ROE 13 Student Success | Mount Vernon | Combined | 04-12 | 0 | · |
| Safe School Program | Mount Vernon | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
| Communication Disorders / Autism Jefferson County | Mount Vernon | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Oakland Education Center | Mount Vernon | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Jefferson County
About Jefferson County
Jefferson County is a rural-scale Illinois county of about 36,550 residents, home to 31 public schools and roughly 5,314 students.
Zooming out, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $63,118, about 18% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 11%. That income level is 10% below the Illinois median.
For a sense of the school types, Jefferson County consists of 18 elementary schools (3,202 students), 2 middle schools (473), 8 high schools (1,639), and 3 combined or other schools.
The largest single district in Jefferson County is Mount Vernon SD 80, which alone enrolls about 1,445 students.
Looking at the last 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment shrank 5%: 5,602 students in SY 2020-21 versus 5,314 in SY 2024-25.
On allk12, the community for Jefferson County discusses comparison threads between local schools and program reviews. Discussions cut across districts, schools, and grade levels.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data