Jefferson High School

Located at 4145 Samuelson Rd, in Rockford, Illinois, Jefferson High School is a high-enrollment high school that educates 2,173 students (grades 9 through 12), operated by Rockford SD 205. That puts it 161% bigger than the typical public school in Illinois, which averages around 834 students.

Rockford SD 205 comprises 44 schools with combined enrollment of 28,467 students; Jefferson High School is among them.

On demographics, Jefferson High School records that Hispanic students make up the majority at 55%. Other groups include 20% Black, 17% White, 5% multiracial, 2% Asian. That is noticeably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 16%.

On the resource side, The school reports having 111 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 19.6:1. The state averages around 13.8:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 70% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Winnebago County (around 61%), the school's rate is meaningfully above typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), On a poverty-adjusted basis, Jefferson High School sits in the bottom 10% statewide. Predicted proficiency from the FRL regression is roughly 31.1%; actual is 12.6%, a gap of -18.5 points.

In the area at large, Winnebago County reports that median household earnings sit near $65,837, about 25% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 11%. Jefferson High School is one of 94 public schools in Winnebago County (combined enrollment of about 44,103 students).

The closest other public school is Arthur Froberg Elem School, roughly 1.2 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Jefferson High School ranks 8th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 24.2%.

Jefferson High School operates from an urban location.

Five-year trend. Jefferson High School's enrollment has grew 29% since 2018, when it stood at 1,680 (now 2,173). The Hispanic share of enrollment edged up from 44% to 55% over that span. Class-load math has grew: from 16.6:1 in 2018 to 19.6:1 in 2025.

On this page, members of the Jefferson High School community share and discuss school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.