Janesville School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on Janesville School District

The Janesville School District serves students from early childhood through twelfth grade across the city of Janesville and surrounding areas in Rock County, Wisconsin. Housing in the district varies noticeably by location, with home values lower in parts of Beloit and higher in the La Prairie area, while values in Janesville itself sit between those extremes. Rents have risen across the district, particularly in Janesville and La Prairie, reflecting broader pressure in the regional market. The district is one of eight in Rock County, a mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities.

Enrollment is large for a Wisconsin district, with students spread across kindergarten through twelfth grade and a sizable pre-kindergarten program. The student body is mostly white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Black, Asian, multiracial, and Native American students. The district does not report the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor does it provide counts for students with disabilities or English learners, so families looking into those areas would need to ask the district directly.

State test results are available for grades three through eight in math, English language arts, science, and social studies. In math, proficiency rates vary by grade, with third grade showing the highest performance and sixth and seventh grades lower. English language arts results follow a similar pattern, with third and fifth graders performing stronger than sixth and seventh graders. Science and social studies are assessed in fourth and eighth grades; in both subjects the fourth-grade results are higher than the eighth-grade ones. Across all tested subjects and grades, the district’s overall proficiency level sits below the middle among Rock County’s districts. High school academic outcomes are not included in this data, and no graduation rate is reported, so a parent considering secondary options would want to look into those measures separately.

Chronic absenteeism is notably high, placing the district in the bottom quarter of Rock County’s districts. This is a point the district may be working to address, and a family moving in might ask what supports are in place to improve daily attendance. Per-pupil spending falls in the middle range, on the lower end of the half, which suggests the district operates with typical resources for the area.

The district runs more than a dozen elementary schools, several middle schools, and two comprehensive high schools, Craig High and Parker High. It also operates a charter school, a virtual academy, an early childhood center, and a youth services center. No information was reported about specific program offerings such as Advanced Placement, career and technical education, or dual-credit options, so families interested in specialized pathways should check school websites or contact the district.

This is a mainstream district serving a midsized city and its environs, with a student body that reflects the broader community’s demographic mix. The academic picture is mixed, with some early elementary grades performing relatively well and middle school results softer. The elevated chronic absenteeism rate stands out compared to neighboring districts and is worth understanding. Without high school test or graduation data, the full picture of secondary outcomes is incomplete from this set. For a family looking for a standard public school option in a growing but affordable housing market, Janesville provides a large system with many neighborhood schools, though the academic and attendance numbers suggest room for improvement.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

9,414

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 16%

Black 6%

White 68%

Asian 2%

Two+ 8%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

51%

72%

Gr 4

44%

69%

Gr 5

46%

74%

Gr 6

35%

65%

Gr 7

34%

55%

Gr 8

44%

60%

Math

Gr 3

55%

76%

Gr 4

45%

70%

Gr 5

49%

75%

Gr 6

31%

60%

Gr 7

33%

59%

Gr 8

38%

62%

Science

Gr 4

38%

64%

Gr 8

33%

54%

Social studies

Gr 4

55%

80%

Gr 8

51%

67%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

52%

74%

Gr 4

49%

73%

Gr 5

48%

72%

Gr 6

35%

60%

Gr 7

33%

55%

Gr 8

46%

58%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

48%

68%

Gr 4

42%

67%

Gr 5

47%

69%

Gr 6

40%

68%

Gr 7

33%

56%

Gr 8

42%

59%

Schools in this District

23 schools are officially reported under this district.

Washington Elementary

Wilson Elementary

Kennedy Elementary

Rock River Charter School

TAGOS Leadership Acad

Preschool 4 Janesville

Youth Services Center

Rock University High

ARISE Virtual Academy

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

63%

Grade 3

55%

Grade 4

59%

Grade 5

43%

Grade 6

45%

Grade 7

49%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

59%

Grade 3

54%

Grade 4

57%

Grade 5

47%

Grade 6

44%

Grade 7

51%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

48%

Grade 4

43%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

65%

Grade 4

58%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$295,474

Year-over-year change+6.5%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$214K to $321K

vs. state typical0.88x

vs. national typical0.80x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
53546	La Prairie	$321K	+6.9%	45.4%
53548	Janesville	$281K	+6.3%	36.6%
53545	Janesville	$281K	+5.2%	11.7%
53511	Beloit	$214K	+8.1%	5.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,345/mo

Year-over-year change+12.1%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$1,173 to $1,404/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
53546	La Prairie	$1,404	+12.0%	45.4%
53545	Janesville	$1,198	+16.4%	11.7%
53511	Beloit	$1,173	+3.9%	5.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,491/mo

Home price / national median income3.5x

Annual rent / national median income19.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$146/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$333,909 (+5.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.