Public schools in Watertown, NY
9 open public schools with an address in Watertown, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
9
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
4,207
9 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.5:1
New York median 11.1:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Watertown public schools
The federal directory lists 9 public schools in Watertown, NY: 5 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 combined or other. The 9 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 4,207 students, an average of 467 per school. The largest campus is Watertown Senior High School (1,181 students), and the largest elementary school is North Elementary School (435).
Watertown City School District operates the most schools here (8), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.5:1, higher than the statewide school median of 11.1:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 67% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Watertown
Elementary schools in Watertown
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knickerbocker School Watertown City School District | KG–04 | 340 | 12.5:1 | |
| North Elementary School Watertown City School District | PK–04 | 435 | 12.5:1 | |
| Ohio Street School Watertown City School District | KG–04 | 308 | 12.9:1 | |
| Sherman School Watertown City School District | KG–04 | 323 | 14.4:1 | |
| Starbuck Elementary School Watertown City School District | KG–04 | 153 | 10.9:1 |
Middle schools in Watertown
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Middle School Watertown City School District | 07–08 | 586 | 11.4:1 | |
| Harold T Wiley School Watertown City School District | 05–06 | 614 | 12.4:1 |
High schools in Watertown
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertown Senior High School Watertown City School District | 09–12 | 1,181 | 13.6:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Watertown
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson-Lewis-Hamilton-Herkimer-Oneida BOCES Jefferson-Lewis-Hamilton-Herkimer-Oneida BOCES · Special Education School | KG–12 | 267 | 3.1:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White68.2%
- Hispanic11.4%
- Black6.5%
- Asian1.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial12.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 9 Watertown schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (4,207 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Watertown
How many public schools are in Watertown, NY?
The current NCES directory lists 9 open public schools with a location address in Watertown: 5 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 4,207 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Watertown?
Schools with an address in Watertown belong to 2 education agencies, led by Watertown City School District (8 schools), Jefferson-Lewis-Hamilton-Herkimer-Oneida BOCES (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Watertown?
Watertown Senior High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Watertown, with 1,181 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Watertown?
No school with an address in Watertown is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in New York.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Watertown schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Watertown public schools is 12.5:1, higher than the New York school median of 11.1:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Watertown guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby New York cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All New York cities