JEFFERSON CITY operates 16 public schools serving 8,683 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Missouri. The school portfolio breaks down into 11 elementary, 2 high, 2 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 8,491 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Cole County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,972 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 66.7% local, 19.0% state, and 14.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $68,827 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 52/100, ranked #197 of 433 in Missouri against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 16 schools offering Advanced Placement (26 AP courses district-wide), a 312.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 59.1% White, 19.4% African American, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.
Jefferson City High accounts for 15.9% of all JEFFERSON CITY student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means JEFFERSON CITY-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
JEFFERSON CITY school enrollment varies 6.0× across entities
JEFFERSON CITY school enrollment ranges from 224 students (lowest) to 1,353 students (highest), a spread of 1,129 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
JEFFERSON CITY has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 51.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
JEFFERSON CITY student-counselor ratio is 313:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within JEFFERSON CITY is typically wider than the JEFFERSON CITY-aggregate figure suggests.
JEFFERSON CITY chronic absenteeism rate is 22.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within JEFFERSON CITY is typically wider than the JEFFERSON CITY-aggregate figure suggests.
JEFFERSON CITY has 16 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 11 elementary, 1 other. Total enrollment is 8,683 students.
How much does JEFFERSON CITY spend per student?
JEFFERSON CITY spends $13,972 per student. The district has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #197 in Missouri.
What is the average teacher salary in JEFFERSON CITY?
The average teacher salary in JEFFERSON CITY is $68,827 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near JEFFERSON CITY?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cole County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of JEFFERSON CITY?
JEFFERSON CITY students are 59.1% White, 19.4% African American, 7.8% Hispanic or Latino, 2.0% Asian, averaged across 16 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for JEFFERSON CITY?
JEFFERSON CITY has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #197 out of 433 districts in Missouri. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.