Enrollment
735
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sacramento, CA
Jefferson
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060003601108
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 15
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #38 of 124
- elementary schools in Sacramento · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.3:1
- large classes for California
- 60.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson has class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson ranks #38 of 124 elementary schools in Sacramento, CA.
School address
District: Natomas Unified · California
NCES ID 060003601108 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson
Jefferson is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Sacramento, California, enrolling 735 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.3:1 is larger than about 86% of California schools and 22% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.0% lands close to the California typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 735 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,535 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #528.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and African American (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Sacramento's elementary schools, it stands alongside Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences (1,091 students): Jefferson is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (26.3:1 vs 23.7:1).
Natomas Unified also operates Inderkum High (2,194 students) and Westlake Charter (1,493 students) alongside Jefferson.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Jefferson compares
Jefferson on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 26.3:1 | ▲ 22% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.0% | ▲ 8% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 735 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.3:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
735
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
26.3:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 86% in California - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
34.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,690
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 72 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 45.2%
African American 18.1%
Asian 14.7%
Two or More 9.1%
White 8.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.5, Jefferson is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Natomas Unified, which includes Jefferson.
$13,690
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.1%
State 60.5%
Federal 9.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Jefferson Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inderkum High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Westlake Charter | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Natomas High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Heron | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Paso Verde | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,194
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,493
- Students per teacher
- 26.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,157
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 977
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 897
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar elementary schools in Sacramento
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences
Standard public school
1,091 students 23.7:1 students per teacher
Las Palmas Elementary
Standard public school
1,001 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Mary Tsukamoto Elementary
Standard public school
989 students 26:1 students per teacher
Heron
Standard public school
977 students 23.3:1 students per teacher
Arnold Adreani Elementary
Standard public school
944 students 27:1 students per teacher
Paso Verde
Standard public school
897 students 23.6:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~735 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~26.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson against another school. Compare schools
- Natomas Unified's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Jefferson
How many students attend Jefferson?
Jefferson has 735 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sacramento, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson is 26.3:1, which is 22% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 68% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jefferson?
60.0% of students at Jefferson are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson is Hispanic or Latino at 45.2% of enrollment, in Sacramento, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson?
Jefferson has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Jefferson rank among elementary schools in Sacramento?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson ranks #38 of 124 elementary schools in Sacramento, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Sacramento on the city page.
Is Jefferson a good school?
Jefferson earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Natomas Unified?
Besides Jefferson, Natomas Unified also operates Inderkum High (2,194 students), Westlake Charter (1,493 students), and Natomas High (1,157 students). See the Natomas Unified district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.