Enrollment
261
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Arkansas City, KS
Jefferson Elem
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 200345001234
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elem earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Kansas schools.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Arkansas City · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 66.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson Elem has class sizes larger than 90% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elem ranks #5 of 6 schools in Arkansas City, KS.
School address
District: Arkansas City · Kansas
NCES ID 200345001234 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.9%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson Elem
Jefferson Elem is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Arkansas City, Kansas, enrolling 261 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.4:1 is larger than about 90% of Kansas schools and 26% above the 13.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 66.9% of students qualify for free meals, 57% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 261 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Against 123 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #82.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 261 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Arkansas City's public schools, it stands alongside Adams Elem (306 students): Jefferson Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.4:1 vs 18:1).
Arkansas City also operates Arkansas City High (885 students) and Arkansas City Middle Sch (628 students) alongside Jefferson Elem.
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 Elem compares
Jefferson Elem on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.4:1 | ▲ 26% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.9% | ▲ 57% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 261 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
261
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 90% in Kansas - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.5%
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
$13,387
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 261 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.3 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
White 58.2%
Hispanic or Latino 28.7%
African American 5.4%
Two or More 4.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 58.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.3, Jefferson Elem is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Arkansas City, which includes Jefferson Elem.
$13,387
Per student
-14%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 12.1%
State 81.1%
Federal 6.8%
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 Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas City High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Arkansas City Middle Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Adams Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Frances Willard Elem | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Elem | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 885
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 306
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 281
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 219
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Arkansas City
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Adams Elem
Standard public school
306 students 18:1 students per teacher
Frances Willard Elem
Standard public school
281 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elem
Standard public school
219 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
I X L Elem
Standard public school
200 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
C 4 Elem
Standard public school
122 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~261 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elem's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Arkansas City'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 Elem
How many students attend Jefferson Elem?
Jefferson Elem has 261 students enrolled. It is a public school in Arkansas City, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem is 17.4:1, which is 26% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jefferson Elem?
66.9% of students at Jefferson Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elem?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elem is White at 58.2% of enrollment, in Arkansas City, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elem?
Jefferson Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Jefferson Elem rank among schools in Arkansas City?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elem ranks #5 of 6 schools in Arkansas City, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Arkansas City on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elem a good school?
Jefferson Elem earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Kansas 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 Arkansas City?
Besides Jefferson Elem, Arkansas City also operates Arkansas City High (885 students), Arkansas City Middle Sch (628 students), and Adams Elem (306 students). See the Arkansas City 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.