Enrollment
304
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ottawa, IL
Jefferson Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 173030003136
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elem School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Ottawa · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.2:1
- students per teacher
- 304
- students enrolled
Jefferson Elem School has class sizes near the Illinois median. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elem School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Ottawa, IL.
School address
District: Ottawa Esd 141 · Illinois
NCES ID 173030003136 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-6% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson Elem School compares with Illinois and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson Elem School
Jefferson Elem School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Ottawa, Illinois, enrolling 304 students.
At 13.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Illinois median, within a few percentage points of the 14:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
With 304 students, its enrollment sits close to the Illinois median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,845 scored Illinois schools.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%) (diversity index 54/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.7% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Ottawa's public schools, it stands alongside Wallace Elem School (420 students): Jefferson Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.2:1 vs 15:1).
Ottawa Esd 141 also operates Lincoln Elem School (387 students) and Mckinley Elem School (364 students) alongside Jefferson Elem School.
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 School compares
Jefferson Elem School on the metrics families compare, against Illinois and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Illinois | Illinois avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.2:1 | ▼ 6% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 304 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
304
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 45% in Illinois - lower ratio than 55% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.7%
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
$15,797
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 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 63.5%
Hispanic or Latino 23.0%
African American 6.6%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 63.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.6, Jefferson Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ottawa Esd 141, which includes Jefferson Elem School.
$15,797
Per student
-7%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.6%
State 39.0%
Federal 11.4%
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 Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Elem School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shepherd Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central Intermediate School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 364
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 339
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Ottawa
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Wallace Elem School
Standard public school
420 students 15:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elem School
Standard public school
387 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Mckinley Elem School
Standard public school
364 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Rutland Elem School
Standard public school
70 students 7:1 students per teacher
Deer Park C C Elem School
Standard public school
44 students 4.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Illinois, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~304 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Ottawa Esd 141'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 School
How many students attend Jefferson Elem School?
Jefferson Elem School has 304 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ottawa, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem School is 13.2:1, which is 6% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 16% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elem School is White at 63.5% of enrollment, in Ottawa, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elem School?
Jefferson Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 Elem School rank among schools in Ottawa?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elem School ranks #5 of 6 schools in Ottawa, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Ottawa on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elem School a good school?
Jefferson Elem School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. 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 Ottawa Esd 141?
Besides Jefferson Elem School, Ottawa Esd 141 also operates Lincoln Elem School (387 students), Mckinley Elem School (364 students), and Shepherd Middle School (353 students). See the Ottawa Esd 141 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.