Enrollment
450
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sterling, IL
Jefferson Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 174231004255
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 63
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elem School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Illinois schools.
- #5 of 6
- public schools in Sterling · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Illinois
- 450
- students enrolled
Jefferson Elem School has class sizes larger than 80% of Illinois schools. Computed live against every Illinois school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elem School ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Sterling, IL.
School address
District: Sterling Cusd 5 · Illinois
NCES ID 174231004255 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
+15% 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 Sterling, Illinois, enrolling 450 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Illinois schools by student-teacher ratio.
With 450 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 (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 450 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Sterling Cusd 5 spends $13,182 per pupil, 23% below the Illinois average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Sterling's public schools, it stands alongside Franklin Elem School (407 students): Jefferson Elem School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 15.1:1).
Sterling Cusd 5 also operates Sterling High School (999 students) and Challand Middle School (726 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 15% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 450 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
450
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 80% in Illinois - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,182
per pupil, district-wide
- below Illinois avg of $17,042
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 450 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 54.7%
Hispanic or Latino 36.9%
Two or More 6.0%
African American 2.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 54.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.1, Jefferson Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sterling Cusd 5, which includes Jefferson Elem School.
$13,182
Per student
-23%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.5%
State 42.1%
Federal 13.3%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Challand Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Franklin Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington Elem School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elem School | Smaller | 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
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 726
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 394
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 277
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools in Sterling
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~450 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Sterling Cusd 5'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 450 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sterling, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem School is 16.1:1, which is 15% higher than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elem School?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elem School is White at 54.7% of enrollment, in Sterling, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elem School?
Jefferson Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 School rank among public schools in Sterling?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elem School ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Sterling, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Sterling on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elem School a good school?
Jefferson Elem School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Illinois 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 Sterling Cusd 5?
Besides Jefferson Elem School, Sterling Cusd 5 also operates Sterling High School (999 students), Challand Middle School (726 students), and Franklin Elem School (407 students). See the Sterling Cusd 5 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.