Enrollment
308
Illinois · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dekalb, IL
Jefferson Elem School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 171200001451
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elem School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Illinois schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Dekalb · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 308
- 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 #1 of 3 elementary schools in Dekalb, IL.
School address
District: Dekalb Cusd 428 · Illinois
NCES ID 171200001451 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 14:1 Illinois avg
-4% 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 elementary school in Dekalb, Illinois, enrolling 308 students.
At 13.4:1, 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 308 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 (36%) and African American (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 103 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 308 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 101 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Dekalb's elementary schools, it stands alongside Founders Elementary School (565 students): Jefferson Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 14.5:1).
Dekalb Cusd 428 also operates Dekalb High School (2,134 students) and Huntley Middle School (865 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 4% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 308 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
308
Bigger than 33% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 48% in Illinois - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.3%
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
$16,840
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
51
in-school suspensions + 52 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 101 expulsions.
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 36.0%
African American 30.8%
Hispanic or Latino 18.2%
Two or More 8.1%
Asian 6.8%
Largest group: White at 36.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.1, Jefferson Elem School is more mixed than the Illinois school average of 38.9.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dekalb Cusd 428, which includes Jefferson Elem School.
$16,840
Per student
-1%
vs Illinois
Avg $17,042
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.5%
State 46.9%
Federal 11.6%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dekalb High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Huntley Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clinton Rosette Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Founders Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cortland Elementary School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar 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
- 2,134
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 575
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 565
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 523
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools in Dekalb
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~308 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elem School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- Dekalb Cusd 428'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 308 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dekalb, IL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elem School is 13.4:1, which is 4% lower than the Illinois average of 14:1 and 15% 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 36.0% of enrollment, in Dekalb, IL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elem School?
Jefferson Elem School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 elementary schools in Dekalb?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elem School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Dekalb, IL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Dekalb on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elem School a good school?
Jefferson Elem School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Illinois median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Dekalb Cusd 428?
Besides Jefferson Elem School, Dekalb Cusd 428 also operates Dekalb High School (2,134 students), Huntley Middle School (865 students), and Clinton Rosette Middle School (575 students). See the Dekalb Cusd 428 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.