Enrollment
271
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Taft, CA
Jefferson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 10/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063870008993
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most California schools.
- #3 of 5
- elementary schools in Taft · Resource Index
- 10
- Resource Index · Lower
- 30.1:1
- large classes for California
- 93.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson Elementary has class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Taft, CA.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
30.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+40% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.0%
vs 55.5% California avg
+68% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson Elementary
Jefferson Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Taft, California, enrolling 271 students.
Class loads run heavy: 30.1:1 is larger than about 96% of California schools and 40% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 93.0% of students qualify for free meals, 68% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 271 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 534 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #521, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (95% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 11/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Taft's elementary schools, it stands alongside Roosevelt Elementary (520 students): Jefferson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (30.1:1 vs 26:1).
Taft City also operates Lincoln Junior High (748 students) and Roosevelt Elementary (520 students) alongside Jefferson Elementary.
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 Elementary compares
Jefferson Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 30.1:1 | ▲ 40% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.0% | ▲ 68% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 271 | top 77% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
30.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
271
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 68% above the California average of 55.5%
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
30.1:1
students per teacher
- 40% above state mean
Top 96% in California - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
49.1%
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
$13,437
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 + 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
Hispanic or Latino 94.5%
White 4.8%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 94.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.5, Jefferson Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Taft City, which includes Jefferson Elementary.
$13,437
Per student
-19%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.8%
State 63.6%
Federal 10.6%
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 Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Junior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parkview Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Conley Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Taft Primary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 748
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 520
- Students per teacher
- 26:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 328
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 306
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 231
- Students per teacher
- 23.1:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
Similar elementary schools in Taft
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Roosevelt Elementary
Standard public school
520 students 26:1 students per teacher
Parkview Elementary
Standard public school
328 students 23.4:1 students per teacher
Conley Elementary
Standard public school
306 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Taft Primary
Standard public school
231 students 23.1:1 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 (~271 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~30.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Taft 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 Elementary
How many students attend Jefferson Elementary?
Jefferson Elementary has 271 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Taft, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary is 30.1:1, which is 40% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 92% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jefferson Elementary?
93.0% of students at Jefferson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 94.5% of enrollment, in Taft, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elementary?
Jefferson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 10/100 (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 Elementary rank among elementary schools in Taft?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary ranks #3 of 5 elementary schools in Taft, 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 Taft on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elementary a good school?
Jefferson Elementary earns 10/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of California schools. It is also less 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 Taft City?
Besides Jefferson Elementary, Taft City also operates Lincoln Junior High (748 students), Roosevelt Elementary (520 students), and Parkview Elementary (328 students). See the Taft 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.