Enrollment
471
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carlsbad, CA
Jefferson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060750000710
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 10
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #12 of 15
- elementary schools in Carlsbad · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.4:1
- students per teacher
- 45.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary ranks #12 of 15 elementary schools in Carlsbad, CA.
School address
District: Carlsbad Unified · California
NCES ID 060750000710 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.2%
vs 55.5% California avg
-19% 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 mid-sized elementary school in Carlsbad, California, enrolling 471 students.
At 21.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 45.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 471 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,352 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #468.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and White (39%) (diversity index 61/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Carlsbad's elementary schools, it stands alongside Carrillo Elementary (725 students): Jefferson Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.4:1 vs 25:1).
Carlsbad Unified also operates Carlsbad High (2,336 students) and Sage Creek High (1,289 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 | 21.4:1 | ▼ 0% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.2% | ▼ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 471 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
471
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 0% below state mean
Top 47% in California - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
35.9%
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
$13,634
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 + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 47.6%
White 39.3%
Two or More 8.1%
African American 2.3%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 47.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.1, Jefferson Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Carlsbad Unified, which includes Jefferson Elementary.
$13,634
Per student
-17%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 80.1%
State 14.0%
Federal 5.8%
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 Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sage Creek High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aviara Oaks Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Valley Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hope Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 2,336
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,289
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 991
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 807
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 659
- Students per teacher
- 24.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Carlsbad
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Carrillo Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 25:1 students per teacher
La Costa Meadows Elementary
Standard public school
725 students 25:1 students per teacher
Hope Elementary
Standard public school
659 students 24.4:1 students per teacher
Pacific Rim Elementary
Standard public school
642 students 22.9:1 students per teacher
Aviara Oaks Elementary
Standard public school
612 students 23.5:1 students per teacher
La Costa Heights Elementary
Standard public school
552 students 19.7:1 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 (~471 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Carlsbad Unified'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 471 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carlsbad, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary is 21.4:1, which is 0% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jefferson Elementary?
45.2% 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 47.6% of enrollment, in Carlsbad, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elementary?
Jefferson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Elementary rank among elementary schools in Carlsbad?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary ranks #12 of 15 elementary schools in Carlsbad, 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 Carlsbad on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elementary a good school?
Jefferson Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California 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 Carlsbad Unified?
Besides Jefferson Elementary, Carlsbad Unified also operates Carlsbad High (2,336 students), Sage Creek High (1,289 students), and Aviara Oaks Middle (991 students). See the Carlsbad Unified 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.