Enrollment
292
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mason City, IA
Jefferson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191878001104
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Iowa schools.
- #1 of 5
- schools in Mason City · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.2:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 42.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 86% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Mason City, IA.
School address
District: Mason City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191878001104 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson Elementary School
Jefferson Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Mason City, Iowa, enrolling 292 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.2:1, Jefferson Elementary School is leaner than roughly 86% of Iowa schools and 24% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 42.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 292 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 376 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #238.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Hispanic or Latino (7%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 292 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Mason City's public schools, it stands alongside Harding Elementary School (387 students): Jefferson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.2:1 vs 16.1:1).
Mason City Comm School District also operates Mason City High School (891 students) and Lincoln Intermediate (485 students) alongside Jefferson Elementary 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 Elementary School compares
Jefferson Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.2:1 | ▼ 24% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.0% | ▲ 15% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 292 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
292
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 14% in Iowa - lower ratio than 86% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.6%
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
$15,108
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 292 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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 77.4%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%
African American 5.8%
Two or More 5.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.1%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 77.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.9, Jefferson Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mason City Comm School District, which includes Jefferson Elementary School.
$15,108
Per student
+18%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 44.1%
State 44.8%
Federal 11.2%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Intermediate | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John Adams Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harding Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 891
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Mason City
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Harding Elementary School
Standard public school
387 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Hoover Elementary School
Standard public school
361 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 12:1 students per teacher
Mason City Virtual Academy
Standard public school
88 students 22:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~292 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mason City Comm School District'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 School
How many students attend Jefferson Elementary School?
Jefferson Elementary School has 292 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mason City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School is 11.2:1, which is 24% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 29% lower 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 School?
42.0% of students at Jefferson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elementary School is White at 77.4% of enrollment, in Mason City, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elementary School?
Jefferson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Elementary School rank among schools in Mason City?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Mason City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mason City on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elementary School a good school?
Jefferson Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 86% of Iowa 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 Mason City Comm School District?
Besides Jefferson Elementary School, Mason City Comm School District also operates Mason City High School (891 students), Lincoln Intermediate (485 students), and John Adams Middle School (463 students). See the Mason City Comm School District 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.