Enrollment
256
Nebraska · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Norfolk, NE
Jefferson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 317443001307
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elementary School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Nebraska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska schools.
- #3 of 8
- schools in Norfolk · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.1:1
- large classes for Nebraska
- 56.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson Elementary School has class sizes larger than 72% of Nebraska schools. Computed live against every Nebraska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 schools in Norfolk, NE.
School address
District: Norfolk Public Schools · Nebraska
NCES ID 317443001307 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 13.5:1 Nebraska avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.4%
vs 30.9% Nebraska avg
+83% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson Elementary School compares with Nebraska and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson Elementary School
Jefferson Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Norfolk, Nebraska, enrolling 256 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Nebraska schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 56.4% of students qualify for free meals, 83% above the Nebraska average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 256 students, its enrollment sits close to the Nebraska median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,003 scored Nebraska schools.
Against 74 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 320 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Norfolk Public Schools spends $13,172 per pupil, 25% below the Nebraska average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Norfolk Public Schools also operates Norfolk Senior High School (1,359 students) and Norfolk Jr High School (631 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 Nebraska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Nebraska | Nebraska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.1:1 | ▲ 12% | 13.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.4% | ▲ 83% | 30.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 256 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
256
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% above the Nebraska average of 30.9%
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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 72% in Nebraska - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
3.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$13,172
per pupil, district-wide
- below Nebraska avg of $17,680
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 54.3%
Hispanic or Latino 31.6%
Two or More 9.4%
Asian 2.3%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Largest group: White at 54.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.6, Jefferson Elementary School is more mixed than the Nebraska school average of 34.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Norfolk Public Schools, which includes Jefferson Elementary School.
$13,172
Per student
-25%
vs Nebraska
Avg $17,680
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 59.4%
State 27.0%
Federal 13.6%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Norfolk Jr High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Norfolk Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bel Air Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Little Panthers Preschool | Similar size | Lower 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
- 1,359
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 319
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Nebraska, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~256 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Norfolk Public Schools'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 256 students enrolled. It is a public school in Norfolk, NE.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School is 15.1:1, which is 12% higher than the Nebraska average of 13.5:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Jefferson Elementary School?
56.4% of students at Jefferson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Nebraska average of 30.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elementary School is White at 54.3% of enrollment, in Norfolk, NE. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elementary School?
Jefferson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher 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 Norfolk?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 schools in Norfolk, NE. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Norfolk on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elementary School a good school?
Jefferson Elementary School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Nebraska schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Nebraska 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 Norfolk Public Schools?
Besides Jefferson Elementary School, Norfolk Public Schools also operates Norfolk Senior High School (1,359 students), Norfolk Jr High School (631 students), and Norfolk Middle School (628 students). See the Norfolk Public Schools 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.