Enrollment
383
New Jersey · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Plainfield, NJ
Jefferson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 341314005622
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Plainfield · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.3:1
- students per teacher
- 77.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson Elementary School has class sizes near the New Jersey median. Computed live against every New Jersey school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Plainfield, NJ.
School address
District: Plainfield Public School District · New Jersey
NCES ID 341314005622 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.3:1
vs 11.8:1 New Jersey avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.8%
vs 29.6% New Jersey avg
+163% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson Elementary School compares with New Jersey and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson Elementary School
Jefferson Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Plainfield, New Jersey, enrolling 383 students.
At 11.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the New Jersey median, within a few percentage points of the 11.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 77.8% of students qualify for free meals, 163% above the New Jersey average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 383 students, its enrollment sits close to the New Jersey median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,501 scored New Jersey schools.
Against 132 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #71.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (89% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 20/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Plainfield's public schools, it stands alongside College Achieve Central Charter School (1,572 students): Jefferson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.3:1 vs 15.4:1).
Plainfield Public School District also operates Plainfield High School (2,077 students) and Hubbard Middle School (737 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 New Jersey and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Jersey | New Jersey avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.3:1 | ▼ 4% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.8% | ▲ 163% | 29.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 383 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.3:1
Leaner classes than 81% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
383
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 163% above the New Jersey average of 29.6%
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
11.3:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 49% in New Jersey - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.8%
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
$20,332
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Jersey avg of $24,984
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 89.3%
African American 8.1%
White 1.3%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 89.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.6, Jefferson Elementary School is less mixed than the New Jersey school average of 51.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Plainfield Public School District, which includes Jefferson Elementary School.
$20,332
Per student
-19%
vs New Jersey
Avg $24,984
+23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 9.5%
State 81.5%
Federal 9.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hubbard Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maxson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cedarbrook Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington Community School | Larger | Similar 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
- 2,077
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 737
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 721
- Students per teacher
- 10.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 671
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 557
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in Plainfield
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Jersey, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~383 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Plainfield Public 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 383 students enrolled. It is a public school in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson Elementary School is 11.3:1, which is 4% lower than the New Jersey average of 11.8:1 and 28% 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?
77.8% of students at Jefferson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Jersey average of 29.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 89.3% of enrollment, in Plainfield, NJ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson Elementary School?
Jefferson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 School rank among schools in Plainfield?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Plainfield, NJ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Plainfield on the city page.
Is Jefferson Elementary School a good school?
Jefferson Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Jersey median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most New Jersey 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 Plainfield Public School District?
Besides Jefferson Elementary School, Plainfield Public School District also operates Plainfield High School (2,077 students), Hubbard Middle School (737 students), and Maxson Middle School (721 students). See the Plainfield Public 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.