Enrollment
506
Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Alexandria, VA
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 510012000044
👥 S:T ratio 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Virginia schools.
- #7 of 42
- schools in Alexandria · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8.7:1
- small classes for Virginia
- 79.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School has class sizes smaller than 98% of Virginia schools. Computed live against every Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School ranks #7 of 42 schools in Alexandria, VA.
School address
District: Alexandria City Public Schools · Virginia
NCES ID 510012000044 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.7:1
vs 13.9:1 Virginia avg
-37% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.2%
vs 57.6% Virginia avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School compares with Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Alexandria, Virginia, enrolling 506 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.7:1, Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School is leaner than roughly 98% of Virginia schools and 37% under the state's 13.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 79.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 506 students, its enrollment sits close to the Virginia median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,868 scored Virginia schools.
Against 416 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #74.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and White (25%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 253 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Alexandria City Public Schools spends $20,887 per pupil, 43% above the Virginia average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Alexandria's public schools, it stands alongside Hayfield Secondary (3,256 students): Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.7:1 vs 17.3:1).
Alexandria City Public Schools also operates Alexandria City High School (4,655 students) and Francis C. Hammond Middle (1,597 students) alongside Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 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-Houston Pk-8 School compares
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School on the metrics families compare, against Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Virginia | Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.7:1 | ▼ 37% | 13.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.2% | ▲ 38% | 57.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.7:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
506
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Virginia average of 57.6%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
8.7:1
students per teacher
- 37% below state mean
Top 2% in Virginia - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.1%
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
$20,887
per pupil, district-wide
- above Virginia avg of $14,649
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 253 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 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
African American 47.0%
White 25.1%
Hispanic or Latino 20.0%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 47.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.3, Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School is more mixed than the Virginia school average of 53.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Alexandria City Public Schools, which includes Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School.
$20,887
Per student
+43%
vs Virginia
Avg $14,649
+26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.8%
State 17.5%
Federal 11.7%
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-Houston Pk-8 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Francis C. Hammond Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| George Washington Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Patrick Henry K-8 School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mount Vernon Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 4,655
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 1,597
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 72/100
- Enrollment
- 1,458
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 1,075
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 933
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Alexandria
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hayfield Secondary
Standard public school
3,256 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Patrick Henry K-8 School
Standard public school
1,075 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Parklawn Elementary
Standard public school
963 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Mount Vernon Elementary
Standard public school
933 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Hybla Valley Elementary
Standard public school
878 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
James K. Polk Elementary
Standard public school
804 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~506 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School against another school. Compare schools
- Alexandria City 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-Houston Pk-8 School
How many students attend Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School?
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School has 506 students enrolled. It is a public school in Alexandria, VA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School is 8.7:1, which is 37% lower than the Virginia average of 13.9:1 and 45% 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-Houston Pk-8 School?
79.2% of students at Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Virginia average of 57.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School is African American at 47.0% of enrollment, in Alexandria, VA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School?
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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-Houston Pk-8 School rank among schools in Alexandria?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School ranks #7 of 42 schools in Alexandria, VA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Alexandria on the city page.
Is Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School a good school?
Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Virginia 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 Alexandria City Public Schools?
Besides Jefferson-Houston Pk-8 School, Alexandria City Public Schools also operates Alexandria City High School (4,655 students), Francis C. Hammond Middle (1,597 students), and George Washington Middle (1,458 students). See the Alexandria City 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.