Enrollment
356
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Independence, KS
Jefferson School
Federal NCES profile for Jefferson School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 200765002054
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 78
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jefferson School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.7:1
- students per teacher
- 66.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Jefferson School has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Independence, KS.
School address
District: Independence · Kansas
NCES ID 200765002054 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.7%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jefferson School compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jefferson School
Jefferson School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Independence, Kansas, enrolling 356 students.
At 12.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 66.7% of students qualify for free meals, 56% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 356 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Among 154 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #6, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Two or More (16%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Independence spends $12,179 per pupil, 21% below the Kansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Independence also operates Independence Sr High (550 students) and Independence Middle (376 students) alongside Jefferson 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 School compares
Jefferson School on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.7:1 | ▼ 8% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.7% | ▲ 56% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 356 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
356
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 41% in Kansas - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
8.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,179
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
23
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.8 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
White 64.3%
Two or More 16.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%
African American 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 64.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.9, Jefferson School is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Independence, which includes Jefferson School.
$12,179
Per student
-21%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.8%
State 71.5%
Federal 8.7%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Sr High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Independence Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower Elem | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bridges Academy | Smaller | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Jefferson School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 323
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 24
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 49/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~356 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jefferson School's federal record.
- Compare Jefferson School against another school. Compare schools
- Independence'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 School
How many students attend Jefferson School?
Jefferson School has 356 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Independence, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jefferson School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jefferson School is 12.7:1, which is 8% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 19% 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 School?
66.7% of students at Jefferson School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jefferson School?
The largest demographic group at Jefferson School is White at 64.3% of enrollment, in Independence, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jefferson School?
Jefferson School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 School rank among public schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Jefferson School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Independence, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Independence on the city page.
Is Jefferson School a good school?
Jefferson School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas 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 Independence?
Besides Jefferson School, Independence also operates Independence Sr High (550 students), Independence Middle (376 students), and Eisenhower Elem (323 students). See the Independence 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.