Enrollment
453
West Virginia · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Charles Town, WV
South Jefferson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Jefferson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 540057000350
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Jefferson Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of West Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most West Virginia schools.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Charles Town · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- large classes for West Virginia
- 453
- students enrolled
South Jefferson Elementary School has class sizes larger than 90% of West Virginia schools. Computed live against every West Virginia school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Jefferson Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Charles Town, WV.
School address
District: Jefferson County Schools · West Virginia
NCES ID 540057000350 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 13.1:1 West Virginia avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Jefferson Elementary School compares with West Virginia and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Jefferson Elementary School
South Jefferson Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Charles Town, West Virginia, enrolling 453 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.8:1 is larger than about 90% of West Virginia schools and 28% above the 13.1:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Enrollment of 453 puts it in the larger third of West Virginia schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 643 scored West Virginia schools.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Two or More (12%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Jefferson County Schools also operates Washington High School (1,458 students) and Jefferson High School (1,431 students) alongside South 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 South Jefferson Elementary School compares
South Jefferson Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against West Virginia and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs West Virginia | West Virginia avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.8:1 | ▲ 28% | 13.1:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 90% in West Virginia - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,888
per pupil, district-wide
- below West Virginia avg of $14,844
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 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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 76.8%
Two or More 11.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.2%
African American 2.6%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 76.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.9, South Jefferson Elementary School is more mixed than the West Virginia school average of 17.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Jefferson County Schools, which includes South Jefferson Elementary School.
$12,888
Per student
-13%
vs West Virginia
Avg $14,844
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.0%
State 44.5%
Federal 13.5%
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 South Jefferson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
| Charles Town Middle School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harpers Ferry Middle School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| T a Lowery Elementary School | Similar size | No free-lunch data | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Jefferson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,458
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,431
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 603
- Students per teacher
- 11.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of West Virginia, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~453 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Jefferson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Jefferson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Jefferson County 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 South Jefferson Elementary School
How many students attend South Jefferson Elementary School?
South Jefferson Elementary School has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Charles Town, WV.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Jefferson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Jefferson Elementary School is 16.8:1, which is 28% higher than the West Virginia average of 13.1:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Jefferson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Jefferson Elementary School is White at 76.8% of enrollment, in Charles Town, WV.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Jefferson Elementary School?
South Jefferson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 South Jefferson Elementary School rank among public schools in Charles Town?
By Resource Investment Index, South Jefferson Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Charles Town, WV. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Charles Town on the city page.
Is South Jefferson Elementary School a good school?
South Jefferson Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of West Virginia schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most West 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 Jefferson County Schools?
Besides South Jefferson Elementary School, Jefferson County Schools also operates Washington High School (1,458 students), Jefferson High School (1,431 students), and Charles Town Middle School (603 students). See the Jefferson County 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.