Enrollment
380
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Newton, IA
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 192061002123
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #4 of 7
- public schools in Newton · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 46.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 public schools in Newton, IA.
School address
District: Newton Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192061002123 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Jefferson Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Newton, Iowa, enrolling 380 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 46.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 380 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 331 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #283, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 380 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Newton Comm School District also operates Newton Senior High School (806 students) and Berg Middle School (790 students) alongside Thomas 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 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School compares
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.5% | ▲ 28% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 380 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
380
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 68% in Iowa - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,608
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $12,854
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 380 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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
White 85.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%
Two or More 5.3%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: White at 85.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.1, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newton Comm School District, which includes Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.
$12,608
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.4%
State 54.9%
Federal 12.7%
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 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Berg Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Emerson Hough Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodrow Wilson Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Aurora Heights Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Jefferson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 306
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 268
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~380 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Jefferson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Jefferson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Newton Comm 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 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School has 380 students enrolled. It is a public school in Newton, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
46.5% of students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is White at 85.5% of enrollment, in Newton, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School rank among public schools in Newton?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 public schools in Newton, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Newton on the city page.
Is Thomas Jefferson Elementary School a good school?
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa 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 Newton Comm School District?
Besides Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Newton Comm School District also operates Newton Senior High School (806 students), Berg Middle School (790 students), and Emerson Hough Elementary School (336 students). See the Newton Comm 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.