Enrollment
285
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Valparaiso, IN
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 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 181197001889
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Indiana schools.
- #3 of 15
- elementary schools in Valparaiso · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 40.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School has class sizes larger than 87% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ranks #3 of 15 elementary schools in Valparaiso, IN.
School address
District: Valparaiso Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 181197001889 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
15.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Jefferson Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Valparaiso, Indiana, enrolling 285 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19:1 is larger than about 87% of Indiana schools and 19% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 285 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 322 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #65.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (20%) (diversity index 53/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Valparaiso's elementary schools, it stands alongside Cooks Corners Elementary School (487 students): Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19:1 vs 23.2:1).
Valparaiso Community Schools also operates Valparaiso High School (2,089 students) and Benjamin Franklin Middle School (823 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 Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19:1 | ▲ 19% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.3% | ▼ 19% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 285 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
285
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 87% in Indiana - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
9.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,965
per pupil, district-wide
- below Indiana avg of $12,079
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 65.3%
Hispanic or Latino 19.6%
African American 6.3%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 65.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.7, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Valparaiso Community Schools, which includes Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.
$10,965
Per student
-9%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.7%
State 55.6%
Federal 6.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaiso High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Franklin Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cooks Corners Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heavilin Elementary School | Larger | Lower 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
- 2,089
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 823
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
Similar elementary schools in Valparaiso
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Cooks Corners Elementary School
Standard public school
487 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Heavilin Elementary School
Standard public school
479 students 16:1 students per teacher
Flint Lake Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Memorial Elementary School
Standard public school
434 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Union Center Elementary School
Standard public school
386 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Jackson Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~285 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
- Valparaiso Community 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 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School has 285 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is 19:1, which is 19% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
40.3% of students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is White at 65.3% of enrollment, in Valparaiso, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher 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 Thomas Jefferson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Valparaiso?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ranks #3 of 15 elementary schools in Valparaiso, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Valparaiso on the city page.
Is Thomas Jefferson Elementary School a good school?
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Indiana 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 Valparaiso Community Schools?
Besides Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Valparaiso Community Schools also operates Valparaiso High School (2,089 students), Benjamin Franklin Middle School (823 students), and Thomas Jefferson Middle School (632 students). See the Valparaiso Community 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.