Enrollment
1,501
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Cedar Rapids, IA
Thomas Jefferson High School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Jefferson High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 190654000263
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 80
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Jefferson High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #4 of 5
- high schools in Cedar Rapids · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 48.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Jefferson High School has class sizes larger than 87% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson High School ranks #4 of 5 high schools in Cedar Rapids, IA.
School address
District: Cedar Rapids Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190654000263 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
86.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Jefferson High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Jefferson High School
Thomas Jefferson High School is a large high school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, enrolling 1,501 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.5:1 is larger than about 87% of Iowa schools and 18% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 48.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,501 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 27 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #22, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and African American (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 16 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 379 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 53.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Cedar Rapids's high schools, it stands alongside Prairie High School (1,766 students): Thomas Jefferson High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.5:1 vs 24.5:1).
Cedar Rapids Comm School District also operates John F Kennedy High School (1,648 students) and George Washington High School (1,182 students) alongside Thomas Jefferson High 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 High School compares
Thomas Jefferson High 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 18% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.7% | ▲ 34% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,501 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,501
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 87% in Iowa - lower ratio than 13% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
53.5%
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
$13,962
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 379 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 118 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 expulsions.
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 49.2%
African American 28.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 49.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.7, Thomas Jefferson High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 16
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cedar Rapids Comm School District, which includes Thomas Jefferson High School.
$13,962
Per student
+9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.7%
State 48.5%
Federal 13.9%
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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F Kennedy High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| George Washington High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harding Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Taft Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Viola Gibson Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Jefferson High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,648
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,182
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 710
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 593
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 565
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Cedar Rapids
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Prairie High School
Standard public school
1,766 students 24.5:1 students per teacher
John F Kennedy High School
Standard public school
1,648 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
George Washington High School
Standard public school
1,182 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Metro High School
Alternative education program
288 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,501 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Jefferson High School's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Jefferson High School against another school. Compare schools
- Cedar Rapids 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 High School
How many students attend Thomas Jefferson High School?
Thomas Jefferson High School has 1,501 students enrolled. It is a high school in Cedar Rapids, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson High School is 17.5:1, which is 18% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Jefferson High School?
48.7% of students at Thomas Jefferson High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Jefferson High School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Jefferson High School is White at 49.2% of enrollment, in Cedar Rapids, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Jefferson High School?
Thomas Jefferson High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Thomas Jefferson High School rank among high schools in Cedar Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson High School ranks #4 of 5 high schools in Cedar Rapids, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Cedar Rapids on the city page.
Is Thomas Jefferson High School a good school?
Thomas Jefferson High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 87% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. 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 Cedar Rapids Comm School District?
Besides Thomas Jefferson High School, Cedar Rapids Comm School District also operates John F Kennedy High School (1,648 students), George Washington High School (1,182 students), and Harding Middle School (710 students). See the Cedar Rapids 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.