Enrollment
1,810
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Auburn, WA
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 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 530282000451
👥 S:T ratio 5
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Jefferson High School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Auburn · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.8:1
- large classes for Washington
- 61.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Jefferson High School has class sizes larger than 92% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Auburn, WA.
School address
District: Federal Way School District · Washington
NCES ID 530282000451 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
76.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.8:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
61.9%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Jefferson High School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Jefferson High School
Thomas Jefferson High School is a higher-need, large high school in Auburn, Washington, enrolling 1,810 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.8:1 is larger than about 92% of Washington schools and 35% above the 17.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 61.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Washington, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,810 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 47 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #40, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and White (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 362 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Auburn's high schools, it stands alongside Auburn Mountainview High School (1,560 students): Thomas Jefferson High School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.8:1 vs 20.8:1).
Federal Way School District also operates Federal Way High School (1,665 students) and Todd Beamer High School (1,412 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 Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.8:1 | ▲ 35% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 61.9% | ▲ 38% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,810 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.8:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,810
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
61.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.8:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 92% in Washington - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
18.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,122
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 362 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
Hispanic or Latino 37.5%
White 18.6%
Asian 17.3%
African American 13.1%
Two or More 9.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.8, Thomas Jefferson High School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Federal Way School District, which includes Thomas Jefferson High School.
$17,122
Per student
-12%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.9%
State 68.0%
Federal 15.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Way High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Todd Beamer High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Decatur High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Evergreen Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kilo Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 1,665
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,412
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 1,352
- Students per teacher
- 23.3:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 810
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 669
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Auburn
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,810 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Jefferson High School's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Jefferson High School against another school. Compare schools
- Federal Way 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 1,810 students enrolled. It is a high school in Auburn, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson High School is 23.8:1, which is 35% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 52% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Jefferson High School?
61.9% of students at Thomas Jefferson High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Jefferson High School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Jefferson High School is Hispanic or Latino at 37.5% of enrollment, in Auburn, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Jefferson High School?
Thomas Jefferson High School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Auburn?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson High School ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Auburn, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Auburn on the city page.
Is Thomas Jefferson High School a good school?
Thomas Jefferson High School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Washington schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Washington. 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 Federal Way School District?
Besides Thomas Jefferson High School, Federal Way School District also operates Federal Way High School (1,665 students), Todd Beamer High School (1,412 students), and Decatur High School (1,352 students). See the Federal Way 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.