Enrollment
402
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Dubuque, IA
Thomas Jefferson Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Thomas Jefferson Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190948000612
👥 S:T ratio 69
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 59
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Thomas Jefferson Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Dubuque · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7.7:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 56.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Thomas Jefferson Middle School has class sizes smaller than 98% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Dubuque, IA.
School address
District: Dubuque Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190948000612 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.7:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-48% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Thomas Jefferson Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Thomas Jefferson Middle School
Thomas Jefferson Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Dubuque, Iowa, enrolling 402 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.7:1, Thomas Jefferson Middle School is leaner than roughly 98% of Iowa schools and 48% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 56.9% of students qualify for free meals, 56% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 402 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 202 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #49.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and African American (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 206 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 65.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 146 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 402 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Dubuque's middle schools, it stands alongside Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School (1,081 students): Thomas Jefferson Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7.7:1 vs 13.9:1).
Dubuque Comm School District also operates Hempstead High School (1,499 students) and Dubuque Senior High School (1,490 students) alongside Thomas Jefferson Middle 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 Middle School compares
Thomas Jefferson Middle 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 | 7.7:1 | ▼ 48% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.9% | ▲ 56% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 402 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.7:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
402
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
7.7:1
students per teacher
- 48% below state mean
Top 2% in Iowa - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
65.7%
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
$13,854
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
Counselors1.9 FTE
Per 206 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 120 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.3 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 59.5%
African American 18.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.7%
Two or More 8.2%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 59.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.6, Thomas Jefferson Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dubuque Comm School District, which includes Thomas Jefferson Middle School.
$13,854
Per student
+8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 50.4%
Federal 14.4%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hempstead High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dubuque Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Thomas Jefferson Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,499
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,490
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,081
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 584
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar middle schools in Dubuque
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~402 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Thomas Jefferson Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Thomas Jefferson Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Dubuque 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 Middle School
How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Middle School?
Thomas Jefferson Middle School has 402 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Dubuque, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Middle School is 7.7:1, which is 48% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 51% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Thomas Jefferson Middle School?
56.9% of students at Thomas Jefferson Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Thomas Jefferson Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Thomas Jefferson Middle School is White at 59.5% of enrollment, in Dubuque, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Thomas Jefferson Middle School?
Thomas Jefferson Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Dubuque?
By Resource Investment Index, Thomas Jefferson Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Dubuque, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Dubuque on the city page.
Is Thomas Jefferson Middle School a good school?
Thomas Jefferson Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa 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 Dubuque Comm School District?
Besides Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Dubuque Comm School District also operates Hempstead High School (1,499 students), Dubuque Senior High School (1,490 students), and Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School (1,081 students). See the Dubuque 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.