Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Q: Is Thomas Jefferson Elementary School a good school?

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ranks 284 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Newton, Iowa, serving 325 students in grades PK-4. The school is part of the Newton Community School District, which is ranked 240 out of 309 districts in the state.

Academically, Thomas Jefferson Elementary's performance is generally on par or slightly better than the district and state averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 3rd-grade English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rate was 63.8%, slightly below the state average of 64.2%, while its 4th-grade ELA proficiency rate was 77.3%, higher than the state average of 72.9%. In mathematics, the school's 3rd-grade proficiency rate was 78.7%, above the state average of 76.3%, but its 4th-grade rate was on par with the state at 72.7%. Compared to the Newton Community School District, Thomas Jefferson Elementary's ELA and mathematics proficiency rates were generally similar or slightly better.

One notable finding is the significant increase in the school's free and reduced lunch rate, from 38.95% in 2021-2022 to 54.77% in 2022-2023, suggesting a growing population of economically disadvantaged students. This contrasts with the lower free and reduced lunch rates at nearby schools like Woodrow Wilson Elementary (55.15%) and the higher-performing Lynnville-Sully Elementary (23.63%), indicating Thomas Jefferson Elementary may face greater challenges in supporting its student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

112 Thomas Jefferson Dr
Newton, IA 50208

(641) 792-2498

District: Newton Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
284^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,022

Students who attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Berg Middle School
High:	Newton Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 315

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.0%

Hispanic:

8.9%

Two or more races:

7.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 53.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ranks worse than 51% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Newton Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.31. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Thomas Jefferson Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Newton Community School District. Racial makeup is: White (80%), Hispanic (8.9%), two or more races (7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 53.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Newton Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is 13.5. 2 elementary schools in the Newton Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Thomas Jefferson Elementary School employs 23.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is $15,022, which is the 2^nd highest among 4 elementary schools in the Newton Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Newton Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Newton Community School District 240^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2017	54.22	321^st	574	44.1%
2018	56.44	292^nd	567	48.5%
2019	65.72	209^th	603	65.3%
2021	56.54	272^nd	567	52.0%
2022	59.83	247^th	574	57.0%
2023	55.82	279^th	565	50.6%
2024	56.31	284^th	557	49.0%

See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2011	399	5	3	8	1	1	19	436
2012	393	6	0	12	0	1	19	431
2013	366	8	1	12	0	1	19	407
2014	377	13	1	14	0	1	23	429
2015	355	18	1	19	1	0	20	414
2016	356	12	3	21	0	0	20	412
2017	325	17	3	19	0	0	11	375
2018	349	22	0	14	0	0	10	395
2019	311	20	3	13	0	0	23	370
2020	281	27	3	13	1	0	14	339
2021	267	21	2	23	1	1	19	334
2022	294	20	3	20	2	1	22	362
2023	257	15	5	24	1	0	23	325
2024	252	8	3	28	0	2	22	315

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	436	31.0	14.0	50.2
2012	431	30.0	14.3	54.3
2013	407	32.0	12.7	58
2014	429	33.0	13.0	56.9
2015	414	33.0	12.5	57.7
2016	412	31.0	13.2	53.6
2017	375	25.0	15.0	49.9
2018	395	23.1	17.0	51.1
2019	370	24.9	14.8	48.9
2020	339	25.1	13.5	46.6
2021	334	25.2	13.2	40.7
2022	362	24.1	15.0	39
2023	325	25.4	12.7	54.8
2024	315	23.3	13.5	53.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	436	31.0	14.0	50.2
2012	431	30.0	14.3	54.3
2013	407	32.0	12.7	58
2014	429	33.0	13.0	56.9
2015	414	33.0	12.5	57.7
2016	412	31.0	13.2	53.6
2017	375	25.0	15.0	49.9
2018	395	23.1	17.0	51.1
2019	370	24.9	14.8	48.9
2020	339	25.1	13.5	46.6
2021	334	25.2	13.2	40.7
2022	362	24.1	15.0	39
2023	325	25.4	12.7	54.8
2024	315	23.3	13.5	53.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$900 (6.0%)	$14,122 (94.0%)	$15,022

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 209^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 279^th of 565 Elementary schools	14.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Jefferson Elementary School)	80.4	65.9	14.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	80.8	70.2	10.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Thomas Jefferson Elementary School)	78.3	75.6	2.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	81.3	79.4	1.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Jefferson Elementary School)	72.5	75.6	3.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	76.1	67	9.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Thomas Jefferson Elementary School)	74.5	75.6	1.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	76.6	72.2	4.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	370	325	12.2%
African American	20	15	25%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	3	5	66.7%
Hispanic	13	24	84.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	311	257	17.4%
Two or More Races	23	23
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.9%	54.8%	5.9%

Schools Near Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)				ISASP Mathematics (2024)				ISASP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	112 Thomas Jefferson Dr	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-2498	315	23	13.5	53.3%	252 (80.0%)	8 (2.5%)	28 (8.9%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	22 (7.0%)	56.3	284^th of 557 public elementary schools	49.0%		55.8	279^th of 565 public elementary schools	50.6%	5	63.8	77.3			78.7	72.7				$15,022	$900	$14,122
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School	Public	K-4	801 S 8th Ave West	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-7311	258	19	13.8	54.7%	222 (86.0%)	4 (1.6%)	11 (4.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.8%)	61.1	237^th of 557 public elementary schools	57.5%		71.2	153^rd of 565 public elementary schools	72.9%	84	65.0	73.2			80.0	82.1				$14,588	$415	$14,173
Emerson Hough Elementary School	Public	K-4	700 N 4th Ave East	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-3982	205	18	11.0	68.8%	141 (68.8%)	14 (6.8%)	27 (13.2%)	3 (1.5%)	3 (1.5%)	2 (1.0%)	15 (7.3%)	45.7	357^th of 557 public elementary schools	35.9%		20.3	480^th of 565 public elementary schools	15.0%	123	57.8	73.7			73.3	72.2				$16,675	$1,246	$15,429
Aurora Heights Elementary School	Public	K-4	310 E 23rd St S	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-7324	260	24	10.7	57.7%	225 (86.5%)	6 (2.3%)	15 (5.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.6%)	63.8	215^th of 557 public elementary schools	61.4%		62.3	222^nd of 565 public elementary schools	60.7%	7	68.1	68.1			89.4	80.9				$14,745	$749	$13,996
Colfax-Mingo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	20 West Broadway	Colfax	50054	Jasper County	Colfax-Mingo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 674-3465	402	33	12.2	43.0%	357 (88.8%)	2 (0.5%)	26 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.5%)	49.2	336^th of 557 public elementary schools	39.7%		62.1	224^th of 565 public elementary schools	60.4%	112	56.5	78.4	59.2	90.9	71.7	81.1	57.1	86.4	44.9	$10,304	$451	$9,854
Baxter Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	202 E State	Baxter	50028	Jasper County	Baxter Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 227-3102	226	16	14.3	28.3%	216 (95.6%)	2 (0.9%)	6 (2.7%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58.3	268^th of 557 public elementary schools	51.9%		53	306^th of 565 public elementary schools	45.8%	38	73.5	78.6	63.9		91.2	82.1	72.2		47.2	$16,144	$695	$15,449
Prairie City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	309 East Plainsmen Road	Prairie City	50228	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 994-8222	312	24	12.9	27.9%	281 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	5 (1.6%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	65.8	192^nd of 557 public elementary schools	65.5%		79	90^th of 565 public elementary schools	84.1%	102	69.6	74.7	72.2		73.2	81.3	78.5		76.9	$14,507	$597	$13,910
Monroe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	400 N Jasper	Monroe	50170	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 994-8222	192	17	11.3	31.8%	183 (95.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)								(n/a)	42.9				57.1					$13,431	$534	$12,897
Lynnville-Sully Elementary School	Public	K-5	12476 Hwy F62 E	Sully	50251	Jasper County	Lynnville-Sully Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 594-4445	224	19	11.5	26.3%	209 (93.3%)	2 (0.9%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	80.9	65^th of 557 public elementary schools	88.3%		78.3	100^th of 565 public elementary schools	82.3%	35	82.9	86.1	73.2		100.0	94.4	78.0		73.2	$11,124	$439	$10,685
East Marshall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	201 E Weissenberger	Laurel	50141	Marshall County	East Marshall Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 476-3342	284	21	13.4	44.4%	243 (85.6%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (12.0%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	50.8	322^nd of 557 public elementary schools	42.2%		40.5	393^rd of 565 public elementary schools	30.4%	71	64.2	81.0	76.4		69.8	71.4	63.6		58.2	$12,045	$693	$11,353

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

What district is Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in?

Newton Community School District

What schools do graduates of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Berg Middle School
High : Newton Senior High School

How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 315 students attended Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School?

Students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School are 80% White, 9% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 3% African American.

Is Thomas Jefferson Elementary School a good school?

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School ranks 284^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.