Jefferson Elem School

Set in Ottawa, Illinois, Jefferson Elem School is a compact elementary-level community, one of the schools within Ottawa ESD 141. It serves 304 students across grades pre-K through 4. Enrollment runs roughly 20% below the state mean of about 381.

Jefferson Elem School is one of 5 schools operated by Ottawa ESD 141, a district that hosts 1,747 students overall.

On demographics, Jefferson Elem School records that White students make up the majority at 63%; the rest reads as 23% Hispanic, 7% Black, 6% multiracial. That is considerably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 86%.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.3:1 students per teacher. The state averages about 13.9:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Around 65% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is north of LaSalle County's rate of about 53%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Jefferson Elem School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 34.1% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 41.6%.

Zooming out to the county, ACS estimates for LaSalle County put median household income runs about $73,045, about 21% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. In all, LaSalle County runs 54 public schools (combined enrollment of about 14,523 students), of which Jefferson Elem School is one.

The closest other public school is Ottawa Township High School, roughly 0.9 miles away. 6 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Jefferson Elem School at 4th of 8; the average score across the group is 46.2%.

The campus sits in a small-town setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Jefferson Elem School's enrollment has stayed largely flat since 2018, when it stood at 301 (now 304). The Hispanic share of enrollment expanded from 17% to 23% over that span.

On the community side, posts here usually surface around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.