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What's one thing Jefferson Elem School gets right about preparing students for what comes next?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
450
Elementary
DISTRICT 382 · STATE 381
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·STERLING CUSD 5·NCES 174231004255
Jefferson Elementary School
806 E Le Fevre Rd, Sterling, IL 61081 · (815) 625-6402 · Whiteside County
GRADES PK–02ELEMENTARY32-TOWNTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL450 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
14.9:1
30 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.3:1 · STATE 13.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
70%
313 students
DISTRICT 62% · STATE 56%
Community
5
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 121 | 27% |
| Kindergarten | 106 | 24% |
| Grade 1 | 105 | 23% |
| Grade 2 | 118 | 26% |
Student demographics
56%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 57% · STATE 69% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Schools most like Jefferson Elementary School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Elementary School this school | 450 | 69.6% | N/A |
| Kimes Elementary School Streator | 415 | 70.6% | N/A |
| Bridgeview Elementary School Bridgeview | 436 | 69.0% | 39.2% |
| Machesney Elementary School Machesney Park | 361 | 63.7% | 33.8% |
| Lake in the Hills Elementary School Lk In The Hls | 502 | 62.5% | 36.0% |
| Lincoln Elementary School Ottawa | 387 | 69.3% | 34.4% |
Matched among Illinois elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Jefferson Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Illinois | In Whiteside County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 450 | #760 of 2,419 | #1 of 14 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.9:1 | #1,520 of 2,035 | #11 of 13 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 56.1% | #711 of 2,042 | #2 of 13 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 69.6% | #751 of 2,132 | #5 of 14 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +0.9% | #581 of 615 | N/A |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
450
+88 (+24%) vs 2020
-20% since 1990-91, when it was 565
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 450 | 30.2 | 14.9:1 | 70% (313) |
| 2023-24 | 422 | 27.8 | 15.2:1 | 56% (237) |
| 2022-23 | 401 | 28.5 | 14.1:1 | 62% (248) |
| 2020-21 | 362 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 446 | 23.3 | 19.1:1 | 63% (282) |
| 2015-16 | 472 | 23 | 20.5:1 | 63% (297) |
| 2010-11 | 471 | 26 | 18.1:1 | 57% (269) |
| 2000-01 | 452 | 28 | 16.1:1 | N/A |
| 1990-91 | 565 | 25 | 22.6:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Jefferson Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students up 1% (446 to 450); teachers up 29% (23.3 to 30.2).
About Jefferson Elementary School
Jefferson Elementary School is one of the public schools in Sterling, Illinois. It is a mid-sized elementary school. Federal data show 450 students enrolled in pre-K through 2 in 2024-25.
The district, Sterling CUSD 5, operates 6 schools serving 3,253 students.
More than half of the students at Jefferson Elementary School are White (55%). Next come 37% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, and 2% Black. That compares with about 85% White among all Whiteside County residents. The diversity index for Jefferson Elementary School is 56%. For US public schools as a whole it is 70%.
Its ratio of 14.9:1 is based on 30.2 full-time-equivalent teachers. Elementary schools in Illinois have an average ratio of 13.9:1. In all, 70% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. It compares with 55% for public schools in Whiteside County.
The school's county is Whiteside County. According to Census Bureau estimates, median household income comes to about $67,500, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 21%, and roughly 8% of residents are in poverty. There are 50 public schools in the county, enrolling about 8,445, Jefferson Elementary School among them.
Of the public schools around it, Jefferson Elementary School is closest to Challand Middle School, about 0.2 miles away. Inside a five-mile radius, there are at least 8 other public schools.
In the federal locale system, Jefferson Elementary School is coded Town: Distant, for schools in a town some distance from an urbanized area.
The 2020-21-to-2024-25 change in enrollment was a 24% rise, from 362 to 450.
People can post here about homework, tutoring, and testing dates and other school topics. Members of the school community can share what they know.
Whiteside County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
54,947
Census ACS
Median income
$67,500
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
21%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
50
8,445 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Sterling CUSD 5
- Sterling High SchoolHigh · 999 students
- Challand Middle SchoolMiddle · 726 students
- Franklin Elementary SchoolElementary · 407 students
- Washington Elementary SchoolElementary · 394 students
- Lincoln Elementary SchoolElementary · 277 students
Other schools in Sterling
- Sterling High SchoolHigh · 999 students
- Challand Middle SchoolMiddle · 726 students
- Franklin Elementary SchoolElementary · 407 students
- Washington Elementary SchoolElementary · 394 students
- Lincoln Elementary SchoolElementary · 277 students
- ROE 47 Student Support ALOPCombined
Other Jefferson Elementary schools
143 other US public schools in 31 states are named Jefferson Elementary. Jefferson Elementary School is the 44th largest of the 144.
- Jefferson Elementary SchoolCharleston, IL · 698 students
- Jefferson Elementary SchoolBerwyn, IL · 453 students
- Jefferson Elementary SchoolMarion, IL · 376 students
- Jefferson Elementary SchoolMorton, IL · 354 students
- Jefferson Elementary SchoolDixon, IL · 344 students
Nearby schools
- Challand Middle School0.2 mi · 726
- Sterling High School0.3 mi · 999
- Lincoln Elementary School0.5 mi · 277
- Franklin Elementary School0.7 mi · 407
- Washington Elementary School1.2 mi · 394
- Merrill Elementary School1.8 mi · 258
Frequently asked questions
About Jefferson Elementary SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at Jefferson Elementary School?
Jefferson Elementary School enrolls approximately 450 students in grades PK-02.
Is Jefferson Elementary School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Jefferson Elementary School is an elementary school covering grades PK-02.
How many students per teacher at Jefferson Elementary School?
Approximately 14.9:1 students per teacher at Jefferson Elementary School.
How diverse is Jefferson Elementary School?
Jefferson Elementary School reports a student body of 55% White, 37% Hispanic, 2% Black, 0% Asian, 6% Two or more.
What district is Jefferson Elementary School in?
Jefferson Elementary School is part of Sterling CUSD 5.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.