Jefferson Elementary School

Jefferson Elementary School, a medium-sized elementary campus in Mason City, Iowa, overseen by Mason City Comm School District, teaches 292 students, covering grades pre-K through 4.

Across the 9 schools in Mason City Comm School District (3,406 students total), Jefferson Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Jefferson Elementary School reports that 77% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder consists of 7% Hispanic, 6% Black, 5% multiracial, 4% Pacific Islander. The wider county runs roughly 90% White, putting the school's mix meaningfully less White than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 27 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 11.0:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.7:1, putting Jefferson Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm. An estimated 39% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Jefferson Elementary School ranks in the top 10% of Iowa public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 72.3%; Jefferson Elementary School posts 81.8%, +9.6 points above that line.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Cerro Gordo County put median household income runs about $68,189, roughly 24% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. In all, Cerro Gordo County runs 13 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,248 students), of which Jefferson Elementary School is one.

The closest other public school is John Adams Middle School, roughly 0.3 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Jefferson Elementary School at 1st of 7; the average score across the group is 64.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a town-based area.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count decreased 30%: 417 students in 2018 compared to 292 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share contracted from 84% to 77%. Class-load math has narrowed: from 15.9:1 in 2018 to 11.0:1 in 2025.

On this page, recent activity here tends to focus on fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.