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Schools›Kansas›Arkansas City
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·ARKANSAS CITY·NCES 200345001234

Jefferson Elem

131 Osage Ave, Arkansas City, KS 67005 · (620) 441-2060 · Cowley County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY32-TOWNTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL261 STUDENTS
Enrollment
261
Elementary
DISTRICT 232 · STATE 313
Student : Teacher
15.5:1
17 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 14.2:1 · STATE 13.2:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
72%
189 students
DISTRICT 66% · STATE 51%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Pre-K
36
Kindergarten
40
Grade 1
39
Grade 2
31
Grade 3
40
Grade 4
35
Grade 5
40
Student demographics
White
15258%
DISTRICT 53% · STATE 60%
Hispanic
7529%
DISTRICT 36% · STATE 23%
Black
145%
DISTRICT 3% · STATE 7%
Asian
10%
DISTRICT 0% · STATE 3%
Two+
125%
DISTRICT 5% · STATE 6%
Native American
21%
DISTRICT 1% · STATE 1%
Pacific Islander
52%
DISTRICT 2% · STATE 0%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Male
14656%
Female
11544%

School pathway

Students here typically continue to
Jefferson Elem→Arkansas City Middle Sch→Arkansas City High
Based on grade levels within Arkansas City. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.

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Test scores

KAP 2024-25 . % Meeting + Exceeding
English Language Arts
39.3%
KS avg 44.5% . +7.4pp since 2023
Math
37.3%
KS avg 38.8% . +1.2pp since 2023

What this means: On the KAP, Kansas's statewide test, about 39 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 37 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Kansas schools, those numbers are about 45 and 39. Reading and writing scores are up about 7 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 1 points.

Source: KAP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →

BeatsExpectations

Demographically-adjusted score · methodology
Tier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
34.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
27.5%
based on KS schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+7.0pp
above demographic expectation

What this means: About 35% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 28% typical for Kansas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Kansas's top nor bottom 10%.

BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →

7-year change

SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25
Enrollment
261
-21 (-7%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
15.5:1
was 17.5:1
% White
58%
was 55%
% Hispanic
29%
was 34%
% Black
5%
was 2%
% Asian
0%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data

About Jefferson Elem

Set in Arkansas City, Kansas, Jefferson Elem is a modestly sized elementary-level community, operated by Arkansas City. It serves 261 students across grades pre-K through 5.

Jefferson Elem is one of 8 schools operated by Arkansas City, a district that instructs 2,902 students overall.

Looking at the student body, Jefferson Elem shows that White students make up the majority at 58%. Beyond that, the school logs 29% Hispanic, 5% Black, 5% multiracial. By comparison, Cowley County as a whole is about 80% White, so the school skews noticeably less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Jefferson Elem has 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.5:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.2:1, putting Jefferson Elem higher than the state norm the norm. An estimated 72% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Cowley County (around 59%), the school's rate is north of typical.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Jefferson Elem sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 27.5%; this one delivers 34.5%.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Cowley County put median household income runs about $57,878, 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 12%. In all, Cowley County runs 22 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,714 students), of which Jefferson Elem is one.

Nearest neighbor: Arkansas City Middle Sch, around 0.3 miles off. Within five miles, there are 7 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Jefferson Elem comes 3rd of 9 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 27.5%.

The campus sits in a town-center setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Jefferson Elem has edged down 7%, going from 282 students in 2018 to 261 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 34% to 29% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 17.5:1 in 2018 to 15.5:1 today.

Inside the community feed, posts here usually surface around sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.

Cowley County at a glance

View full county profile
Population
34,411
Census ACS
Median income
$57,878
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
25%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
12%
Below federal line
Schools in county
22
5,714 students

Quick facts

School name
Jefferson Elem
District
Arkansas City
Address
131 Osage Ave, Arkansas City, KS 67005
Phone
(620) 441-2060
County
Cowley County
Level
Elementary
Grade range
PK–05
Total enrollment
261
Teachers (FTE)
17
Student–teacher ratio
15.5:1
Free/Reduced lunch
189 (72%)
Locale
32-Town: Distant
NCES ID
200345001234
Charter school
No
Virtual school
No

Related schools

Other schools in Arkansas City
Other schools in Arkansas City
Nearby schools

Frequently asked questions

About Jefferson Elem
What is the total enrollment at Jefferson Elem?
Jefferson Elem enrolls approximately 261 students in grades PK-05.
Is Jefferson Elem an elementary, middle, or high school?
Jefferson Elem is an elementary school covering grades PK-05.
How many teachers does Jefferson Elem have?
Jefferson Elem employs 17 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.5:1.
What is the student diversity at Jefferson Elem?
Student demographics at Jefferson Elem are roughly 58% White, 29% Hispanic, 5% Black, 0% Asian, 5% Two or more.
Who oversees Jefferson Elem?
Jefferson Elem is overseen by Arkansas City in Cowley County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.
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