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.