JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY

Set in FARIBAULT, Minnesota, JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY is a middle-of-the-pack elementary school, one of the schools within FARIBAULT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. It caters to 389 students across grades pre-K through 5.

FARIBAULT PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT comprises 10 schools with combined enrollment of 3,106 students; JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY is among them.

In terms of who attends, JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY shows that 38% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest looks like 34% Hispanic, 19% White, 5% multiracial, 2% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 7% Black, putting the school's mix visibly more Black than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY has 31 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.7:1. The state averages around 13.7:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 83% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Rice County runs at roughly 46%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 20.7%; this one delivers 17.4%.

In the surrounding community, Rice County reports that the typical household earns roughly $83,181 per year, 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Across Rice County's 40 public schools (combined enrollment of about 8,301 students), JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is FARIBAULT SENIOR HIGH, roughly 0.4 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY at 5th of 5; the average score across the group is 22.4%.

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

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY has decreased 23%, going from 504 students in 2018 to 389 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share fell from 31% to 19%.

On allk12, posts here usually surface around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.