1
Teachers: what resource would make the biggest difference at Thomas Jefferson High School this year?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,810
High
DISTRICT 711 · STATE 573
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·FEDERAL WAY SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 530282000451
Thomas Jefferson High School
4248 S 288TH ST, AUBURN, WA 98001 · (253) 945-5600 · King County
GRADES 09–12HIGH21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL1,810 STUDENTS
F
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 4% of Washington public high schools
- DTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- DThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Washington public high schools
Student : Teacher
22.6:1
80 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 21.6:1 · STATE 21.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
72%
1,301 students
DISTRICT 72% · STATE 51%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 441 | 24% |
| Grade 10 | 446 | 25% |
| Grade 11 | 486 | 27% |
| Grade 12 | 437 | 24% |
Student demographics
77%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 79% · STATE 68% · 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
Test scores
Smarter Balanced + WCAS 2024-25 . % Met or Exceeded StandardEnglish Language Arts
38.0%
WA avg 58.4% . +28.7pp since 2014
Math
11.9%
WA avg 51.2% . +9.7pp since 2014
What this means: On the Smarter Balanced + WCAS, Washington's statewide test, about 38 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 12 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Washington schools, those numbers are about 58 and 51. Reading and writing scores are up about 29 points since 2014, while math scores are up about 10 points.
Smarter Balanced + WCAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 38.0% | 11.9% |
| 2023-24 | 37.4% | 14.1% |
| 2022-23 | 40.9% | 13.0% |
| 2021-22 | 49.4% | 15.1% |
| 2018-19 | 63.3% | 22.5% |
| 2017-18 | 56.4% | 27.6% |
| 2016-17 | 3.2% | 6.2% |
| 2015-16 | 17.7% | 18.9% |
| 2014-15 | 9.2% | 2.2% |
% Met or Exceeded Standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: Smarter Balanced + WCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
22.7%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
32.0%
based on WA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-9.3pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 23% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 32% typical for Washington 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 Washington'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 →
Schools most like Thomas Jefferson High School
Thomas Jefferson High School's state test result (22.7% proficient) is higher than 2 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson High School this school | 1,810 | 71.9% | 22.7% |
| Mount Tahoma High School Tacoma | 1,410 | 69.6% | 24.9% |
| Kent-Meridian High School Kent | 1,639 | 68.9% | 24.6% |
| Todd Beamer High School FEDERAL WAY | 1,412 | 72.8% | 25.9% |
| Federal Way High School FEDERAL WAY | 1,665 | 73.8% | 22.5% |
| Lincoln High School Tacoma | 1,556 | 72.7% | 22.3% |
Matched among Washington high 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 Thomas Jefferson High School ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Washington | In King County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 22.7% | #253 of 271 | #51 of 59 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 11.9% | #295 of 321 ▼ 24 | #53 of 59 ▼ 3 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 38.0% | #281 of 327 ▲ 16 | #50 of 61 ▲ 5 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -7.3pp | #40 of 259 | #8 of 57 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,810 | #40 of 570 | #14 of 97 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 22.6:1 | #242 of 311 | #55 of 67 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 76.8% | #18 of 316 | #11 of 67 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 71.9% | #52 of 386 | #9 of 76 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +6.3% | #90 of 136 | #21 of 31 |
Ranked against other public high 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
1,810
+115 (+7%) vs 2020
+79% since 1990-91, when it was 1,010
Student : Teacher
22.6:1
was 22.6:1
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 | 1,810 | 80.1 | 22.6:1 | 72% (1,301) |
| 2023-24 | 1,786 | 81.5 | 21.9:1 | 72% (1,281) |
| 2022-23 | 1,797 | 76.3 | 23.6:1 | 72% (1,286) |
| 2020-21 | 1,695 | 75 | 22.6:1 | 58% (975) |
| 2017-18 | 1,703 | 77.7 | 21.9:1 | 55% (936) |
| 2015-16 | 1,798 | 82 | 21.9:1 | 55% (983) |
| 2010-11 | 1,944 | 86 | 22.6:1 | 31% (598) |
| 2000-01 | 1,518 | 71 | 21.4:1 | N/A |
| 1990-91 | 1,010 | 47 | 21.5:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Thomas Jefferson High School.
Since 2017-18: students up 6% (1,703 to 1,810); teachers up 3% (77.7 to 80.1).
About Thomas Jefferson High School
At 4248 S 288TH ST in AUBURN, Washington, Thomas Jefferson High School operates as a high-enrollment high school. The school counts 1,810 students across grades 9 through 12. The school's enrollment is 216% above the 573 average for high schools in Washington.
Federal Way School District has a total of 43 schools and 22,250 students, Thomas Jefferson High School among them.
The most common group at Thomas Jefferson High School is Hispanic students, at 37%. The school is also 19% White, 17% Asian, 13% Black, and 9% multiracial. The Hispanic share of the county population is lower, at 11%. Thomas Jefferson High School's diversity index is 77%, against a US figure of 70%.
Teachers at the school number 80.1 full-time equivalents, and the ratio is 22.6:1. On average, high schools in Washington have 21.6:1, compared with 22.6:1 here. The school's lunch program data list 72% of students as eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Public schools in King County average 38%.
The allk12 Grade for Thomas Jefferson High School is F. Compared with Washington public high schools, the school scored higher than 4% on a mix of test scores, poverty-adjusted results, and recent trend.
When test results are adjusted for free or reduced-price lunch eligibility, Thomas Jefferson High School is 9.3 points below its prediction. Actual: 22.7%. Predicted: 32.0%.
King County has these Census figures: the median household income is $124,746, about 57% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 5% of residents are in poverty. In all, King County has 544 public schools and roughly 278,492 students.
Nearby, Valhalla Elementary School is about 0.5 miles away. There are at least 8 more public schools inside five miles. Thomas Jefferson High School's average proficiency of 22.7% compares with 31.6% for its nearest scored neighbors.
Its NCES locale code is Suburb: Large: the school is in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more.
Enrollment at Thomas Jefferson High School grew 7% between 2020-21 and 2024-25, from 1,695 to 1,810 students.
The discussion area below is open to posts about sports tryouts, band and choir, and theater. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
King County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
2,287,171
Census ACS
Median income
$124,746
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
57%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
5%
Below federal line
Schools in county
544
278,492 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Federal Way School District
- Federal Way High SchoolHigh · 1,665 students
- Todd Beamer High SchoolHigh · 1,412 students
- Decatur High SchoolHigh · 1,352 students
- Evergreen Middle SchoolMiddle · 810 students
- Kilo Middle SchoolMiddle · 669 students
- Sacajawea Middle SchoolMiddle · 668 students
Other schools in AUBURN
- Auburn Senior High SchoolHigh · 1,918 students
- Auburn Riverside High SchoolHigh · 1,852 students
- Auburn Mountainview High SchoolHigh · 1,560 students
- Cascade Middle SchoolMiddle · 966 students
- Olympic Middle SchoolMiddle · 956 students
- Mt Baker Middle SchoolMiddle · 917 students
Other Thomas Jefferson High schools
6 other US public schools in 6 states are named Thomas Jefferson High. Thomas Jefferson High School is the largest of the 7.
- Thomas Jefferson High SchoolDALLAS, TX · 1,516 students
- Thomas Jefferson High SchoolCedar Rapids, IA · 1,501 students
- Thomas Jefferson High SchoolDENVER, CO · 1,390 students
- Thomas Jefferson High SchoolCouncil Bluffs, IA · 1,146 students
- Thomas Jefferson High SchoolJefferson Hills, PA · 1,041 students
Nearby schools
- Valhalla Elementary School0.5 mi · 517
- Camelot Elementary School0.8 mi · 292
- Meredith Hill Elementary School1.1 mi · 456
- Star Lake Elementary School1.2 mi · 434
- Evergreen Middle School1.2 mi · 810
- Lake Dolloff Elementary School1.2 mi · 543
Frequently asked questions
About Thomas Jefferson High SchoolHow many students attend Thomas Jefferson High School?
Thomas Jefferson High School enrolls approximately 1,810 students in grades 09-12.
What grades does Thomas Jefferson High School serve?
Thomas Jefferson High School serves grades 09-12.
How many students per teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School?
Approximately 22.6:1 students per teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Thomas Jefferson High School?
At Thomas Jefferson High School, the student body is approximately 19% White, 37% Hispanic, 13% Black, 17% Asian, 9% Two or more.
Is Thomas Jefferson High School public or private?
Thomas Jefferson High School is a public K-12 school, overseen by Federal Way School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.