Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 12 schools in district

Jefferson High School

1801 S 18th St, Lafayette, IN 47905Lafayette School Corporation →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
2,118
Students
Total enrolled
79%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 9% vs nat'l
$16,116
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 12% vs nat'l
15.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
45/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 11% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 2,118 students in grades 09–12 in Lafayette, Indiana.
12% above average funding
District spends $16,116 per pupil, 12% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 45th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Jefferson High School is a very large high in Lafayette, Indiana, serving grades 09–12 with 2,118 students. The district invests $16,116 per student — 12% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 69% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 79% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Jefferson High School

2,118
Total Students
15.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
69%
Free Lunch
142
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution1,078 male · 1,040 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility69%
National avg 52% · 1,467 students
Student Composition
42%
32%
19%
White42%
Hispanic / Latino32%
Black19%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 180540000968

Academic Outcomes at Jefferson High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
79
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
79%
State avg
88%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
45
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 45th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 54th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 47905

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,116Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,116
State avg
$15,078
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,091
Student Support$3,062
Administration$1,934
Operations$2,417
Other$1,612
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,116 spent per student, an estimated $7,139 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
59%
27%
State government
58.7%
Local (property tax)
27.3%
Federal programs
14.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 79% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Glen Acres Elementary SchoolMiami Elementary SchoolEdgelea Elementary SchoolVinton Elementary School
+4 more
↓
Middle
Lafayette Sunnyside IntermediateLafayette Tecumseh Jr High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyTippecanoe County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictLafayette School Corporation →
Phone: (765)772-4700
NCES ID: 180540000968
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Lafayette seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Lafayette School Corporation
Mid
Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate
1,047 students · 05–06
● 36 opp77% FRL
Mid
Lafayette Tecumseh Jr High School
1,043 students · 07–08
● 45 opp75% FRL
Elem
Glen Acres Elementary School
542 students · PK–04
● 45 opp72% FRL
Elem
Miami Elementary School
458 students · KG–04
● 44 opp86% FRL
Elem
Edgelea Elementary School
457 students · KG–04
● 44 opp65% FRL
Elem
Vinton Elementary School
452 students · KG–04
● 36 opp86% FRL
Elem
Amelia Earhart Elementary School
435 students · KG–04
● 44 opp62% FRL
Elem
Thomas Miller Elementary School
343 students · KG–04
● 45 opp85% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1801 S 18th St, Lafayette, IN 47905
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.