Jefferson Traditional School

Summary:

Jefferson Traditional School is a public middle school in South Bend, Indiana, serving 516 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the South Bend Community School Corporation, which is ranked 317 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite higher spending per student, Jefferson Traditional School faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has had high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 33.2% to 56.5% over the past few years, which is much higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's proficiency rates in ILEARN English Language Arts and Math are consistently lower than the state and district averages, with only 21.71% of students proficient or better in ELA and 11.8% in Math in the 2023-2024 school year. In contrast, nearby schools like LaSalle Academy and Discovery Middle School have significantly higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism rates.

The demographic differences between Jefferson Traditional School and the higher-performing nearby schools also raise questions about equity and access to quality education. Jefferson Traditional School has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (32.36%) and Hispanic (18.99%) students, as well as a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (57.31% to 63.76%). Addressing the unique needs of this student population and improving attendance and academic outcomes will require a comprehensive approach that goes beyond simply increasing funding.

Detail:

Public 6-8

528 S Eddy St
South Bend, IN 46617

(574) 393-4100

District: South Bend Community School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
393^rd of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,027

Students who attend Jefferson Traditional School usually attend:

High:	Adams High School
	Rise Up Academy at Eggleston

Feeder schools for Jefferson Traditional School:

Elementary:

Nuner Fine Arts Academy

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 516

Racial breakdown:

White:

38.8%

African American:

32.4%

Hispanic:

19.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 63.8%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Jefferson Traditional School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Jefferson Traditional School ranks worse than 81% of middle schools in Indiana. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked middle schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.8. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Jefferson Traditional School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.8%), African American (32.4%), Hispanic (19%). (See more...)

Compare Details 63.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Jefferson Traditional School is 13.5, which is the 3^rd best among 6 middle schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District. (See more...)

Compare Jefferson Traditional School employs 38.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Jefferson Traditional School is $14,027, which is the lowest among 6 middle schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Jefferson Traditional School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson Traditional School 393^rd of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Jefferson Traditional School in the ranking list.)

South Bend Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks South Bend Community School Corp 319^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Jefferson Traditional School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	13.49	202^nd	222	9.0%
2005	8.26	353^rd	370	4.6%
2006	13.90	353^rd	375	5.9%
2007	7.96	365^th	382	4.5%
2008	11.70	363^rd	392	7.4%
2009	12.48	386^th	423	8.7%
2010	11.53	404^th	428	5.6%
2011	20.93	395^th	451	12.4%
2012	25.28	383^rd	447	14.3%
2013	33.58	343^rd	444	22.7%
2014	31.19	379^th	470	19.4%
2015	27.48	391^st	485	19.4%
2016	21.69	415^th	494	16.0%
2017	19.61	398^th	472	15.7%
2018	28.02	375^th	473	20.7%
2019	30.25	349^th	470	25.7%
2021	18.47	387^th	483	19.9%
2022	22.18	381^st	490	22.2%
2023	20.41	388^th	489	20.7%
2024	18.80	393^rd	485	19.0%

See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Jefferson Traditional School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	395	194	8	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	606
1989	385	195	9	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	602
1990	395	208	12	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	627
1991	401	209	8	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	637
1992	403	215	7	18	2	n/a	n/a	0	645
1993	364	226	6	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	609
1994	362	220	3	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	597
1995	264	194	3	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
1996	264	194	3	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	472
1997	251	190	7	25	3	n/a	n/a	2	478
1998	242	209	5	22	6	n/a	n/a	0	484
1999	234	205	7	28	4	n/a	n/a	0	478
2000	246	225	6	37	9	n/a	n/a	0	523
2001	240	221	6	35	4	n/a	n/a	0	506
2002	197	208	6	47	3	n/a	n/a	0	461
2003	197	208	6	47	3	n/a	n/a	0	461
2004	273	216	3	27	5	n/a	n/a	0	524
2005	261	189	2	36	2	n/a	n/a	0	490
2006	247	194	1	28	2	n/a	n/a	0	472
2007	226	176	0	32	5	n/a	n/a	39	478
2008	211	137	0	30	6	n/a	n/a	41	425
2009	204	154	1	36	3	n/a	n/a	30	428
2010	200	182	6	42	1	n/a	n/a	46	477
2011	197	195	6	49	0	1	56	0	504
2012	207	209	7	59	0	0	60	0	542
2013	206	211	7	65	0	0	81	0	570
2014	211	202	7	72	0	0	79	0	571
2015	211	182	2	78	3	0	82	0	558
2016	221	190	5	76	2	1	86	0	581
2017	238	215	5	78	1	1	85	0	623
2018	247	211	6	78	3	0	81	0	626
2019	197	194	5	60	1	0	53	0	510
2020	194	188	9	67	0	0	56	0	514
2021	205	190	10	78	0	1	63	0	547
2022	200	168	5	79	0	3	44	0	499
2023	200	167	4	98	0	2	45	0	516

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Jefferson Traditional School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	606	32.5	18.6	28.7
1989	602	31.4	19.1	31.4
1990	627	31.6	19.8	25.5
1991	637	32.1	19.8	33.9
1992	645	n/a	n/a	40.2
1993	609	34.8	17.5	45.2
1994	597	30.7	19.4	42
1995	472	28.5	16.6	57.2
1996	472	28.5	16.6	57.2
1997	478	29.0	16.5	52.5
1998	484	29.5	16.4	53.9
1999	478	31.0	15.4	70.3
2000	523	34.2	15.3	70
2001	506	33.1	15.3	77.9
2002	461	33.2	13.9	71.4
2003	461	33.2	13.9	71.4
2004	524	35.5	14.8	63.7
2005	490	32.2	15.2	72.4
2006	472	28.9	16.3	72.5
2007	478	n/a	n/a	81.5
2008	425	27.9	15.2	74.7
2009	428	30.1	14.2	85.2
2010	477	32.9	14.5	79.4
2011	504	32.5	15.4	74
2012	542	40.8	13.2	77.5
2013	570	14.0	40.7	80
2014	571	30.0	19.0	69.9
2015	558	n/a	n/a	78
2016	581	13.0	44.6	71.1
2017	623	35.4	17.5	67.4
2018	626	35.3	17.7	68.5
2019	510	29.3	17.3	67.3
2020	514	28.0	18.3	65
2021	547	32.0	17.0	61.8
2022	499	42.1	11.8	57.3
2023	516	38.1	13.5	63.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Jefferson Traditional School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	606	32.5	18.6	28.7
1989	602	31.4	19.1	31.4
1990	627	31.6	19.8	25.5
1991	637	32.1	19.8	33.9
1992	645	n/a	n/a	40.2
1993	609	34.8	17.5	45.2
1994	597	30.7	19.4	42
1995	472	28.5	16.6	57.2
1996	472	28.5	16.6	57.2
1997	478	29.0	16.5	52.5
1998	484	29.5	16.4	53.9
1999	478	31.0	15.4	70.3
2000	523	34.2	15.3	70
2001	506	33.1	15.3	77.9
2002	461	33.2	13.9	71.4
2003	461	33.2	13.9	71.4
2004	524	35.5	14.8	63.7
2005	490	32.2	15.2	72.4
2006	472	28.9	16.3	72.5
2007	478	n/a	n/a	81.5
2008	425	27.9	15.2	74.7
2009	428	30.1	14.2	85.2
2010	477	32.9	14.5	79.4
2011	504	32.5	15.4	74
2012	542	40.8	13.2	77.5
2013	570	14.0	40.7	80
2014	571	30.0	19.0	69.9
2015	558	n/a	n/a	78
2016	581	13.0	44.6	71.1
2017	623	35.4	17.5	67.4
2018	626	35.3	17.7	68.5
2019	510	29.3	17.3	67.3
2020	514	28.0	18.3	65
2021	547	32.0	17.0	61.8
2022	499	42.1	11.8	57.3
2023	516	38.1	13.5	63.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Jefferson Traditional School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$506 (5.3%)	$9,012 (94.7%)	$9,518
2020	$460 (4.6%)	$9,607 (95.4%)	$10,068
2021	$959 (9.0%)	$9,680 (91.0%)	$10,639
2022	$2,609 (18.6%)	$11,419 (81.4%)	$14,027

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Jefferson Traditional School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 349^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 388^th of 489 Middle schools	5.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson Traditional School)	28.9	18.1	10.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)	20	19.3	0.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Jefferson Traditional School)	28.9	18.2	10.7%
6th Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)	18.2	13.7	4.5%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Jefferson Traditional School)	32.2	22	10.3%
6th Grade Science (South Bend Community School Corp)	21.4	19.5	1.9%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson Traditional School)	34.8	16.9	18%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)	24.6	21.4	3.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Jefferson Traditional School)	24.7	14.6	10.1%
7th Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)	18.7	10.7	8%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson Traditional School)	48.2	26.6	21.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)	29.8	24.8	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Jefferson Traditional School)	34.1	11	23.1%
8th Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)	18.8	9.8	9%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	510	516	1.2%
African American	194	167	13.9%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	5	4	20%
Hispanic	60	98	63.3%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	197	200	1.5%
Two or More Races	53	45	15.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	67.3%	63.8%	3.5%

Schools Near Jefferson Traditional School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)				ILEARN Math (2024)				ILEARN Biology (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Jefferson Traditional School	Public	6-8	528 S Eddy St	South Bend	46617	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4100	516	38	13.5	63.8%	200 (38.8%)	167 (32.4%)	98 (19.0%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	45 (8.7%)	18.8	393^rd of 485 public middle schools	19.0%		20.4	388^th of 489 public middle schools	20.7%	5	16.6	22.8	25.7	21.7	10.7	15.2	9.8	11.8		$14,027	$2,609	$11,419
Edison Middle School	Public	6-8	2701 Eisenhower Dr	South Bend	46615	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4400	381	41	9.2	83.5%	83 (21.8%)	187 (49.1%)	57 (15.0%)	7 (1.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (12.1%)	8.8	459^th of 485 public middle schools	5.4%		6.8	476^th of 489 public middle schools	2.7%	17	13.7	8.5	13.2	12.0	9.4	1.1	3.8	5.1		$18,512	$4,031	$14,481
John J Young Middle School	Public	7-8	1801 N Main St	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	School City of Mishawaka	No	No	No	No	(574) 254-3600	735	54	13.7	74.3%	452 (61.5%)	116 (15.8%)	75 (10.2%)	5 (0.7%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (11.2%)	37.8	312^th of 485 public middle schools	35.7%		29.5	346^th of 489 public middle schools	29.2%	34		35.1	35.8	35.4		18.1	17.0	17.6		$10,021	$1,451	$8,570
LaSalle Academy	Public	6-8	2701 W Elwood	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4700	488	36	13.5	55.9%	182 (37.3%)	117 (24.0%)	137 (28.1%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (9.2%)	94.2	21^st of 485 public middle schools	95.7%		87	50^th of 489 public middle schools	89.8%	29	80.9	80.1	80.4	80.5	55.7	51.8	48.1	51.6		$15,553	$2,728	$12,825
Jackson Middle School	Public	6-8	5001 S Miami Rd	South Bend	46614	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4500	528	33	16.0	82.4%	111 (21.0%)	208 (39.4%)	140 (26.5%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (12.3%)	8.3	462^nd of 485 public middle schools	4.7%		7.6	467^th of 489 public middle schools	4.5%	5	10.1	4.6	14.3	9.5	7.3	5.2	5.0	5.7		$14,271	$2,747	$11,523
Navarre Middle School	Public	6-8	4702 W Ford St	South Bend	46619	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 393-4600	519	48	10.7	83.4%	45 (8.7%)	227 (43.7%)	207 (39.9%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (6.9%)	5.8	479^th of 485 public middle schools	1.2%		5.3	483^rd of 489 public middle schools	1.2%	4	13.2	3.0	7.5	7.6	0.0	1.5	0.8	0.8		$16,110	$4,072	$12,038
Dickinson Fine Arts Academy	Public	6-8	4404 Elwood	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-3900	449	30	15.2	86.2%	48 (10.7%)	231 (51.4%)	132 (29.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.5%)	7	473^rd of 485 public middle schools	2.5%		7.4	469^th of 489 public middle schools	4.1%	4	5.7	9.0	11.3	8.7	4.6	4.3	2.5	3.7		$14,478	$2,458	$12,020
Schmucker Middle School	Public	6-8	56045 Bittersweet Rd	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 259-5661	1,004	51	19.6	35.7%	708 (70.5%)	81 (8.1%)	98 (9.8%)	39 (3.9%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (7.3%)	85.4	56^th of 485 public middle schools	88.5%		86.4	53^rd of 489 public middle schools	89.2%	3	55.1	60.5	57.8	57.9	46.1	43.5	51.0	46.7		$9,215	$559	$8,655
Career Academy Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	3801 Cresent Circle - Suite B	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	Career Academy Middle School	Yes	No	No	No	(574) 299-9800	394	44	8.9	71.1%	154 (39.1%)	142 (36.0%)	56 (14.2%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (9.1%)	13.2	422^nd of 485 public middle schools	13.0%		16.4	410^th of 489 public middle schools	16.2%	12	17.7	18.0	20.8	18.8	8.0	3.6	8.0	6.4	79.2	$10,949	$1,860	$9,089
Virgil I Grissom Middle School	Public	6-8	13881 Kern Rd	Mishawaka	46544	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 633-4061	678	43	15.7	46.5%	500 (73.7%)	49 (7.2%)	66 (9.7%)	10 (1.5%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (7.1%)	66.7	160^th of 485 public middle schools	67.0%		60.3	180^th of 489 public middle schools	63.2%	20	43.8	49.1	48.9	47.2	28.3	38.6	35.6	34.1		$9,808	$577	$9,230

Frequently Asked Questions about Jefferson Traditional School

How many students attend Jefferson Traditional School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 516 students attended Jefferson Traditional School.

What high school do graduates of Jefferson Traditional School attend?

Students who attend Jefferson Traditional School usually go on to attend Adams High School

What district is Jefferson Traditional School in?

South Bend Community School Corp

Is Jefferson Traditional School a good school?

Jefferson Traditional School ranks in the bottom 19.0% of Indiana middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Jefferson Traditional School?

Students at Jefferson Traditional School are 39% White, 32% African American, 19% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.