Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Q: Is Thomas Jefferson Middle School a good school?

Thomas Jefferson Middle School ranks 91 st of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Thomas Jefferson Middle School is a public middle school in Valparaiso, Indiana, serving around 640 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Valparaiso Community Schools district, which is ranked 14th out of 381 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating.

Thomas Jefferson Middle School stands out for its diverse student population, with 70% White, 6.41% African American, 15.16% Hispanic, 2.5% Asian, and 5.94% two or more races. This diversity is higher than nearby schools like Benjamin Franklin Middle School (77.95% White) and Union Township Middle School (83.33% White). Academically, Thomas Jefferson Middle School has generally performed well on state assessments, though slightly below the Valparaiso Community Schools district average. The school also has a higher rate of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (40.78%) compared to nearby schools.

While Thomas Jefferson Middle School is a strong-performing school, there are areas for potential improvement. The school has experienced fluctuating chronic absenteeism rates, reaching as high as 15.2% in 2021-2022. Addressing this issue and further supporting the diverse student population could be focus areas for the school. Overall, Thomas Jefferson Middle School provides a quality education, but there are opportunities to build on its successes and better serve its students.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1600 Roosevelt Rd
Valparaiso, IN 46383

(219) 531-3140

District: Valparaiso Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
91^st of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,582

Students who attend Thomas Jefferson Middle School usually attend:

High:

Valparaiso High School

Feeder schools for Thomas Jefferson Middle School:

Elementary:	Flint Lake Elementary School
	Parkview Elementary School
	Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 640

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.0%

Hispanic:

15.2%

African American:

6.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.8%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Thomas Jefferson Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Thomas Jefferson Middle School ranks better than 81.2% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.8. (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 Racial makeup is: White (70%), Hispanic (15.2%), African American (6.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thomas Jefferson Middle School is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Thomas Jefferson Middle School employs 44.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thomas Jefferson Middle School is $10,582.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Thomas Jefferson Middle School 91^st of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Thomas Jefferson Middle School in the ranking list.)

Valparaiso Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Valparaiso Community Schools 14^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	82.28	20^th	222	91.0%
2005	83.09	32^nd	370	91.4%
2006	80.98	43^rd	375	88.5%
2007	74.26	72^nd	382	81.2%
2008	77.57	63^rd	392	83.9%
2009	76.54	77^th	423	81.8%
2010	83.61	32^nd	428	92.5%
2011	81.60	50^th	451	88.9%
2012	72.77	96^th	447	78.5%
2013	63.13	172^nd	444	61.3%
2014	68.77	134^th	470	71.5%
2015	80.30	68^th	485	86.0%
2016	76.07	96^th	494	80.6%
2017	82.40	57^th	472	87.9%
2018	83.49	47^th	473	90.1%
2019	85.33	49^th	470	89.6%
2021	87.69	41^st	483	91.5%
2022	81.47	75^th	490	84.7%
2023	86.77	52^nd	489	89.4%
2024	77.80	91^st	485	81.2%

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 Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	492	4	12	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
1989	536	2	12	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	561
1990	584	4	9	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	601
1991	593	3	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	603
1992	639	4	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	653
1993	680	6	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	695
1994	717	2	10	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	736
1995	711	2	4	14	0	n/a	n/a	8	739
1996	711	2	4	14	0	n/a	n/a	8	739
1997	730	4	8	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	751
1998	709	11	10	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	732
1999	692	12	11	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	720
2000	666	12	9	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	692
2001	646	17	11	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	686
2002	580	17	17	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	636
2003	580	17	17	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	636
2004	572	20	16	27	0	n/a	n/a	0	635
2005	617	23	10	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	678
2006	598	27	10	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	657
2007	627	35	12	37	1	n/a	n/a	18	730
2008	596	37	15	39	2	n/a	n/a	22	711
2009	588	32	11	49	3	n/a	n/a	31	714
2010	557	34	12	53	4	n/a	n/a	36	696
2011	539	36	11	62	5	0	29	0	682
2012	543	47	10	55	5	0	31	0	691
2013	556	43	15	67	2	0	41	0	724
2014	549	36	19	65	3	0	44	0	716
2015	517	30	18	72	2	0	31	0	670
2016	447	27	18	61	1	0	31	0	585
2017	475	37	15	69	1	0	28	0	625
2018	462	41	12	95	1	0	30	0	641
2019	479	34	10	117	1	0	34	0	675
2020	481	45	9	117	1	0	37	0	690
2021	441	37	13	115	0	0	31	0	637
2022	432	49	9	97	0	0	37	0	624
2023	448	41	16	97	0	0	38	0	640

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 Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	513	28.0	18.3	5.1
1989	561	32.0	17.5	7.7
1990	601	33.6	17.8	5.2
1991	603	34.5	17.4	4.6
1992	653	33.5	19.4	6
1993	695	37.1	18.7	7.6
1994	736	36.1	20.4	8
1995	739	37.5	19.7	9.7
1996	739	37.5	19.7	9.7
1997	751	38.7	19.4	9.6
1998	732	39.2	18.7	9.7
1999	720	39.1	18.4	13.1
2000	692	39.1	17.7	14.5
2001	686	39.9	17.2	15.6
2002	636	38.9	16.3	17.6
2003	636	38.9	16.3	17.6
2004	635	38.6	16.5	20.2
2005	678	39.8	17.0	21.7
2006	657	40.2	16.3	21.3
2007	730	n/a	n/a	25.3
2008	711	39.4	18.0	26.9
2009	714	39.3	18.2	28.1
2010	696	43.3	16.0	35
2011	682	40.8	16.6	33
2012	691	45.3	15.2	39.1
2013	724	38.0	19.0	34.8
2014	716	40.0	17.8	37.4
2015	670	40.0	16.7	35.5
2016	585	39.0	15.0	34.7
2017	625	40.6	15.3	35
2018	641	42.6	15.0	39.3
2019	675	39.6	17.0	45.5
2020	690	42.6	16.1	41.6
2021	637	42.6	14.9	42.1
2022	624	50.5	12.3	38.9
2023	640	44.5	14.3	40.8

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 Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	513	28.0	18.3	5.1
1989	561	32.0	17.5	7.7
1990	601	33.6	17.8	5.2
1991	603	34.5	17.4	4.6
1992	653	33.5	19.4	6
1993	695	37.1	18.7	7.6
1994	736	36.1	20.4	8
1995	739	37.5	19.7	9.7
1996	739	37.5	19.7	9.7
1997	751	38.7	19.4	9.6
1998	732	39.2	18.7	9.7
1999	720	39.1	18.4	13.1
2000	692	39.1	17.7	14.5
2001	686	39.9	17.2	15.6
2002	636	38.9	16.3	17.6
2003	636	38.9	16.3	17.6
2004	635	38.6	16.5	20.2
2005	678	39.8	17.0	21.7
2006	657	40.2	16.3	21.3
2007	730	n/a	n/a	25.3
2008	711	39.4	18.0	26.9
2009	714	39.3	18.2	28.1
2010	696	43.3	16.0	35
2011	682	40.8	16.6	33
2012	691	45.3	15.2	39.1
2013	724	38.0	19.0	34.8
2014	716	40.0	17.8	37.4
2015	670	40.0	16.7	35.5
2016	585	39.0	15.0	34.7
2017	625	40.6	15.3	35
2018	641	42.6	15.0	39.3
2019	675	39.6	17.0	45.5
2020	690	42.6	16.1	41.6
2021	637	42.6	14.9	42.1
2022	624	50.5	12.3	38.9
2023	640	44.5	14.3	40.8

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 Thomas Jefferson Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$30 (0.3%)	$9,390 (99.7%)	$9,420
2020	$32 (0.4%)	$8,665 (99.6%)	$8,697
2021	$62 (0.6%)	$9,912 (99.4%)	$9,974
2022	$153 (1.4%)	$10,428 (98.5%)	$10,582

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Thomas Jefferson Middle 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 49^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 52^nd of 489 Middle schools	0.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	63.5	60.2	3.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Valparaiso Community Schools)	73.9	64.5	9.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	65.9	57.8	8.1%
6th Grade Math (Valparaiso Community Schools)	70.9	63.9	7%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	67.8	56.4	11.4%
6th Grade Science (Valparaiso Community Schools)	75.4	60.2	15.2%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	68.4	44.4	24%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Valparaiso Community Schools)	71.4	52.8	18.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	63.7	49.5	14.2%
7th Grade Math (Valparaiso Community Schools)	64.8	53.9	10.9%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	62.5	60.9	1.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Valparaiso Community Schools)	63	64.5	1.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	42.8	45.5	2.7%
8th Grade Math (Valparaiso Community Schools)	45.8	46.8	1%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%
End of Course Biology (Thomas Jefferson Middle School)	92.9	82.4	10.6%
End of Course Biology (Valparaiso Community Schools)	59.9	47.9	12%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	675	640	5.2%
African American	34	41	20.6%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	10	16	60%
Hispanic	117	97	17.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	479	448	6.5%
Two or More Races	34	38	11.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	45.5%	40.8%	4.7%

Schools Near Thomas Jefferson Middle 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 Social Studies (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 5th Grade	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 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Thomas Jefferson Middle School	Public	6-8	1600 Roosevelt Rd	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3140	640	45	14.3	40.8%	448 (70.0%)	41 (6.4%)	97 (15.2%)	16 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.9%)	77.8	91^st of 485 public middle schools	81.2%		86.8	52^nd of 489 public middle schools	89.4%	39		41.8	58.3	46.5	48.8		45.9	47.3	44.3	45.8		94.0	$10,582	$153	$10,428
Benjamin Franklin Middle School	Public	6-8	605 Campbell	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3020	821	51	16.2	22.2%	640 (78.0%)	23 (2.8%)	99 (12.1%)	22 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.4%)	92.9	28^th of 485 public middle schools	94.2%		94.2	17^th of 489 public middle schools	96.5%	11		66.7	60.5	63.1	63.3		63.0	55.1	48.7	55.5		98.5	$9,715	$282	$9,433
Liberty Intermediate School	Public	5-6	50 W 900 N	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3690	351	23	15.3	24.2%	272 (77.5%)	7 (2.0%)	54 (15.4%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)								(n/a)	68.0	60.7			64.4	71.3	61.9			66.7	69.1		$12,071	$531	$11,540
Union Township Middle School	Public	6-8	599 W 300 N	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Union Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 759-2562	324	24	13.5	30.2%	270 (83.3%)	6 (1.9%)	37 (11.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	94.7	19^th of 485 public middle schools	96.1%		86.2	54^th of 489 public middle schools	89.0%	35		64.6	72.6	73.3	70.0		51.8	62.8	61.0	58.3			$10,046	$235	$9,811
Westchester Intermediate School	Public	5-6	1050 S 5th St	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 983-3710	478	29	16.7	35.6%	369 (77.2%)	15 (3.1%)	60 (12.6%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	28 (5.9%)								(n/a)	59.7	70.2			65.1	61.8	72.6			67.4	54.0		$11,920	$514	$11,406
Chesterton Middle School	Public	7-8	651 W Morgan Ave	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3776	884	51	17.3	30.1%	669 (75.7%)	22 (2.5%)	147 (16.6%)	10 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	33 (3.7%)	96.6	6^th of 485 public middle schools	98.8%		94.2	18^th of 489 public middle schools	96.3%	12			66.2	65.4	65.8			65.7	61.6	63.6		94.0	$10,646	$163	$10,483
Willowcreek Middle School	Public	6-8	5962 Central Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8090	949	62	15.4	59.0%	483 (50.9%)	148 (15.6%)	266 (28.0%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (5.0%)	41.6	290^th of 485 public middle schools	40.2%		42.8	271^st of 489 public middle schools	44.6%	19		27.1	31.3	37.5	32.1		25.8	25.9	25.9	25.9		74.4	$10,764	$898	$9,866
Boone Grove Middle School	Public	6-8	325 W 550 S	Boone Grove	46302	Porter County	Porter Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 464-4828	323	22	15.0	34.1%	253 (78.3%)	11 (3.4%)	49 (15.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	67.5	154^th of 485 public middle schools	68.2%		61.5	175^th of 489 public middle schools	64.2%	21		40.5	54.4	46.8	47.2		40.5	39.1	27.5	35.2			$9,647	$179	$9,468
William Fegely Middle School	Public	6-8	5384 Stone Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8150	633	41	15.6	66.2%	283 (44.7%)	111 (17.5%)	188 (29.7%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.1%)	36.8	317^th of 485 public middle schools	34.6%		38.9	304^th of 489 public middle schools	37.8%	13		32.0	29.5	30.3	30.6		15.2	27.9	24.1	22.2		62.5	$11,068	$915	$10,153
Hobart Middle School	Public	6-8	36 E 8th St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	No	(219) 942-8541	917	49	18.9	53.7%	546 (59.5%)	78 (8.5%)	239 (26.1%)	14 (1.5%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	37 (4.0%)	60.3	184^th of 485 public middle schools	62.1%		56.9	207^th of 489 public middle schools	57.7%	23		41.7	43.0	43.9	42.9		41.8	29.1	26.2	32.5		60.7	$10,636	$916	$9,720

Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Jefferson Middle School

What high school do graduates of Thomas Jefferson Middle School attend?

Students who attend Thomas Jefferson Middle School usually go on to attend Valparaiso High School

What district is Thomas Jefferson Middle School in?

Valparaiso Community Schools

How many students attend Thomas Jefferson Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 640 students attended Thomas Jefferson Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Thomas Jefferson Middle School?

Students at Thomas Jefferson Middle School are 70% White, 15% Hispanic, 6% African American, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Is Thomas Jefferson Middle School a good school?

Thomas Jefferson Middle School ranks 91^st of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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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.