Is South Elementary a good school?

South Elementary ranks 613 th of 898 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend South Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 312 students attended South Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of South Elementary?

Students at South Elementary are 39% African American, 37% White, 10% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 6% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of South Elementary attend?

Students who attend South Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Thomas Jefferson Middle High : Jefferson City High

South Elementary

Summary:

South Elementary is a public elementary school located in Jefferson City, Missouri, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 312 students. The school is part of the Jefferson City School District, which is ranked 167 out of 376 districts in Missouri and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

South Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of African American (39.1%) and Asian (7.69%) students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by MAP test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages across various grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2022-2023, the percentage of students proficient or better in Mathematics ranged from 25.7% to 30.6%, compared to the district's 26.8% to 41.4% and the state's 39.1% to 43.8%. Additionally, South Elementary has a very high percentage of students (over 99%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Despite these challenges, the school has a relatively high per-student spending of $12,068 and a lower student-teacher ratio of 11.8 compared to nearby schools.

While South Elementary's overall academic performance is lower than the district and state averages, the school has performed exceptionally well in certain subgroups. For example, in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years, South Elementary's African American students ranked among the top 4 and 11 elementary schools in Missouri, respectively, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. In comparison, nearby schools such as Clarence Lawson Elementary, Belair Elementary, and West Elementary generally perform better academically, with higher MAP test scores and higher overall SchoolDigger rankings. These schools have a lower percentage of economically disadvantaged students, which may contribute to their stronger academic performance.

Detail:

Public K-5

707 Linden Dr
Jefferson City, MO 65109-2742

(573) 659-3185

District: Jefferson City

SchoolDigger Rank:
613^th of 898 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,068

Students who attend South Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Thomas Jefferson Middle
High:	Jefferson City High

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 312

Racial breakdown:

African American:

39.1%

White:

36.5%

Two or more races:

9.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

Compare South Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Elementary ranks worse than 68.3% of elementary schools in Missouri. It also ranks 8^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Jefferson City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.64. (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: African American (39.1%), White (36.5%), two or more races (9.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Elementary is 11.8. 7 elementary schools in the Jefferson City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Elementary employs 26.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Elementary is $12,068, which is the 5^th highest among 11 elementary schools in the Jefferson City School District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

South Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks South Elementary 613^th of 898 Missouri public elementary schools. (See South Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Jefferson City:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson City 167^th of 376 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for South Elementary

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Rank History for all students at South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	42.17	682^nd	1074	36.5%
2007	35.37	810^th	1080	25.0%
2008	46.42	638^th	1084	41.1%
2009	44.18	665^th	1053	36.8%
2010	38.53	753^rd	1066	29.4%
2011	46.43	659^th	1088	39.4%
2012	52.10	575^th	1085	47.0%
2013	55.77	500^th	1108	54.9%
2014	51.50	547^th	1089	49.8%
2015	23.21	881^st	1058	16.7%
2016	15.90	759^th	865	12.3%
2017	34.03	739^th	1032	28.4%
2018	39.49	663^rd	1045	36.6%
2019	38.49	684^th	1052	35.0%
2021	33.02	629^th	901	30.2%
2022	35.56	595^th	908	34.5%
2023	34.64	613^th	898	31.7%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	58.24	322^nd	887	63.7%
2019	61.26	279^th	907	69.2%
2021	65.91	118^th	574	79.4%
2022	68.25	97^th	532	81.8%
2023	65.60	142^nd	611	76.8%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for African American students at South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	43.75	132^nd	243	45.7%
2019	14.30	235^th	250	6.0%
2021	83.14	4^th	163	97.5%
2022	73.62	11^th	184	94.0%
2023	60.81	49^th	185	73.5%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at South Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	56.71	373^rd	898	58.5%
2019	45.37	486^th	917	47.0%

See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, April 13, 2019

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Enrollment information for South Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	344	344
1992	256	55	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	314
1993	240	57	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	297
1994	201	64	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
1995	164	69	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	243
1996	164	69	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	243
1997	148	63	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	219
1998	188	76	1	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	271
1999	179	77	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	267
2000	154	102	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	269
2001	151	100	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	262
2002	137	106	7	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	255
2003	137	106	7	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	255
2004	110	104	6	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	226
2005	115	132	3	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	256
2006	121	123	3	4	4	n/a	n/a	0	255
2007	97	138	6	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	246
2008	108	126	11	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	255
2009	119	91	11	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	229
2010	131	107	11	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	258
2011	112	122	11	14	0	0	13	0	272
2012	110	96	9	13	0	0	14	0	242
2013	107	134	11	20	1	0	19	0	292
2014	106	135	9	14	1	0	30	0	295
2015	114	132	16	24	0	0	22	0	308
2016	121	137	21	18	0	0	19	0	316
2017	113	127	21	17	0	0	33	0	311
2018	111	143	27	15	0	0	37	0	333
2019	126	117	32	16	1	0	28	0	320
2020	107	126	21	14	1	0	27	0	296
2021	100	122	22	16	0	0	24	0	284
2022	95	118	21	15	0	0	25	0	274
2023	114	122	24	18	3	0	31	0	312

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 South Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	344	21.3	16.1	33.1
1992	314	22.9	13.7	36.6
1993	297	21.7	13.7	49.8
1994	271	20.6	13.2	37.6
1995	243	21.6	11.3	55.1
1996	243	21.6	11.3	55.1
1997	219	20.1	10.9	50.2
1998	271	22.1	12.3	41
1999	267	22.1	12.1	43.8
2000	269	21.6	12.5	50.2
2001	262	23.1	11.3	54.2
2002	255	22.6	11.3	54.1
2003	255	22.6	11.3	54.1
2004	226	19.6	11.5	60.6
2005	256	20.7	12.4	62.5
2006	255	19.7	12.9	71
2007	246	18.7	13.2	69.9
2008	255	18.2	14.0	59.6
2009	229	19.4	11.8	73.8
2010	258	20.4	12.6	74.4
2011	272	21.9	12.4	73.2
2012	242	21.6	11.1	79.8
2013	292	22.6	12.9	77.1
2014	295	22.4	13.1	75.6
2015	308	24.0	12.8	71.1
2016	316	23.0	13.7	99.1
2017	311	24.0	12.9	100
2018	333	25.4	13.0	96.4
2019	320	25.5	12.5	98.4
2020	296	23.8	12.4	99
2021	284	24.7	11.4	98.9
2022	274	24.5	11.1	98.9
2023	312	26.4	11.8	99

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 South Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	344	21.3	16.1	33.1
1992	314	22.9	13.7	36.6
1993	297	21.7	13.7	49.8
1994	271	20.6	13.2	37.6
1995	243	21.6	11.3	55.1
1996	243	21.6	11.3	55.1
1997	219	20.1	10.9	50.2
1998	271	22.1	12.3	41
1999	267	22.1	12.1	43.8
2000	269	21.6	12.5	50.2
2001	262	23.1	11.3	54.2
2002	255	22.6	11.3	54.1
2003	255	22.6	11.3	54.1
2004	226	19.6	11.5	60.6
2005	256	20.7	12.4	62.5
2006	255	19.7	12.9	71
2007	246	18.7	13.2	69.9
2008	255	18.2	14.0	59.6
2009	229	19.4	11.8	73.8
2010	258	20.4	12.6	74.4
2011	272	21.9	12.4	73.2
2012	242	21.6	11.1	79.8
2013	292	22.6	12.9	77.1
2014	295	22.4	13.1	75.6
2015	308	24.0	12.8	71.1
2016	316	23.0	13.7	99.1
2017	311	24.0	12.9	100
2018	333	25.4	13.0	96.4
2019	320	25.5	12.5	98.4
2020	296	23.8	12.4	99
2021	284	24.7	11.4	98.9
2022	274	24.5	11.1	98.9
2023	312	26.4	11.8	99

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 South Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$163 (1.7%)	$9,441 (98.3%)	$9,603
2020	$191 (1.8%)	$10,508 (98.2%)	$10,699
2021	$334 (2.8%)	$11,410 (97.2%)	$11,744
2022	$414 (3.4%)	$11,654 (96.6%)	$12,068

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Elementary

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 684^th of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 613^th of 898 Elementary schools	3.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Elementary)	37.2	25.7	11.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Jefferson City)	36.7	41.4	4.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Elementary)	30.3	48.6	18.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson City)	42.7	47.7	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Elementary)	38.6	30.6	8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson City)	36.5	35.8	0.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Elementary)	47.4	35.6	11.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson City)	43.6	41.1	2.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	45.9	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Elementary)	41.6	25.7	15.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson City)	28.7	26.8	1.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (South Elementary)	35.5	25.7	9.8%
5th Grade Science (Jefferson City)	36.1	37.1	1%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Elementary)	45.9	39	6.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson City)	43.7	46.8	3.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44	3.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	320	312	2.5%
African American	117	122	4.3%
American Indian	1	3	200%
Asian	32	24	25%
Hispanic	16	18	12.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	126	114	9.5%
Two or More Races	28	31	10.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	98.4%	99%	0.6%

Schools Near South Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MAP Mathematics (2023)			MAP Science (2023)	MAP English Language Arts (2023)			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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Elementary	Public	K-5	707 Linden Dr	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3185	312	26	11.8	99.0%	114 (36.5%)	122 (39.1%)	18 (5.8%)	24 (7.7%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (9.9%)	34.6	613^th of 898 public elementary schools	31.7%		35.6	595^th of 908 public elementary schools	34.5%	18	25.7	30.6	25.7	25.7	48.6	35.6		$12,068	$415	$11,654
Thorpe J. Gordon Elementary	Public	K-5	1101 Jackson	Jefferson City	65101	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3170	281	27	10.3	98.9%	93 (33.1%)	138 (49.1%)	16 (5.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (11.4%)	34.5	616^th of 898 public elementary schools	31.4%		24.2	696^th of 908 public elementary schools	23.3%	80	56.5	15.2	16.1	25.8	47.8	19.5	22.6	$11,935	$487	$11,448
Mocap Elem.School	Public, Virtual	K-5	205 Jefferson Street	Jefferson City	65102	Cole County	Mo Virtual Instruction Program	No	No	Yes	No	(573) 751-2453	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Cedar Hill Elementary	Public	K-5	1510 Vieth	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3160	324	28	11.5	43.8%	216 (66.7%)	40 (12.3%)	20 (6.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (13.9%)	51.8	436^th of 898 public elementary schools	51.4%		50	453^rd of 908 public elementary schools	50.1%	17	44.7	32.3	26.9		49.0	50.1	44.2	$12,097	$267	$11,829
Moreau Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	1410 Hough Park	Jefferson City	65101	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3180	328	33	9.8	59.5%	177 (54.0%)	89 (27.1%)	14 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	45 (13.7%)	30.4	657^th of 898 public elementary schools	26.8%		26.5	679^th of 908 public elementary schools	25.2%	22	17.3	37.5	14.9	29.8	40.4	42.9	25.7	$13,106	$777	$12,328
East Elementary	Public	K-5	1229 E McCarty	Jefferson City	65101	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3165	305	29	10.3	99.0%	122 (40.0%)	102 (33.4%)	27 (8.9%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (16.4%)	34.3	619^th of 898 public elementary schools	31.1%		27.8	669^th of 908 public elementary schools	26.3%	50	16.7	25.0	25.0	47.5	27.1	33.3	50.0	$12,006	$608	$11,399
West Elementary	Public	K-5	100 Dix Rd	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3195	307	24	12.5	51.8%	204 (66.4%)	52 (16.9%)	17 (5.5%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.4%)	58	376^th of 898 public elementary schools	58.1%		44.5	513^th of 908 public elementary schools	43.5%	137	45.0	46.8	22.8		53.3	45.1	42.9	$11,954	$313	$11,640
Belair Elementary	Public	K-5	701 Belair	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3155	377	31	12.3	55.7%	216 (57.3%)	70 (18.6%)	46 (12.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (11.1%)	60.8	344^th of 898 public elementary schools	61.7%		59.9	364^th of 908 public elementary schools	59.9%	20	46.0	48.5	31.2		43.6	52.9	50.8	$10,418	$535	$9,883
Clarence Lawson Elementary	Public	K-5	1105 Fairgrounds Rd	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3175	419	37	11.2	53.2%	245 (58.5%)	70 (16.7%)	39 (9.3%)	18 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (11.2%)	63.5	317^th of 898 public elementary schools	64.7%		66.7	281^st of 908 public elementary schools	69.1%	36	73.8	52.1	29.6	28.1	61.5	58.9	40.8	$13,283	$1,396	$11,887
Blair Oaks Intermediate	Public	3-5	6124 Falcon Lane	Jefferson City	65101	Cole County	Blair Oaks R-II	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(573) 635-6864	255	17	14.8	11.0%	242 (94.9%)	3 (1.2%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	92.1	47^th of 898 public elementary schools	94.8%		94	28^th of 908 public elementary schools	96.9%	19	69.2	79.5		63.0	70.8	83.1	57.0	$7,575	$65	$7,510

South Elementary

South Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Jefferson City:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for South Elementary

Rank History for all students at South Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Elementary

Rank History for African American students at South Elementary

Rank History for White students at South Elementary

Review counts

Enrollment information for South Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio South Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on South Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Elementary