The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in Math. The lowest is 6% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jefferson Elem.
Jefferson Elementary is a regular public school in St. Louis that serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the St. Louis City school district. The school is located in the 63106 zip code of the city.
The student body is very small for its grade band, with enrollment that is entirely Black. All students at the school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students with an individualized education program or who are English learners was not available.
State testing results for the 2024-25 school year are limited and paint a concerning picture. For third-grade English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient was quite low. Fifth-grade math results showed a similarly low rate of proficiency. In fifth-grade science, proficiency was below a tenth of students. For several other grade-level and subject combinations, results were suppressed, meaning the tested group was too small to report. What is available shows a significant academic challenge. Compared to other districts in St. Louis city, Jefferson’s overall proficiency rate across tested subjects and grades places it in the bottom quartile. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the academic support structure.
The school itself is a neighborhood elementary with a direct feeder pattern into the district’s middle and high schools. Because it only serves early and intermediate grades, there is no graduation rate to consider. No data on discipline, chronic absenteeism, or staffing ratios was available to provide a fuller picture of the school environment.
St. Louis is an independent city with a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial districts. The local economy is diverse, with strengths in service, manufacturing, trade, transportation, and aviation. Major employers include the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, as well as research universities like Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Key civic anchors include the Gateway Arch, Forest Park, the Saint Louis Zoo, and the Saint Louis Art Museum, among others. The city separated from St. Louis County long ago, becoming an independent city with fixed political boundaries. Housing values in the school’s immediate zip code are well below the state and national averages, and the area has seen a notable year-over-year decline in home prices, reflecting a softer local market. Rent is relatively modest, and mortgage payments are estimated to be lower than the national median.
The district brief returned no recent parent-relevant changes from the St. Louis City school system. For the broader district context, a parent would need to consult the district directly for information on strategic priorities or recent policy shifts.
Jefferson Elementary serves a small, high-poverty student community. The available academic data shows low rates of proficiency on state assessments. A family considering this school should closely examine the instructional supports, class sizes, and the specific academic interventions the school offers to address the challenges visible in the testing results. The school’s small size and neighborhood setting will appeal to some, but the academic performance data is a clear signal that this may not be a strong fit for every student.
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