Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 18 schools in district

THORPE J. GORDON ELEM.

1101 JACKSON, JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101JEFFERSON CITY →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
281
Students
Total enrolled
$13,972
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
10.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 33% vs nat'l
53/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 281 students in grades KG–05 in JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,972 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 53th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

THORPE J. GORDON ELEM. is a mid-sized elementary in JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, serving grades KG–05 with 281 students. The district invests $13,972 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 99% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at THORPE J. GORDON ELEM.

281
Total Students
10.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
99%
Free Lunch
27
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution126 male · 155 female
45%
55%
Male 45%Female 55%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility99%
National avg 52% · 278 students
Student Composition
33%
49%
11%
Asian1%
White33%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Black49%
Multiracial11%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 291619000757

Academic Outcomes at THORPE J. GORDON ELEM.

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
53
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 53th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 88th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 65101

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,972Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,972
State avg
$15,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,148
Student Support$2,655
Administration$1,677
Operations$2,096
Other$1,397
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,972 spent per student, an estimated $6,189 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
19%
67%
State government
19.0%
Local (property tax)
66.7%
Federal programs
14.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 99% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
PIONEER TRAIL ELEMENTARYCLARENCE LAWSON ELEM.NORTH ELEM.BELAIR ELEM.
+6 more
↓
Middle
LEWIS AND CLARK MIDDLETHOMAS JEFFERSON MIDDLE
↓
High School
CAPITAL CITY HIGH SCHOOLJEFFERSON CITY HIGHPRENGER FAMILY CTR.NICHOLS CAREER CTR.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyCole County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJEFFERSON CITY →
Phone: (573)659-3170
NCES ID: 291619000757
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in JEFFERSON CITY seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in JEFFERSON CITY
High
CAPITAL CITY HIGH SCHOOL
1,404 students · 09–12
● 40 opp41% FRL
High
JEFFERSON CITY HIGH
1,296 students · 09–12
● 53 opp49% FRL
Mid
LEWIS AND CLARK MIDDLE
1,005 students · 06–08
● 53 opp56% FRL
Mid
THOMAS JEFFERSON MIDDLE
957 students · 06–08
● 40 opp52% FRL
Elem
PIONEER TRAIL ELEMENTARY
477 students · KG–05
● 40 opp46% FRL
Elem
CLARENCE LAWSON ELEM.
419 students · KG–05
● 40 opp53% FRL
Elem
NORTH ELEM.
395 students · KG–05
48% FRL
Elem
BELAIR ELEM.
377 students · KG–05
● 40 opp56% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1101 JACKSON, JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.