Thomas Jefferson High School
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Phone: (712) 328-6493
District: Council Bluffs Community School District
GreatSchools Rating
public • Grades 9,10,11,12 • 1138 students
Thomas Jefferson High School, a public school located in Council Bluffs, IA, serves grades 9-12 in the Council Bluffs Community School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 1 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.
Thomas Jefferson High School is a public school located in Council Bluffs, IA. 1138 students attend Thomas Jefferson High School.
School Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Test Scores | 1/10 | The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Iowa Assessment data from Iowa Department of Education. |
| College Readiness | 1/10 | The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2024 4-year high school graduation rate data from Iowa Department of Education, using 2025 Average ACT score data from Iowa Department of Education, and using 2026 demographic data from Iowa Department of Education. |
| Student Growth | 1/10 | The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from Iowa Department of Education. |
Posted: October 31, 2019
Posted: October 31, 2019
TJ is an amazing school with a real sense of community. Parents, students, staff, and alumni are supportive of the school and value its contribution to CB. Staff work hard for their students, and there are new and exciting programs being implemented all the time to help students be successful.
Posted: October 31, 2019
Posted: October 31, 2019
Posted: October 31, 2019
Posted: October 31, 2019
Posted: October 31, 2019
Posted: August 30, 2015
through the experiences of strong personal yet professional relationships, teachers seek to constantly challenge themselves and their students with the latest in strategies, formative assessments & summative performances.
Posted: August 30, 2015
Students will always complain - but it is shown in studies that 2 hrs in high school does positively impact learning.
Posted: August 30, 2015
When you walk into TJHS, you feel a sense of pride and respect that students have for each other, students respecting staff, and the like.
Posted: August 30, 2015
Knowledgable, competent & caring staff. Access to varied levels of academics and athletics. Tons of extra curriculars with more added yearly.
Posted: November 24, 2014
My son graduated from TJHS in 2012 and he will be graduating from Morningside College in May 2015 (3 years). TJHS prepared him for college and he took advantage of the IWCC credits/AP classes while in high school. I think TJHS was an excellent fit for him and we open enrolled him into TJHS. Thanks TJHS!
Posted: November 24, 2014
I have been in CB Schools for 20 years. Thomas Jefferson High School is comprehensive high school with a beautiful, updated facility that we are all proud of. Great staff and great families round off a great school with many academic and extra-curricular opportunities that other schools outside CB Schools do not offer. Come and visit anytime, and see for yourself the positive, welcoming atmosphere TJ has to offer your student.
Posted: November 23, 2014
I am grateful for the students that come here every day willing to work and wanting to learn. I am also grateful for the kindness that many students have shown me during my time here, such as opening doors when my hands are full or saying thank you when I do something nice for them. We also have a great staff here that is always willing to listen and help when I need it.
Posted: November 2, 2013
The grading scale mentioned in a previous post is a school district wide thing and its at both high schools. Don't let the uneducated posting of someone else shed a bad light on only one school.
Posted: October 6, 2010
Academically, this school has bottomed out. They have a new grading system that has turned F's into D's, D's into C's, and C's into B's. And no one fails. If you have an A student, you wont notice. I've dealt with completion grades (A's on failing work), used to blur the near failing tests scores into looking like some learning is taking place. Classes without enough books for students, so the year is based on a daily handout and what you absorb in class. I encourage all parents to know what's going on with their childs school work. The grades are far from accurately representing what's being learned. Your child will have a very difficult time succeeding in college if they are educated at this school.
Posted: March 21, 2010
TJ is in desperate need of new leadership. Over the last 4 years (2006-2010) the school has declined drastically. TJ used to have a winning band program. Not any more. TJ used to have a winning drama department. Not any more. TJ used to have a winning speech and debate team. Not any more. It seems the administration has systematically driven off top quality teachers in these areas and hired teachers much less qualified to lead and motivate the students. When I, as a parent, expressed dismay and concern about a rookie teacher being allowed to trash a previously quality program with no apparent supervision, I was driven away by the principal and the activities director. It is clear TJ admin cares only about boys football and basketballs and has no real regard for the role arts play in producing quality, well-rounded adults.
Posted: March 16, 2009
Reviews provided by GreatSchools™
| # | Name | Type | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cottonwood | Area of Town | Papillion | NE | 9.9 mi | |
| 2 | Papillion | Area of Town | Papillion | NE | 11.7 mi | |
| 3 | Shadow Lake | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Papillion | NE | 12.1 mi |
| # | Name | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 72nd and Giles (Papillion) | La Vista | NE | 9.4 mi |
| Base | Distance |
|---|---|
| Offutt AFB | 9.9 mi. |
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