Enrollment
436
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Iowa City, IA
Alexander Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Alexander Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191470002224
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Alexander Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #7 of 9
- schools in Iowa City · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 60.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Alexander Elementary has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Alexander Elementary ranks #7 of 9 schools in Iowa City, IA.
School address
District: Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191470002224 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Alexander Elementary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Alexander Elementary
Alexander Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Iowa City, Iowa, enrolling 436 students.
At 14.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Iowa median, within a few percentage points of the 14.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 60.0% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 436 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 167 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #47.
Its student body is led by African American (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 440 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Iowa City's public schools, it stands alongside Herbert Hoover Elementary School (464 students): Alexander Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.5:1 vs 12.2:1).
Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students) and West Senior High School (1,514 students) alongside Alexander Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Alexander Elementary compares
Alexander Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.0% | ▲ 65% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 436 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
436
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 58% in Iowa - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,920
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 39.0%
Hispanic or Latino 31.9%
White 22.5%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 39.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Alexander Elementary is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Iowa City Comm School District, which includes Alexander Elementary.
$13,920
Per student
+8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.7%
State 41.5%
Federal 12.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Alexander Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southeast Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Alexander Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,666
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,514
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,286
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Iowa City
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Herbert Hoover Elementary School
Standard public school
464 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Ernest Horn Elementary School
Standard public school
453 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Helen Lemme Elementary School
Standard public school
340 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Grant Wood Elementary School
Standard public school
306 students 8.7:1 students per teacher
Robert Lucas Elementary School
Standard public school
245 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
Mark Twain Elementary
Standard public school
213 students 8.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~436 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Alexander Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Alexander Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Iowa City Comm School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Alexander Elementary
How many students attend Alexander Elementary?
Alexander Elementary has 436 students enrolled. It is a public school in Iowa City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Alexander Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Alexander Elementary is 14.5:1, which is 2% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Alexander Elementary?
60.0% of students at Alexander Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Alexander Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Alexander Elementary is African American at 39.0% of enrollment, in Iowa City, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Alexander Elementary?
Alexander Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Alexander Elementary rank among schools in Iowa City?
By Resource Investment Index, Alexander Elementary ranks #7 of 9 schools in Iowa City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Iowa City on the city page.
Is Alexander Elementary a good school?
Alexander Elementary earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Iowa City Comm School District?
Besides Alexander Elementary, Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students), West Senior High School (1,514 students), and Liberty High School (1,286 students). See the Iowa City Comm School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.