Enrollment
1,033
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ames, IA
Ames Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Ames Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190354000060
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ames Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #5 of 8
- public schools in Ames · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 26.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Ames Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ames Middle School ranks #5 of 8 public schools in Ames, IA.
School address
District: Ames Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190354000060 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
75.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.6%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ames Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ames Middle School
Ames Middle School is a large middle school in Ames, Iowa, enrolling 1,033 students.
At 13.8:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 26.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,033 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 77 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #37.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 344 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 215 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,033 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students) and Fellows Elementary School (489 students) alongside Ames Middle School.
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 Ames Middle School compares
Ames Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.6% | ▼ 27% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,033 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,033
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 47% in Iowa - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,626
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $12,854
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 344 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 201 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 20.8 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
White 62.2%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
African American 10.0%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 7.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 62.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.6, Ames Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ames Comm School District, which includes Ames Middle School.
$12,626
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.7%
State 34.6%
Federal 7.8%
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 Ames Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fellows Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Edwards Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sawyer Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Meeker Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ames Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 489
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 371
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar middle 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 (~1,033 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ames Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Ames Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Ames 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 Ames Middle School
How many students attend Ames Middle School?
Ames Middle School has 1,033 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ames, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ames Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ames Middle School is 13.8:1, which is 7% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 12% 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 Ames Middle School?
26.6% of students at Ames Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ames Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Ames Middle School is White at 62.2% of enrollment, in Ames, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ames Middle School?
Ames Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Ames Middle School rank among public schools in Ames?
By Resource Investment Index, Ames Middle School ranks #5 of 8 public schools in Ames, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Ames on the city page.
Is Ames Middle School a good school?
Ames Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. 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 Ames Comm School District?
Besides Ames Middle School, Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students), Fellows Elementary School (489 students), and Edwards Elementary School (436 students). See the Ames 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.