- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cambridge, IA
Ballard East Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ballard East Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190420000109
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ballard East Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.5:1
- students per teacher
- 13.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 417
- students enrolled
Ballard East Elementary has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Ballard Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190420000109 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+9 students YoY
Ballard East Elementary held near 431 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+9 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 31.3 → 34.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+9 students YoY 190420000109 · Cambridge, IA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
417 enr · 13.5:1 · 13.3% lunch · RII 52
Nearest enrollment peer: Ballard High School (586 students)
Ballard East Elementary held near 431 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+9 headcount). Teacher FTE added 31.3 → 34.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
Ballard East Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Ballard High S
Ballard High School
586 students
- Ballard West E
Ballard West Elementary
451 students
- Ballard Middle
Ballard Middle School
418 students
- This school
Ballard East Elementary
417 students
What this shows Ballard East Elementary reports 417 students on the CCD universe file.
How Ballard East Elementary compares
Ballard East Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.5:1 | ▼ 9% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.3% | ▼ 63% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 417 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
417
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
13.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 43% in Iowa - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,725
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $13,441
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 417 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 91.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%
Two or More 2.2%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 91.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.7, Ballard East Elementary is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Ballard Comm School District reports $11,725 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Ballard East Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ballard West Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ballard Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ballard East Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 451
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 418
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~417 students)
Frequently asked questions about Ballard East Elementary
How many students attend Ballard East Elementary?
Ballard East Elementary has 417 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cambridge, IA. CCD year-over-year: 422 (2022-23) → 431 (2023-24), nearly flat (+9).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ballard East Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ballard East Elementary is 13.5:1, which is 9% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 14% 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 Ballard East Elementary?
13.3% of students at Ballard East Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ballard East Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ballard East Elementary is White at 91.1% of enrollment, in Cambridge, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ballard East Elementary?
Ballard East Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Ballard Comm School District?
Besides Ballard East Elementary, Ballard Comm School District also operates Ballard High School (586 students), Ballard West Elementary (451 students), and Ballard Middle School (418 students). See the Ballard Comm School District district page for the complete list.