Enrollment
790
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Newton, IA
Berg Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Berg Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 192061002240
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Berg Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Newton · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.2:1
- students per teacher
- 50.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Berg Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Berg Middle School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Newton, IA.
School address
District: Newton Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192061002240 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Berg Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Berg Middle School
Berg Middle School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Newton, Iowa, enrolling 790 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 50.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 93% of state schools at 790 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 75 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #53.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 29/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 395 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 270 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 790 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Newton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Emerson Hough Elementary School (336 students): Berg Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.2:1 vs 16.8:1).
Newton Comm School District also operates Newton Senior High School (806 students) and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (380 students) alongside Berg 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 Berg Middle School compares
Berg 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 | 13.2:1 | ▼ 11% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.1% | ▲ 38% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 790 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
790
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 38% in Iowa - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.9%
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
$12,608
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 395 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
131
in-school suspensions + 139 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 34.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 84.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%
Two or More 4.4%
African American 3.3%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 84.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.5, Berg Middle School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Newton Comm School District, which includes Berg Middle School.
$12,608
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.4%
State 54.9%
Federal 12.7%
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 Berg Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Senior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emerson Hough Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodrow Wilson Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aurora Heights Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Berg Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 380
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 336
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 306
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 268
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools in Newton
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~790 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Berg Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Berg Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Newton 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 Berg Middle School
How many students attend Berg Middle School?
Berg Middle School has 790 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Newton, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Berg Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Berg Middle School is 13.2:1, which is 11% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 16% 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 Berg Middle School?
50.1% of students at Berg Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Berg Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Berg Middle School is White at 84.1% of enrollment, in Newton, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Berg Middle School?
Berg Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Berg Middle School rank among elementary schools in Newton?
By Resource Investment Index, Berg Middle School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Newton, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Newton on the city page.
Is Berg Middle School a good school?
Berg Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Newton Comm School District?
Besides Berg Middle School, Newton Comm School District also operates Newton Senior High School (806 students), Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (380 students), and Emerson Hough Elementary School (336 students). See the Newton 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.