- Enrollment
- 1,666
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · North Liberty, IA
Buford Garner Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Buford Garner Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191470002133
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buford Garner Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #2 of 5
- schools in North Liberty · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 10.1:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 34.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Buford Garner Elementary has class sizes smaller than 93% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buford Garner Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in North Liberty, IA.
School address
District: Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191470002133 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-4 students YoY
Buford Garner Elementary held near 449 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-4 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 34.2 → 31.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-4 students YoY 191470002133 · North Liberty, IA Other · SMALL · TRAD
344 enr · 10.1:1 · 34.2% lunch · RII 50
Nearest enrollment peer: Iowa City High School (1,666 students)
Buford Garner Elementary held near 449 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-4 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 34.2 → 31.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
Buford Garner Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Iowa City High
Iowa City High School
1,666 students
- West Senior Hi
West Senior High School
1,514 students
- Liberty High S
Liberty High School
1,286 students
- Southeast Juni
Southeast Junior High School
1,269 students
- Northwest Juni
Northwest Junior High School
1,113 students
- This school 344
Buford Garner Elementary
344 students
What this shows Buford Garner Elementary reports 344 students on the CCD universe file.
How Buford Garner Elementary compares
Buford Garner 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 | 10.1:1 | ▼ 32% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.2% | ▼ 6% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 344 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.1:1
Leaner classes than 88% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
344
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
34.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% 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
10.1:1
students per teacher
- 32% below state mean
Top 7% in Iowa - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
24.1%
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
$14,290
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $13,441
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 344 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 60.8%
African American 13.4%
Two or More 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
Asian 1.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Largest group: White at 60.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.4, Buford Garner Elementary is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Iowa City Comm School District reports $14,290 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Buford Garner Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southeast Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buford Garner Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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 North Liberty
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Penn Elementary School
Standard public school
512 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Christine Grant Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
James Van Allen Elementary School
Standard public school
376 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
North Bend Elementary
Standard public school
326 students 13:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other 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 (~344 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.1:1)
Frequently asked questions about Buford Garner Elementary
How many students attend Buford Garner Elementary?
Buford Garner Elementary has 344 students enrolled. It is a public school in North Liberty, IA. CCD year-over-year: 453 (2022-23) → 449 (2023-24), nearly flat (-4).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buford Garner Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Buford Garner Elementary is 10.1:1, which is 32% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 36% 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 Buford Garner Elementary?
34.2% of students at Buford Garner Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buford Garner Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Buford Garner Elementary is White at 60.8% of enrollment, in North Liberty, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buford Garner Elementary?
Buford Garner Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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).
How does Buford Garner Elementary rank among schools in North Liberty?
By Resource Investment Index, Buford Garner Elementary ranks #2 of 5 schools in North Liberty, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in North Liberty on the city page.
What other schools are in Iowa City Comm School District?
Besides Buford Garner 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.