Enrollment
343
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Coralville, IA
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191470000883
👥 S:T ratio 65
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Coralville · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.8:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 49.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 97% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Coralville, IA.
School address
District: Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191470000883 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Coralville, Iowa, enrolling 343 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.8:1, Central Elementary School is leaner than roughly 97% of Iowa schools and 41% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 49.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 343 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 289 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #142.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and African American (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 343 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Coralville's public schools, it stands alongside Norman Borlaug Elementary School (405 students): Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.8:1 vs 12.7:1).
Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students) and West Senior High School (1,514 students) alongside Central Elementary 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 Central Elementary School compares
Central Elementary 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 | 8.8:1 | ▼ 41% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.3% | ▲ 35% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 343 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.8:1
Leaner classes than 93% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
343
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
8.8:1
students per teacher
- 41% below state mean
Top 3% in Iowa - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.8%
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
$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
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 41.1%
African American 29.2%
Hispanic or Latino 14.9%
Two or More 9.0%
Asian 5.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 41.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.2, Central Elementary School 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 Central Elementary School.
$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 Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Senior High School | Larger | Lower 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary School'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 Coralville
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~343 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School 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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 343 students enrolled. It is a public school in Coralville, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 8.8:1, which is 41% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 44% 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 Central Elementary School?
49.3% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 41.1% of enrollment, in Coralville, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Central Elementary School rank among schools in Coralville?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 schools in Coralville, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Coralville on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Iowa schools. 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 Central Elementary School, 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.