Enrollment
564
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Donnellson, IA
Central Lee Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Lee Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190693000305
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Lee Elementary School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Donnellson · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 30.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Lee Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Lee Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Donnellson, IA.
School address
District: Central Lee Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190693000305 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Lee Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Lee Elementary School
Central Lee Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Donnellson, Iowa, enrolling 564 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 30.7% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 564 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 284 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (95% of enrollment) (diversity index 10/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Central Lee Comm School District also operates Central Lee Middle School (394 students) and Central Lee High School (353 students) alongside Central Lee 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 Lee Elementary School compares
Central Lee 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 | 14.8:1 | ▼ 0% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.7% | ▼ 16% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 564 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
564
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 63% in Iowa - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
9.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,698
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 94.7%
African American 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.1%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: White at 94.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.2, Central Lee Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Central Lee Comm School District, which includes Central Lee Elementary School.
$10,698
Per student
-17%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.3%
State 39.4%
Federal 10.3%
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 Lee Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Lee Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Lee High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Lee Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 394
- Students per teacher
- 28.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
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 (~564 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Lee Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Lee Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Central Lee 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 Lee Elementary School
How many students attend Central Lee Elementary School?
Central Lee Elementary School has 564 students enrolled. It is a public school in Donnellson, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Lee Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Lee Elementary School is 14.8:1, which is 0% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Lee Elementary School?
30.7% of students at Central Lee Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Lee Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Lee Elementary School is White at 94.7% of enrollment, in Donnellson, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Lee Elementary School?
Central Lee Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Central Lee Elementary School rank among public schools in Donnellson?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Lee Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Donnellson, 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 Donnellson on the city page.
Is Central Lee Elementary School a good school?
Central Lee Elementary School earns 62/100 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 Central Lee Comm School District?
Besides Central Lee Elementary School, Central Lee Comm School District also operates Central Lee Middle School (394 students) and Central Lee High School (353 students). See the Central Lee 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.