Enrollment
394
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Donnellson, IA
Central Lee Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Central Lee Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190693000303
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Lee Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Iowa schools.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Donnellson · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 28.1:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 39.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Lee Middle School has class sizes larger than 98% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Lee Middle School ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Donnellson, IA.
School address
District: Central Lee Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190693000303 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+90% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Lee Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Lee Middle School
Central Lee Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Donnellson, Iowa, enrolling 394 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.1:1 is larger than about 98% of Iowa schools and 90% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 39.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 394 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 413 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #354, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment) (diversity index 11/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 438 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Central Lee Comm School District also operates Central Lee Elementary School (564 students) and Central Lee High School (353 students) alongside Central Lee 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 Central Lee Middle School compares
Central Lee 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 | 28.1:1 | ▲ 90% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.0% | ▲ 7% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 394 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
394
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
28.1:1
students per teacher
- 90% above state mean
Top 98% in Iowa - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
10.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.9 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 94.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%
African American 1.0%
Two or More 1.0%
Asian 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 94.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 10.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 10.8, Central Lee 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 Central Lee Comm School District, which includes Central Lee Middle 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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Lee Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central Lee High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Lee Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 564
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar middle 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 (~394 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~28.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Lee Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Central Lee Middle 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 Middle School
How many students attend Central Lee Middle School?
Central Lee Middle School has 394 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Donnellson, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Lee Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Lee Middle School is 28.1:1, which is 90% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 79% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Lee Middle School?
39.0% of students at Central Lee Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Lee Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Central Lee Middle School is White at 94.4% of enrollment, in Donnellson, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Lee Middle School?
Central Lee Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Lee Middle School rank among public schools in Donnellson?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Lee Middle School ranks #3 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 Middle School a good school?
Central Lee Middle School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of 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 Central Lee Comm School District?
Besides Central Lee Middle School, Central Lee Comm School District also operates Central Lee Elementary School (564 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.