Enrollment
372
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Chariton, IA
Chariton High School
Federal NCES profile for Chariton High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 190705000313
👥 S:T ratio 45
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chariton High School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Chariton · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 41.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Chariton High School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chariton High School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Chariton, IA.
School address
District: Chariton Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190705000313 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.8%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chariton High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chariton High School
Chariton High School is a mid-sized high school in Chariton, Iowa, enrolling 372 students.
At 13.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Iowa median, within a few percentage points of the 14.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 41.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 372 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 397 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 (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Chariton Comm School District also operates Columbus Elementary School (301 students) and Van Allen Elementary School (292 students) alongside Chariton High 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 Chariton High School compares
Chariton High 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.8% | ▲ 15% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 372 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
372
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% 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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 47% in Iowa - lower ratio than 53% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
36.6%
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
$12,346
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 30 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 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 90.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
Two or More 1.3%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 90.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.4, Chariton High School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chariton Comm School District, which includes Chariton High School.
$12,346
Per student
-4%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.4%
State 57.7%
Federal 11.9%
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 Chariton High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Van Allen Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chariton Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chariton High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 301
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 292
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 284
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high 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 (~372 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chariton High School's federal record.
- Compare Chariton High School against another school. Compare schools
- Chariton 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 Chariton High School
How many students attend Chariton High School?
Chariton High School has 372 students enrolled. It is a high school in Chariton, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chariton High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chariton High School is 13.8:1, which is 7% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 12% 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 Chariton High School?
41.8% of students at Chariton High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chariton High School?
The largest demographic group at Chariton High School is White at 90.6% of enrollment, in Chariton, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chariton High School?
Chariton High School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Chariton High School rank among public schools in Chariton?
By Resource Investment Index, Chariton High School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Chariton, 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 Chariton on the city page.
Is Chariton High School a good school?
Chariton High School earns 32/100 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 Chariton Comm School District?
Besides Chariton High School, Chariton Comm School District also operates Columbus Elementary School (301 students), Van Allen Elementary School (292 students), and Chariton Middle School (284 students). See the Chariton 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.