Enrollment
284
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chariton, IA
Chariton Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Chariton Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190705000314
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 5
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chariton Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Iowa schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Chariton · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 51.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Chariton Middle School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chariton Middle School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Chariton, IA.
School address
District: Chariton Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190705000314 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.2%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chariton Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chariton Middle School
Chariton Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Chariton, Iowa, enrolling 284 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 51.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 284 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.
Against 233 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #158.
Its student body is predominantly White (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 64 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 284 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Chariton Comm School District also operates Chariton High School (372 students) and Columbus Elementary School (301 students) alongside Chariton 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 Chariton Middle School compares
Chariton 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 | 12.3:1 | ▼ 17% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.2% | ▲ 41% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 284 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
284
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 26% in Iowa - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
38.0%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
40
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.5 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 86.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.3%
Two or More 1.4%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 86.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.2, Chariton 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 Chariton Comm School District, which includes Chariton Middle 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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chariton High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Columbus Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Van Allen Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chariton Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 372
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 301
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 292
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 (~284 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chariton Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Chariton Middle 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 Middle School
How many students attend Chariton Middle School?
Chariton Middle School has 284 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chariton, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chariton Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chariton Middle School is 12.3:1, which is 17% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 22% 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 Middle School?
51.2% of students at Chariton Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chariton Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Chariton Middle School is White at 86.3% of enrollment, in Chariton, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chariton Middle School?
Chariton Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Chariton Middle School rank among public schools in Chariton?
By Resource Investment Index, Chariton Middle School ranks #2 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 Middle School a good school?
Chariton Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Chariton Comm School District?
Besides Chariton Middle School, Chariton Comm School District also operates Chariton High School (372 students), Columbus Elementary School (301 students), and Van Allen Elementary School (292 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.