Enrollment
469
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Clarion, IA
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190738000346
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 78
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Clarion · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 45.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Clarion, IA.
School address
District: Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190738000346 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.2%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Clarion, Iowa, enrolling 469 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 45.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 469 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 300 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #25, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (50%) and Hispanic or Latino (46%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 335 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Comm School District also operates Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School (291 students) and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle School (193 students) alongside Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 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 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School compares
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 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 | 13.8:1 | ▼ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.2% | ▲ 24% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 469 | top 22% | - | - |
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.
469
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
9.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,460
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
Counselors1.4 FTE
Per 335 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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 50.1%
Hispanic or Latino 46.1%
Two or More 2.6%
African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 50.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.6, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 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 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Comm School District, which includes Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School.
$13,460
Per student
+5%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.3%
State 42.1%
Federal 11.6%
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 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 291
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 193
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
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 (~469 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 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 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School
How many students attend Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School?
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School has 469 students enrolled. It is a public school in Clarion, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary 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 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School?
45.2% of students at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School is White at 50.1% of enrollment, in Clarion, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School?
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher 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 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School rank among public schools in Clarion?
By Resource Investment Index, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Clarion, 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 Clarion on the city page.
Is Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School a good school?
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School earns 56/100 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 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Comm School District?
Besides Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Comm School District also operates Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School (291 students) and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle School (193 students). See the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 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.