Enrollment
301
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chariton, IA
Columbus Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Columbus Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190705000315
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 46
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Columbus Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Chariton · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 51.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Columbus Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Chariton, IA.
School address
District: Chariton Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190705000315 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.8%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+42% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Columbus Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Columbus Elementary School
Columbus Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Chariton, Iowa, enrolling 301 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 51.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 301 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 227 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #178, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (90% of enrollment) (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 301 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Chariton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Van Allen Elementary School (292 students): Columbus Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.1:1 vs 15.4:1).
Chariton Comm School District also operates Chariton High School (372 students) and Van Allen Elementary School (292 students) alongside Columbus 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 Columbus Elementary School compares
Columbus 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.8% | ▲ 42% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 301 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
301
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 67% in Iowa - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.6%
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 301 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 89.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Two or More 0.7%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 89.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.8, Columbus Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chariton Comm School District, which includes Columbus Elementary 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 Columbus Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chariton High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Van Allen Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chariton Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Columbus Elementary 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
- 292
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 284
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Chariton
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~301 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Columbus Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Columbus Elementary 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 Columbus Elementary School
How many students attend Columbus Elementary School?
Columbus Elementary School has 301 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chariton, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Columbus Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Columbus Elementary School is 15.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Columbus Elementary School?
51.8% of students at Columbus Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Columbus Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Columbus Elementary School is White at 89.7% of enrollment, in Chariton, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Columbus Elementary School?
Columbus Elementary 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 Columbus Elementary School rank among public schools in Chariton?
By Resource Investment Index, Columbus Elementary School ranks #3 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 Columbus Elementary School a good school?
Columbus Elementary School earns 39/100 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 Columbus Elementary School, Chariton Comm School District also operates Chariton High School (372 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.