Enrollment
555
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Des Moines, IA
Cornell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cornell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 192532001445
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cornell Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #9 of 14
- schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 38.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Cornell Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cornell Elementary School ranks #9 of 14 schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Saydel Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192532001445 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cornell Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cornell Elementary School
Cornell Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 555 students.
At 14.6:1, 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 38.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 555 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 280 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #239, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 555 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Des Moines's public schools, it stands alongside Clive Learning Academy (551 students): Cornell Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.6:1 vs 13.4:1).
Saydel Comm School District also operates Saydel High School (458 students) and Woodside Middle School (396 students) alongside Cornell 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 Cornell Elementary School compares
Cornell 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 | 14.6:1 | ▼ 1% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.3% | ▲ 5% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 555 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
555
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 60% in Iowa - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.7%
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
$14,530
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 555 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
23
in-school suspensions + 54 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.9 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 70.5%
Hispanic or Latino 20.7%
Two or More 6.3%
African American 2.3%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 70.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.6, Cornell 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 Saydel Comm School District, which includes Cornell Elementary School.
$14,530
Per student
+13%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 64.5%
State 24.9%
Federal 10.6%
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 Cornell Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saydel High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodside Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cornell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 458
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
Similar other schools in Des Moines
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Clive Learning Academy
Standard public school
551 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Capitol View Elementary School
Standard public school
533 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Moulton Elementary School
Standard public school
465 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Delaware Elementary
Standard public school
440 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Cowles Elementary School
Standard public school
392 students 18.7:1 students per teacher
Virtual Campus
Standard public school
380 students 10:1 students per teacher
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 (~555 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cornell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cornell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Saydel 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 Cornell Elementary School
How many students attend Cornell Elementary School?
Cornell Elementary School has 555 students enrolled. It is a public school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cornell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cornell Elementary School is 14.6:1, which is 1% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 7% 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 Cornell Elementary School?
38.3% of students at Cornell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cornell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cornell Elementary School is White at 70.5% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cornell Elementary School?
Cornell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (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 Cornell Elementary School rank among schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Cornell Elementary School ranks #9 of 14 schools in Des Moines, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is Cornell Elementary School a good school?
Cornell Elementary School earns 36/100 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 Saydel Comm School District?
Besides Cornell Elementary School, Saydel Comm School District also operates Saydel High School (458 students) and Woodside Middle School (396 students). See the Saydel 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.