Enrollment
46
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Independence, IA
Early Childhood Center
Federal NCES profile for Early Childhood Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 15/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191458001318
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Early Childhood Center earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Iowa.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 15
- Resource Index · Lower
- 46:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 30.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Early Childhood Center has class sizes larger than 99% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Early Childhood Center ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Independence, IA.
School address
District: Independence Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191458001318 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
1.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
46:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+211% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.8%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Early Childhood Center compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Early Childhood Center
Early Childhood Center is a small combined-grade school in Independence, Iowa, enrolling 46 students.
Class loads run heavy: 46:1 is larger than about 99% of Iowa schools and 211% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 30.8% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 97% of Iowa schools, with 46 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 100% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 16 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #16, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (98% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 4/100).
Among Independence's public schools, it stands alongside Independence Junior Senior High School (712 students): Early Childhood Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (46:1 vs 15.5:1).
Independence Comm School District also operates Independence Junior Senior High School (712 students) and West Elementary School (360 students) alongside Early Childhood Center.
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 Early Childhood Center compares
Early Childhood Center on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 46:1 | ▲ 211% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.8% | ▼ 15% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 46 | top 97% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
46:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
46
Bigger than 5% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
46:1
students per teacher
- 211% above state mean
Top 99% in Iowa - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$11,829
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 97.8%
Two or More 2.2%
Largest group: White at 97.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 4.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 4.3, Early Childhood Center is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Independence Comm School District, which includes Early Childhood Center.
$11,829
Per student
-8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.9%
State 50.7%
Federal 11.4%
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 Early Childhood Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Junior Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Early Childhood Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 360
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 265
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools in Independence
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~46 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Early Childhood Center's federal record.
- Compare Early Childhood Center against another school. Compare schools
- Independence 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 Early Childhood Center
How many students attend Early Childhood Center?
Early Childhood Center has 46 students enrolled. It is a public school in Independence, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Early Childhood Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Early Childhood Center is 46:1, which is 211% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 193% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Early Childhood Center?
30.8% of students at Early Childhood Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Early Childhood Center?
The largest demographic group at Early Childhood Center is White at 97.8% of enrollment, in Independence, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Early Childhood Center?
Early Childhood Center has a Resource Investment Index of 15/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Early Childhood Center rank among public schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, Early Childhood Center ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Independence, 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 Independence on the city page.
Is Early Childhood Center a good school?
Early Childhood Center earns 15/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Iowa. 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 Independence Comm School District?
Besides Early Childhood Center, Independence Comm School District also operates Independence Junior Senior High School (712 students), West Elementary School (360 students), and East Elementary School (265 students). See the Independence 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.