Enrollment
265
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Independence, IA
East Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for East Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 191458000865
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Elementary School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Iowa schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Independence · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 31.9%
- free-lunch eligible
East Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 87% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Independence, IA.
School address
District: Independence Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191458000865 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
31.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-12% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Elementary School
East Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Independence, Iowa, enrolling 265 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11:1, East Elementary School is leaner than roughly 87% of Iowa schools and 26% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 31.9% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 265 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 457 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #199.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 265 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Independence's elementary schools, it stands alongside West Elementary School (360 students): East Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11:1 vs 10.6:1).
Independence Comm School District also operates Independence Junior Senior High School (712 students) and West Elementary School (360 students) alongside East 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 East Elementary School compares
East 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 | 11:1 | ▼ 26% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.9% | ▼ 12% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 265 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11:1
Leaner classes than 83% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
265
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
31.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 12% 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
11:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 13% in Iowa - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.3%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 265 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 90.9%
Two or More 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
African American 1.1%
Largest group: White at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.0, East Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Independence Comm School District, which includes East Elementary School.
$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 East Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Junior Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Early Childhood Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Elementary School'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
- 46
- Students per teacher
- 46:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar elementary schools in Independence
2 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 (~265 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare East Elementary School 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 East Elementary School
How many students attend East Elementary School?
East Elementary School has 265 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Independence, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at East Elementary School is 11:1, which is 26% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 30% 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 East Elementary School?
31.9% of students at East Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at East Elementary School is White at 90.9% of enrollment, in Independence, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Elementary School?
East Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (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 East Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Independence?
By Resource Investment Index, East Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary 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 elementary schools in Independence on the city page.
Is East Elementary School a good school?
East Elementary School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 Independence Comm School District?
Besides East Elementary School, Independence Comm School District also operates Independence Junior Senior High School (712 students), West Elementary School (360 students), and Early Childhood Center (46 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.