Enrollment
1,016
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Waterloo, IA
East High School
Federal NCES profile for East High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 193048001714
👥 S:T ratio 31
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #11 of 16
- public schools in Waterloo · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.2:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 59.9%
- free-lunch eligible
East High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East High School ranks #11 of 16 public schools in Waterloo, IA.
School address
District: Waterloo Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193048001714 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at East High School
East High School is a higher-need, large high school in Waterloo, Iowa, enrolling 1,016 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.2:1 is larger than about 86% of Iowa schools and 16% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 59.9% of students qualify for free meals, 65% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,016 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 35 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and African American (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 476 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,016 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Waterloo's high schools, it stands alongside West High School (1,696 students): East High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.2:1 vs 17.7:1).
Waterloo Comm School District also operates West High School (1,696 students) and Hoover Middle School (848 students) alongside East High 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 High School compares
East High 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 | 17.2:1 | ▲ 16% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.9% | ▲ 65% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,016 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,016
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 86% in Iowa - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
59.1%
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
$13,803
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 254 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
192
in-school suspensions + 284 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.9 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 36.4%
African American 34.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.8%
Two or More 9.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.2%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 36.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.9, East High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waterloo Comm School District, which includes East High School.
$13,803
Per student
+7%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.0%
State 56.9%
Federal 20.1%
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 High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hoover Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kittrell Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Expo Alternative Learning Center | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lowell Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,696
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 538
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar high schools in Waterloo
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~1,016 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East High School's federal record.
- Compare East High School against another school. Compare schools
- Waterloo 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 High School
How many students attend East High School?
East High School has 1,016 students enrolled. It is a high school in Waterloo, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East High School?
The student-teacher ratio at East High School is 17.2:1, which is 16% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at East High School?
59.9% of students at East High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East High School?
The largest demographic group at East High School is White at 36.4% of enrollment, in Waterloo, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East High School?
East High School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does East High School rank among public schools in Waterloo?
By Resource Investment Index, East High School ranks #11 of 16 public schools in Waterloo, 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 Waterloo on the city page.
Is East High School a good school?
East High School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest 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 Waterloo Comm School District?
Besides East High School, Waterloo Comm School District also operates West High School (1,696 students), Hoover Middle School (848 students), and Kittrell Elementary School (576 students). See the Waterloo 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.