Enrollment
436
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ames, IA
Edwards Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Edwards Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190354000052
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Edwards Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #2 of 5
- elementary schools in Ames · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 35.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Edwards Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Edwards Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Ames, IA.
School address
District: Ames Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190354000052 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.6%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Edwards Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Edwards Elementary School
Edwards Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Ames, Iowa, enrolling 436 students.
At 14.1:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 35.6% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 436 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 396 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #218.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and African American (18%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 436 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.3% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Ames's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fellows Elementary School (489 students): Edwards Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.1:1 vs 11.9:1).
Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students) and Ames Middle School (1,033 students) alongside Edwards 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 Edwards Elementary School compares
Edwards 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 | 14.1:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.6% | ▼ 2% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 436 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
436
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 52% in Iowa - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,626
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 436 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.5 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 55.5%
African American 17.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.2%
Asian 8.7%
Two or More 6.9%
Largest group: White at 55.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.6, Edwards 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 Ames Comm School District, which includes Edwards Elementary School.
$12,626
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.7%
State 34.6%
Federal 7.8%
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 Edwards Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ames Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fellows Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sawyer Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Meeker Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Edwards Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 489
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 371
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Ames
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fellows Elementary School
Standard public school
489 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Sawyer Elementary School
Standard public school
371 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Meeker Elementary School
Standard public school
361 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Mitchell Elementary School
Standard public school
314 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~436 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Edwards Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Edwards Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Ames 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 Edwards Elementary School
How many students attend Edwards Elementary School?
Edwards Elementary School has 436 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ames, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Edwards Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Edwards Elementary School is 14.1:1, which is 5% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 10% 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 Edwards Elementary School?
35.6% of students at Edwards Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Edwards Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Edwards Elementary School is White at 55.5% of enrollment, in Ames, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Edwards Elementary School?
Edwards Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Edwards Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Ames?
By Resource Investment Index, Edwards Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Ames, 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 Ames on the city page.
Is Edwards Elementary School a good school?
Edwards Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Ames Comm School District?
Besides Edwards Elementary School, Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students), Ames Middle School (1,033 students), and Fellows Elementary School (489 students). See the Ames 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.