- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Indianola, IA
Emerson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Emerson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 191464000870
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Emerson Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Iowa schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Indianola · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 32.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Emerson Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 78% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Indianola, IA.
School address
District: Indianola Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191464000870 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-20 students YoY
Emerson Elementary School held near 415 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-20 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 33.9 → 32.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-20 students YoY 191464000870 · Indianola, IA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
396 enr · 12:1 · 32.4% lunch · RII 50
Nearest enrollment peer: Indianola High School (1,165 students)
Emerson Elementary School held near 415 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-20 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 33.9 → 32.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
Emerson Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Indianola High
Indianola High School
1,165 students
- Indianola Midd
Indianola Middle School
818 students
- Wilder Element 456
Wilder Elementary School
456 students
- This school 396
Emerson Elementary School
396 students
- Irving Element 395
Irving Elementary School
395 students
- Whittier Eleme 369
Whittier Elementary School
369 students
What this shows Emerson Elementary School reports 396 students on the CCD universe file.
How Emerson Elementary School compares
Emerson Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12:1 | ▼ 19% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.4% | ▼ 11% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 396 | top 33% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
396
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
32.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
12:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 22% in Iowa - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,822
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $13,441
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
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.
Student demographics
White 87.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
Two or More 4.3%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 87.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 22.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 22.2, Emerson Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Indianola Comm School District reports $11,822 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Emerson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianola High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indianola Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wilder Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Irving Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Whittier Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Emerson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 818
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 395
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Indianola
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~396 students)
Frequently asked questions about Emerson Elementary School
How many students attend Emerson Elementary School?
Emerson Elementary School has 396 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Indianola, IA. CCD year-over-year: 435 (2022-23) → 415 (2023-24), nearly flat (-20).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School is 12:1, which is 19% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 24% 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 Emerson Elementary School?
32.4% of students at Emerson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Emerson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Emerson Elementary School is White at 87.9% of enrollment, in Indianola, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Emerson Elementary School?
Emerson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Emerson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Indianola?
By Resource Investment Index, Emerson Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Indianola, 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 Indianola on the city page.
What other schools are in Indianola Comm School District?
Besides Emerson Elementary School, Indianola Comm School District also operates Indianola High School (1,165 students), Indianola Middle School (818 students), and Wilder Elementary School (456 students). See the Indianola Comm School District district page for the complete list.