Enrollment
453
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Iowa City, IA
Ernest Horn Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ernest Horn Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191470000885
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ernest Horn Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #4 of 9
- schools in Iowa City · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 53.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Ernest Horn Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ernest Horn Elementary School ranks #4 of 9 schools in Iowa City, IA.
School address
District: Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191470000885 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.4%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ernest Horn Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ernest Horn Elementary School
Ernest Horn Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Iowa City, Iowa, enrolling 453 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 53.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 453 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 211 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #43.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 458 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Iowa City's public schools, it stands alongside Herbert Hoover Elementary School (464 students): Ernest Horn Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.9:1 vs 12.2:1).
Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students) and West Senior High School (1,514 students) alongside Ernest Horn 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 Ernest Horn Elementary School compares
Ernest Horn 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 13% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.4% | ▲ 47% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 34% in Iowa - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
11.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,920
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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
African American 43.5%
White 33.6%
Asian 9.9%
Two or More 6.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 43.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Ernest Horn 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 Iowa City Comm School District, which includes Ernest Horn Elementary School.
$13,920
Per student
+8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.7%
State 41.5%
Federal 12.8%
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 Ernest Horn Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southeast Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ernest Horn Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,666
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,514
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,286
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Iowa City
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Herbert Hoover Elementary School
Standard public school
464 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Alexander Elementary
Standard public school
436 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Helen Lemme Elementary School
Standard public school
340 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Grant Wood Elementary School
Standard public school
306 students 8.7:1 students per teacher
Robert Lucas Elementary School
Standard public school
245 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
Mark Twain Elementary
Standard public school
213 students 8.9:1 students per teacher
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 (~453 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ernest Horn Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ernest Horn Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Iowa City 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 Ernest Horn Elementary School
How many students attend Ernest Horn Elementary School?
Ernest Horn Elementary School has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Iowa City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ernest Horn Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ernest Horn Elementary School is 12.9:1, which is 13% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 18% 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 Ernest Horn Elementary School?
53.4% of students at Ernest Horn Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ernest Horn Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ernest Horn Elementary School is African American at 43.5% of enrollment, in Iowa City, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ernest Horn Elementary School?
Ernest Horn Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Ernest Horn Elementary School rank among schools in Iowa City?
By Resource Investment Index, Ernest Horn Elementary School ranks #4 of 9 schools in Iowa City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Iowa City on the city page.
Is Ernest Horn Elementary School a good school?
Ernest Horn Elementary School earns 50/100 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 Iowa City Comm School District?
Besides Ernest Horn Elementary School, Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students), West Senior High School (1,514 students), and Liberty High School (1,286 students). See the Iowa City 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.