Enrollment
489
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ames, IA
Fellows Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Fellows Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190354000053
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fellows Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #1 of 5
- elementary schools in Ames · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.9:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 24.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Fellows Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 79% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fellows Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 elementary schools in Ames, IA.
School address
District: Ames Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190354000053 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fellows Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fellows Elementary School
Fellows Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Ames, Iowa, enrolling 489 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 489 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 338 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #155.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Asian (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 245 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Ames's elementary schools, it stands alongside Edwards Elementary School (436 students): Fellows Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.9:1 vs 14.1:1).
Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students) and Ames Middle School (1,033 students) alongside Fellows 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 Fellows Elementary School compares
Fellows 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 | 11.9:1 | ▼ 20% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.1% | ▼ 34% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 489 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.9:1
Leaner classes than 76% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
489
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
11.9:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 21% in Iowa - lower ratio than 79% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.6%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 245 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.9 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 56.7%
Asian 17.0%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
Two or More 7.0%
African American 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 56.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.3, Fellows Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ames Comm School District, which includes Fellows 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 Fellows 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 | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edwards Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sawyer Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Meeker Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fellows 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
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- 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.
Edwards Elementary School
Standard public school
436 students 14.1:1 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 (~489 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fellows Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Fellows 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 Fellows Elementary School
How many students attend Fellows Elementary School?
Fellows Elementary School has 489 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ames, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fellows Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Fellows Elementary School is 11.9:1, which is 20% 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 Fellows Elementary School?
24.1% of students at Fellows Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fellows Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Fellows Elementary School is White at 56.7% of enrollment, in Ames, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fellows Elementary School?
Fellows Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Fellows Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Ames?
By Resource Investment Index, Fellows Elementary School ranks #1 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 Fellows Elementary School a good school?
Fellows Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 79% of Iowa schools. 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 Fellows Elementary School, Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students), Ames Middle School (1,033 students), and Edwards Elementary School (436 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.