Enrollment
913
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Council Bluffs, IA
Gerald W Kirn Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Gerald W Kirn Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190822000419
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gerald W Kirn Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Council Bluffs · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 45.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Gerald W Kirn Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gerald W Kirn Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Council Bluffs, IA.
School address
District: Council Bluffs Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190822000419 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gerald W Kirn Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gerald W Kirn Middle School
Gerald W Kirn Middle School is a large middle school in Council Bluffs, Iowa, enrolling 913 students.
At 14.3:1, 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.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 45.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 95% of state schools at 913 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 69 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #19.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 306 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Council Bluffs's middle schools, it stands alongside Woodrow Wilson Middle School (855 students): Gerald W Kirn Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.3:1 vs 13.4:1).
Council Bluffs Comm School District also operates Abraham Lincoln High School (1,333 students) and Thomas Jefferson High School (1,146 students) alongside Gerald W Kirn Middle 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 Gerald W Kirn Middle School compares
Gerald W Kirn Middle 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.9% | ▲ 26% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 913 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
913
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 56% in Iowa - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.2%
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
$14,703
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 306 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 132 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.5 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 74.9%
Hispanic or Latino 14.8%
African American 4.4%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 74.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.4, Gerald W Kirn Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Council Bluffs Comm School District, which includes Gerald W Kirn Middle School.
$14,703
Per student
+14%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 53.5%
Federal 16.3%
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 Gerald W Kirn Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodrow Wilson Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| College View Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gerald W Kirn Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,333
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,146
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 455
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Council Bluffs
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~913 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gerald W Kirn Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Gerald W Kirn Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Council Bluffs 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 Gerald W Kirn Middle School
How many students attend Gerald W Kirn Middle School?
Gerald W Kirn Middle School has 913 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Council Bluffs, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gerald W Kirn Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gerald W Kirn Middle School is 14.3:1, which is 3% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 9% 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 Gerald W Kirn Middle School?
45.9% of students at Gerald W Kirn Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gerald W Kirn Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Gerald W Kirn Middle School is White at 74.9% of enrollment, in Council Bluffs, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gerald W Kirn Middle School?
Gerald W Kirn Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Gerald W Kirn Middle School rank among middle schools in Council Bluffs?
By Resource Investment Index, Gerald W Kirn Middle School ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Council Bluffs, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Council Bluffs on the city page.
Is Gerald W Kirn Middle School a good school?
Gerald W Kirn Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Council Bluffs Comm School District?
Besides Gerald W Kirn Middle School, Council Bluffs Comm School District also operates Abraham Lincoln High School (1,333 students), Thomas Jefferson High School (1,146 students), and Woodrow Wilson Middle School (855 students). See the Council Bluffs 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.