- Enrollment
- 891
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mason City, IA
Harding Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Harding Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191878001102
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harding Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Iowa schools.
- #2 of 5
- schools in Mason City · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Harding Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Mason City, IA.
School address
District: Mason City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191878001102 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-23 students YoY
Harding Elementary School shrank from 380 students in 2022-23 to 357 in 2023-24 (-6.1%).
Teacher FTE added 24.4 → 27.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-23 students YoY 191878001102 · Mason City, IA Other · SMALL · TRAD
387 enr · 16.1:1 · 46.8% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Mason City High School (891 students)
Harding Elementary School shrank from 380 students in 2022-23 to 357 in 2023-24 (-6.1%). Teacher FTE added 24.4 → 27.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
Harding Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mason City Hig
Mason City High School
891 students
- Lincoln Interm
Lincoln Intermediate
485 students
- John Adams Mid
John Adams Middle School
463 students
- This school
Harding Elementary School
387 students
- Hoover Element
Hoover Elementary School
361 students
- Roosevelt Elem 348
Roosevelt Elementary School
348 students
What this shows Harding Elementary School reports 387 students on the CCD universe file.
How Harding Elementary School compares
Harding Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 9% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▲ 29% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 78% in Iowa - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.2%
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
$14,852
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $13,441
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 387 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 71.3%
Hispanic or Latino 12.7%
African American 5.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.2%
Two or More 4.4%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 71.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.8, Harding Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Mason City Comm School District reports $14,852 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Harding Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John Adams Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Hoover Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harding Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 348
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Mason City
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hoover Elementary School
Standard public school
361 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 12:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Elementary School
Standard public school
292 students 11.2:1 students per teacher
Mason City Virtual Academy
Standard public school
88 students 22:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other 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 (~387 students)
Frequently asked questions about Harding Elementary School
How many students attend Harding Elementary School?
Harding Elementary School has 387 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mason City, IA. CCD year-over-year: 380 (2022-23) → 357 (2023-24), down 23.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harding Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Harding Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 9% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harding Elementary School?
46.8% of students at Harding Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harding Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Harding Elementary School is White at 71.3% of enrollment, in Mason City, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harding Elementary School?
Harding Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 Harding Elementary School rank among schools in Mason City?
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 schools in Mason 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 Mason City on the city page.
What other schools are in Mason City Comm School District?
Besides Harding Elementary School, Mason City Comm School District also operates Mason City High School (891 students), Lincoln Intermediate (485 students), and John Adams Middle School (463 students). See the Mason City Comm School District district page for the complete list.