- Enrollment
- 1,648
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Cedar Rapids, IA
Harding Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Harding 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 190654000244
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harding Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Iowa schools.
- #5 of 7
- middle schools in Cedar Rapids · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 37.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Harding Middle School has class sizes larger than 71% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Middle School ranks #5 of 7 middle schools in Cedar Rapids, IA.
School address
District: Cedar Rapids Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190654000244 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-18 students YoY
Harding Middle School held near 695 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-18 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 46.4 → 44.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-18 students YoY 190654000244 · Cedar Rapids, IA Middle · MID · TRAD
710 enr · 15.4:1 · 37.9% lunch · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: John F Kennedy High School (1,648 students)
Harding Middle School held near 695 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-18 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 46.4 → 44.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
Harding Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- John F Kennedy
John F Kennedy High School
1,648 students
- Thomas Jeffers
Thomas Jefferson High School
1,501 students
- George Washing
George Washington High School
1,182 students
- This school
Harding Middle School
710 students
- Taft Middle Sc 593
Taft Middle School
593 students
- Viola Gibson E 565
Viola Gibson Elementary School
565 students
What this shows Harding Middle School reports 710 students on the CCD universe file.
How Harding Middle School compares
Harding Middle 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.9% | ▲ 4% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 710 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
710
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
37.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 71% in Iowa - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.5%
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
$14,365
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 238 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
50
in-school suspensions + 58 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Student demographics
White 66.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.8%
Two or More 9.7%
African American 6.8%
Asian 3.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 66.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.8, Harding Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Cedar Rapids Comm School District reports $14,365 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Harding Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F Kennedy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Taft Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Viola Gibson Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harding Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,501
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,182
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 593
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 565
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools in Cedar Rapids
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Taft Middle School
Standard public school
593 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy
Standard public school
484 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Franklin Middle School
Standard public school
469 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Mckinley Steam Academy
Standard public school
426 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Wilson Middle School
Standard public school
422 students 15.6:1 students per teacher
Cedar Rapids Virtual Academy
Standard public school
47 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Nationwide middle 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 (~710 students)
Frequently asked questions about Harding Middle School
How many students attend Harding Middle School?
Harding Middle School has 710 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Cedar Rapids, IA. CCD year-over-year: 713 (2022-23) → 695 (2023-24), nearly flat (-18).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harding Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Harding Middle School is 15.4:1, which is 4% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harding Middle School?
37.9% of students at Harding Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harding Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Harding Middle School is White at 66.5% of enrollment, in Cedar Rapids, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harding Middle School?
Harding Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Cedar Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Harding Middle School ranks #5 of 7 middle schools in Cedar Rapids, 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 Cedar Rapids on the city page.
What other schools are in Cedar Rapids Comm School District?
Besides Harding Middle School, Cedar Rapids Comm School District also operates John F Kennedy High School (1,648 students), Thomas Jefferson High School (1,501 students), and George Washington High School (1,182 students). See the Cedar Rapids Comm School District district page for the complete list.