Enrollment
342
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Harlan, IA
Harlan Primary
Federal NCES profile for Harlan Primary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191350000825
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harlan Primary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Iowa schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Harlan · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 38.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Harlan Primary has class sizes larger than 85% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harlan Primary ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Harlan, IA.
School address
District: Harlan Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191350000825 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.8%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harlan Primary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harlan Primary
Harlan Primary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Harlan, Iowa, enrolling 342 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 38.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 342 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 438 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #398, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 342 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Harlan Comm School District also operates Harlan High School (486 students) and Harlan Community Middle School (335 students) alongside Harlan Primary.
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 Harlan Primary compares
Harlan Primary on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.1:1 | ▲ 16% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.8% | ▲ 7% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 342 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
342
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 85% in Iowa - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,794
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 342 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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
White 81.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Two or More 6.1%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 81.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.9, Harlan Primary is about as mixed as the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harlan Comm School District, which includes Harlan Primary.
$11,794
Per student
-8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 48.7%
Federal 11.6%
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 Harlan Primary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harlan Community Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harlan Intermediate School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harlan Primary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 486
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 335
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 309
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~342 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harlan Primary's federal record.
- Compare Harlan Primary against another school. Compare schools
- Harlan 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 Harlan Primary
How many students attend Harlan Primary?
Harlan Primary has 342 students enrolled. It is a public school in Harlan, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harlan Primary?
The student-teacher ratio at Harlan Primary is 17.1:1, which is 16% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harlan Primary?
38.8% of students at Harlan Primary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harlan Primary?
The largest demographic group at Harlan Primary is White at 81.0% of enrollment, in Harlan, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harlan Primary?
Harlan Primary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Harlan Primary rank among public schools in Harlan?
By Resource Investment Index, Harlan Primary ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Harlan, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Harlan on the city page.
Is Harlan Primary a good school?
Harlan Primary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of 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 Harlan Comm School District?
Besides Harlan Primary, Harlan Comm School District also operates Harlan High School (486 students), Harlan Community Middle School (335 students), and Harlan Intermediate School (309 students). See the Harlan 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.