Enrollment
848
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Waterloo, IA
Hoover Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Hoover Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 193048001723
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hoover Middle School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #1 of 3
- middle schools in Waterloo · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 43.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Hoover Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hoover Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Waterloo, IA.
School address
District: Waterloo Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193048001723 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hoover Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hoover Middle School
Hoover Middle School is a large middle school in Waterloo, Iowa, enrolling 848 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 43.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 94% of state schools at 848 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 85 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and African American (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 283 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 346 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 848 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Waterloo's middle schools, it stands alongside Central Middle School (469 students): Hoover Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.1:1 vs 13.4:1).
Waterloo Comm School District also operates West High School (1,696 students) and East High School (1,016 students) alongside Hoover 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 Hoover Middle School compares
Hoover 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.9% | ▲ 21% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 848 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
848
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 67% in Iowa - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.9%
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
$13,803
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 283 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
113
in-school suspensions + 233 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 40.8 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 53.3%
African American 19.8%
Two or More 9.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%
Asian 5.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 53.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.5, Hoover 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 Waterloo Comm School District, which includes Hoover Middle School.
$13,803
Per student
+7%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.0%
State 56.9%
Federal 20.1%
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 Hoover Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kittrell Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Expo Alternative Learning Center | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lowell Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hoover Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,696
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,016
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 538
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar middle schools in Waterloo
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 (~848 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hoover Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Hoover Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Waterloo 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 Hoover Middle School
How many students attend Hoover Middle School?
Hoover Middle School has 848 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Waterloo, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hoover Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hoover Middle School is 15.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hoover Middle School?
43.9% of students at Hoover Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hoover Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Hoover Middle School is White at 53.3% of enrollment, in Waterloo, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hoover Middle School?
Hoover Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Hoover Middle School rank among middle schools in Waterloo?
By Resource Investment Index, Hoover Middle School ranks #1 of 3 middle schools in Waterloo, 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 Waterloo on the city page.
Is Hoover Middle School a good school?
Hoover Middle School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Waterloo Comm School District?
Besides Hoover Middle School, Waterloo Comm School District also operates West High School (1,696 students), East High School (1,016 students), and Kittrell Elementary School (576 students). See the Waterloo 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.