Enrollment
353
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waterloo, IA
Irving Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Irving Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 193048001724
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Irving Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Waterloo · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 81.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Irving Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 84% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Irving Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Waterloo, IA.
School address
District: Waterloo Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193048001724 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.6%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+124% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Irving Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Irving Elementary School
Irving Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Waterloo, Iowa, enrolling 353 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 81.6% of students qualify for free meals, 124% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 353 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.
Against 55 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #38.
Its student body is led by African American (36%) and White (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 77/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 353 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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.
Among Waterloo's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lou Henry Elementary School (460 students): Irving Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.4:1 vs 13.1:1).
Waterloo Comm School District also operates West High School (1,696 students) and East High School (1,016 students) alongside Irving Elementary 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 Irving Elementary School compares
Irving Elementary 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 | 11.4:1 | ▼ 23% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.6% | ▲ 124% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 353 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
353
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 124% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 23% below state mean
Top 16% in Iowa - lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
48.4%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 353 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.5 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
African American 36.0%
White 19.8%
Hispanic or Latino 18.1%
Two or More 15.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 7.9%
Asian 2.5%
Largest group: African American at 36.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 76.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 76.7, Irving Elementary 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 Irving Elementary 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 Irving Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kittrell Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Expo Alternative Learning Center | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Irving Elementary 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
- 848
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 576
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar elementary schools in Waterloo
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~353 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Irving Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Irving Elementary 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 Irving Elementary School
How many students attend Irving Elementary School?
Irving Elementary School has 353 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waterloo, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Irving Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Irving Elementary School is 11.4:1, which is 23% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 27% 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 Irving Elementary School?
81.6% of students at Irving Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Irving Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Irving Elementary School is African American at 36.0% of enrollment, in Waterloo, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 76.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Irving Elementary School?
Irving Elementary School 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 Irving Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Waterloo?
By Resource Investment Index, Irving Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary 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 elementary schools in Waterloo on the city page.
Is Irving Elementary School a good school?
Irving Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of Iowa schools. 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 Irving Elementary School, Waterloo Comm School District also operates West High School (1,696 students), East High School (1,016 students), and Hoover Middle School (848 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.