Enrollment
493
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Dubuque, IA
John Kennedy Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for John Kennedy Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190948000613
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Kennedy Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Iowa schools.
- #3 of 13
- schools in Dubuque · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.3:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 22.7%
- free-lunch eligible
John Kennedy Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Kennedy Elementary School ranks #3 of 13 schools in Dubuque, IA.
School address
District: Dubuque Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190948000613 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Kennedy Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Kennedy Elementary School
John Kennedy Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Dubuque, Iowa, enrolling 493 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 493 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 327 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #150.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Two or More (8%) (diversity index 36/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 493 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Dubuque's public schools, it stands alongside Eisenhower Elementary School (568 students): John Kennedy Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.3:1 vs 15.8:1).
Dubuque Comm School District also operates Hempstead High School (1,499 students) and Dubuque Senior High School (1,490 students) alongside John Kennedy 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 John Kennedy Elementary School compares
John Kennedy 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 | 12.3:1 | ▼ 17% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.7% | ▼ 38% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 493 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.3:1
Leaner classes than 73% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
493
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.3:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 26% in Iowa - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,854
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 493 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 79.3%
Two or More 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.8%
Asian 2.2%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 79.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.0, John Kennedy 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 Dubuque Comm School District, which includes John Kennedy Elementary School.
$13,854
Per student
+8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 50.4%
Federal 14.4%
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 John Kennedy Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hempstead High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dubuque Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Kennedy Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,499
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,490
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,081
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 584
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Dubuque
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eisenhower Elementary School
Standard public school
568 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Carver Elementary School
Standard public school
499 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Table Mound Elementary School
Standard public school
425 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Irving Elementary School
Standard public school
409 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Prescott Elementary School
Standard public school
352 students 8:1 students per teacher
Marshall Elementary School
Standard public school
323 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~493 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Kennedy Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare John Kennedy Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dubuque 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 John Kennedy Elementary School
How many students attend John Kennedy Elementary School?
John Kennedy Elementary School has 493 students enrolled. It is a public school in Dubuque, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Kennedy Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at John Kennedy Elementary School is 12.3:1, which is 17% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 22% 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 John Kennedy Elementary School?
22.7% of students at John Kennedy Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Kennedy Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at John Kennedy Elementary School is White at 79.3% of enrollment, in Dubuque, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Kennedy Elementary School?
John Kennedy Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 John Kennedy Elementary School rank among schools in Dubuque?
By Resource Investment Index, John Kennedy Elementary School ranks #3 of 13 schools in Dubuque, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Dubuque on the city page.
Is John Kennedy Elementary School a good school?
John Kennedy Elementary School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Dubuque Comm School District?
Besides John Kennedy Elementary School, Dubuque Comm School District also operates Hempstead High School (1,499 students), Dubuque Senior High School (1,490 students), and Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School (1,081 students). See the Dubuque 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.