Enrollment
545
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Johnston, IA
Lawson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lawson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 191545000532
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lawson Elementary School earns 45/100 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 4
- elementary schools in Johnston · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 28.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Lawson Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lawson Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Johnston, IA.
School address
District: Johnston Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191545000532 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.2%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lawson Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lawson Elementary School
Lawson Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Johnston, Iowa, enrolling 545 students.
At 13.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Iowa median, within a few percentage points of the 14.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 545 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 305 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #164.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and Asian (14%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 545 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Johnston's elementary schools, it stands alongside Timber Ridge Elementary (667 students): Lawson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 14.5:1).
Johnston Comm School District also operates Johnston Senior High School (1,820 students) and Johnston Middle School (1,161 students) alongside Lawson 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 Lawson Elementary School compares
Lawson 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 8% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.2% | ▼ 23% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 545 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
545
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 44% in Iowa - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.5%
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
$11,756
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 545 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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 61.7%
Asian 14.1%
African American 9.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
Two or More 6.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 61.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.0, Lawson 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 Johnston Comm School District, which includes Lawson Elementary School.
$11,756
Per student
-9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.6%
State 45.8%
Federal 7.6%
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 Lawson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Johnston Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Summit Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Henry a Wallace Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Timber Ridge Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lawson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,820
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,118
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 840
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 667
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Johnston
3 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 (~545 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lawson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lawson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Johnston 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 Lawson Elementary School
How many students attend Lawson Elementary School?
Lawson Elementary School has 545 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Johnston, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lawson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lawson Elementary School is 13.6:1, which is 8% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 13% 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 Lawson Elementary School?
28.2% of students at Lawson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lawson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lawson Elementary School is White at 61.7% of enrollment, in Johnston, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lawson Elementary School?
Lawson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Lawson Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Johnston?
By Resource Investment Index, Lawson Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Johnston, 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 Johnston on the city page.
Is Lawson Elementary School a good school?
Lawson Elementary School earns 45/100 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 Johnston Comm School District?
Besides Lawson Elementary School, Johnston Comm School District also operates Johnston Senior High School (1,820 students), Johnston Middle School (1,161 students), and Summit Middle School (1,118 students). See the Johnston 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.