Enrollment
254
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Pella, IA
Lincoln Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lincoln Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 64/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 192247001348
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lincoln Elementary School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Iowa schools.
- #1 of 5
- public schools in Pella · Resource Index
- 64
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 10.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Lincoln Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 76% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lincoln Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Pella, IA.
School address
District: Pella Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192247001348 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lincoln Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Pella, Iowa, enrolling 254 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.9% free-meal eligibility runs 70% below the Iowa average.
With 254 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 151 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 254 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Pella's public schools, it stands alongside Madison Elementary School (401 students): Lincoln Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.1:1 vs 11.8:1).
Pella Comm School District also operates Pella High School (801 students) and Jefferson Intermediate (494 students) alongside Lincoln 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 Lincoln Elementary School compares
Lincoln 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 | 12.1:1 | ▼ 18% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.9% | ▼ 70% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 254 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
254
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 18% below state mean
Top 24% in Iowa - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
6.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,689
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 254 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 83.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
Two or More 3.5%
Asian 2.4%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: White at 83.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.2, Lincoln Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pella Comm School District, which includes Lincoln Elementary School.
$11,689
Per student
-9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 48.5%
State 43.6%
Federal 7.9%
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 Lincoln Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pella High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pella Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lincoln Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 801
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 494
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 401
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 375
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar other schools in Pella
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~254 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lincoln Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lincoln Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Pella 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 Lincoln Elementary School
How many students attend Lincoln Elementary School?
Lincoln Elementary School has 254 students enrolled. It is a public school in Pella, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lincoln Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lincoln Elementary School is 12.1:1, which is 18% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 23% 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 Lincoln Elementary School?
10.9% of students at Lincoln Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lincoln Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lincoln Elementary School is White at 83.1% of enrollment, in Pella, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lincoln Elementary School?
Lincoln Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 64/100 (higher 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 Lincoln Elementary School rank among public schools in Pella?
By Resource Investment Index, Lincoln Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 public schools in Pella, 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 Pella on the city page.
Is Lincoln Elementary School a good school?
Lincoln Elementary School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% 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 Pella Comm School District?
Besides Lincoln Elementary School, Pella Comm School District also operates Pella High School (801 students), Jefferson Intermediate (494 students), and Madison Elementary School (401 students). See the Pella 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.