Enrollment
431
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Council Bluffs, IA
Longfellow Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Longfellow Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190822000425
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Longfellow Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #7 of 10
- schools in Council Bluffs · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.4:1
- students per teacher
- 48.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Longfellow Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Longfellow Elementary School ranks #7 of 10 schools in Council Bluffs, IA.
School address
District: Council Bluffs Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190822000425 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.4:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Longfellow Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Longfellow Elementary School
Longfellow Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Council Bluffs, Iowa, enrolling 431 students.
At 14.4:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 48.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 431 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 280 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #121.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 431 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Council Bluffs's public schools, it stands alongside E a Kreft Primary School (502 students): Longfellow Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.4:1 vs 14.3:1).
Council Bluffs Comm School District also operates Abraham Lincoln High School (1,333 students) and Thomas Jefferson High School (1,146 students) alongside Longfellow 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 Longfellow Elementary School compares
Longfellow 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 | 14.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.0% | ▲ 32% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 431 | top 28% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.4:1
Leaner classes than 53% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
431
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
14.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 57% in Iowa - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,703
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 431 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.8 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 66.4%
Hispanic or Latino 24.1%
Two or More 4.2%
African American 2.3%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: White at 66.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.8, Longfellow 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 Council Bluffs Comm School District, which includes Longfellow Elementary School.
$14,703
Per student
+14%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.2%
State 53.5%
Federal 16.3%
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 Longfellow Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gerald W Kirn Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Woodrow Wilson Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| College View Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Longfellow Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,333
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,146
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 855
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Council Bluffs
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
E a Kreft Primary School
Standard public school
502 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
College View Elementary
Standard public school
488 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Franklin Elementary School
Standard public school
421 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Hoover Elementary School
Standard public school
401 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Bloomer Elementary School
Standard public school
396 students 12.8:1 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 (~431 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Longfellow Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Longfellow Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Council Bluffs 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 Longfellow Elementary School
How many students attend Longfellow Elementary School?
Longfellow Elementary School has 431 students enrolled. It is a public school in Council Bluffs, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Longfellow Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Longfellow Elementary School is 14.4:1, which is 3% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 8% 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 Longfellow Elementary School?
48.0% of students at Longfellow Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Longfellow Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Longfellow Elementary School is White at 66.4% of enrollment, in Council Bluffs, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Longfellow Elementary School?
Longfellow 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 Longfellow Elementary School rank among schools in Council Bluffs?
By Resource Investment Index, Longfellow Elementary School ranks #7 of 10 schools in Council Bluffs, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Council Bluffs on the city page.
Is Longfellow Elementary School a good school?
Longfellow Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Council Bluffs Comm School District?
Besides Longfellow Elementary School, Council Bluffs Comm School District also operates Abraham Lincoln High School (1,333 students), Thomas Jefferson High School (1,146 students), and Gerald W Kirn Middle School (913 students). See the Council Bluffs 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.