- Enrollment
- 283
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mountain Iron, MN
Merritt Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Merritt Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 270000101610
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Merritt Elementary earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Mountain Iron · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 40.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Merritt Elementary has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Merritt Elementary ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Mountain Iron, MN.
School address
District: Mountain Iron-Buhl School District · Minnesota
NCES ID 270000101610 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-18 students YoY
Merritt Elementary shrank from 350 students in 2022-23 to 332 in 2023-24 (-5.1%).
Teacher FTE added 22.5 → 26.6 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-18 students YoY 270000101610 · Mountain Iron, MN Other · SMALL · TRAD
354 enr · 16.1:1 · 40.3% lunch · RII 41
Nearest enrollment peer: Mountain Iron-Buhl Secondary (283 students)
Merritt Elementary shrank from 350 students in 2022-23 to 332 in 2023-24 (-5.1%). Teacher FTE added 22.5 → 26.6 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Minnesota schools → · Find another →
How Merritt Elementary compares
Merritt Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.3% | ▼ 6% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 354 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
354
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
40.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 6% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 63% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.2%
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
$13,976
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,919
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 354 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 86.7%
Two or More 8.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 86.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 24.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 24.0, Merritt Elementary is less mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Mountain Iron-Buhl School District reports $13,976 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Merritt Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Iron-Buhl Secondary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Merritt Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~354 students)
Frequently asked questions about Merritt Elementary
How many students attend Merritt Elementary?
Merritt Elementary has 354 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mountain Iron, MN. CCD year-over-year: 350 (2022-23) → 332 (2023-24), down 18.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Merritt Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Merritt Elementary is 16.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Merritt Elementary?
40.3% of students at Merritt Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Merritt Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Merritt Elementary is White at 86.7% of enrollment, in Mountain Iron, MN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Merritt Elementary?
Merritt Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Merritt Elementary rank among public schools in Mountain Iron?
By Resource Investment Index, Merritt Elementary ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Mountain Iron, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Mountain Iron-Buhl School District?
Besides Merritt Elementary, Mountain Iron-Buhl School District also operates Mountain Iron-Buhl Secondary (283 students). See the Mountain Iron-Buhl School District district page for the complete list.