Enrollment
292
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Des Moines, IA
Mitchell Early Childhood Center
Federal NCES profile for Mitchell Early Childhood Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190897002166
👥 S:T ratio 31
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mitchell Early Childhood Center earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #10 of 14
- schools in Des Moines · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.2:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 62.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Mitchell Early Childhood Center has class sizes larger than 86% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mitchell Early Childhood Center ranks #10 of 14 schools in Des Moines, IA.
School address
District: Des Moines Independent Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190897002166 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mitchell Early Childhood Center compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mitchell Early Childhood Center
Mitchell Early Childhood Center is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Des Moines, Iowa, enrolling 292 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.2:1 is larger than about 86% of Iowa schools and 16% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 62.5% of students qualify for free meals, 72% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 292 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 121 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #112, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Among Des Moines's public schools, it stands alongside Cornell Elementary School (555 students): Mitchell Early Childhood Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.2:1 vs 14.6:1).
Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students) and Roosevelt High School (2,051 students) alongside Mitchell Early Childhood Center.
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 Mitchell Early Childhood Center compares
Mitchell Early Childhood Center on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.2:1 | ▲ 16% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.5% | ▲ 72% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 292 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.2:1
Leaner classes than 29% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
292
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.2:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 86% in Iowa - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$14,308
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 34.6%
Hispanic or Latino 29.5%
African American 15.4%
Asian 11.3%
Two or More 8.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 34.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.9, Mitchell Early Childhood Center is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which includes Mitchell Early Childhood Center.
$14,308
Per student
+11%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.4%
State 56.2%
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 Mitchell Early Childhood Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hoover High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mitchell Early Childhood Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,364
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,051
- Students per teacher
- 31.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,952
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,428
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 898
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Des Moines
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cornell Elementary School
Standard public school
555 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Clive Learning Academy
Standard public school
551 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Capitol View Elementary School
Standard public school
533 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Moulton Elementary School
Standard public school
465 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Delaware Elementary
Standard public school
440 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Cowles Elementary School
Standard public school
392 students 18.7:1 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 (~292 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mitchell Early Childhood Center's federal record.
- Compare Mitchell Early Childhood Center against another school. Compare schools
- Des Moines Independent 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 Mitchell Early Childhood Center
How many students attend Mitchell Early Childhood Center?
Mitchell Early Childhood Center has 292 students enrolled. It is a public school in Des Moines, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mitchell Early Childhood Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Mitchell Early Childhood Center is 17.2:1, which is 16% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 10% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mitchell Early Childhood Center?
62.5% of students at Mitchell Early Childhood Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mitchell Early Childhood Center?
The largest demographic group at Mitchell Early Childhood Center is White at 34.6% of enrollment, in Des Moines, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mitchell Early Childhood Center?
Mitchell Early Childhood Center has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Mitchell Early Childhood Center rank among schools in Des Moines?
By Resource Investment Index, Mitchell Early Childhood Center ranks #10 of 14 schools in Des Moines, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Des Moines on the city page.
Is Mitchell Early Childhood Center a good school?
Mitchell Early Childhood Center earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Iowa schools. 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 Des Moines Independent Comm School District?
Besides Mitchell Early Childhood Center, Des Moines Independent Comm School District also operates Lincoln High School (2,364 students), Roosevelt High School (2,051 students), and East High School (1,952 students). See the Des Moines Independent 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.