Enrollment
314
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ames, IA
Mitchell Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mitchell Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190354000054
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mitchell Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #5 of 5
- elementary schools in Ames · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 39.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Mitchell Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mitchell Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Ames, IA.
School address
District: Ames Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190354000054 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mitchell Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mitchell Elementary School
Mitchell Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Ames, Iowa, enrolling 314 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 39.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 314 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 429 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #414, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 314 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Ames's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fellows Elementary School (489 students): Mitchell Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.1:1 vs 11.9:1).
Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students) and Ames Middle School (1,033 students) alongside Mitchell 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 Mitchell Elementary School compares
Mitchell 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.3% | ▲ 8% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 314 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
314
Bigger than 34% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 37% in Iowa - lower ratio than 63% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
31.8%
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
$12,626
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 314 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.4 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 47.5%
Hispanic or Latino 22.9%
African American 17.5%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 4.8%
Largest group: White at 47.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.4, Mitchell Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ames Comm School District, which includes Mitchell Elementary School.
$12,626
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.7%
State 34.6%
Federal 7.8%
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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ames Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fellows Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Edwards Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sawyer Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mitchell Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 489
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 371
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Ames
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fellows Elementary School
Standard public school
489 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Edwards Elementary School
Standard public school
436 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Sawyer Elementary School
Standard public school
371 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Meeker Elementary School
Standard public school
361 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
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 (~314 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mitchell Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mitchell Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Ames 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 Elementary School
How many students attend Mitchell Elementary School?
Mitchell Elementary School has 314 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ames, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mitchell Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mitchell Elementary School is 13.1:1, which is 11% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 17% 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 Mitchell Elementary School?
39.3% of students at Mitchell Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mitchell Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mitchell Elementary School is White at 47.5% of enrollment, in Ames, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mitchell Elementary School?
Mitchell Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Mitchell Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Ames?
By Resource Investment Index, Mitchell Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 elementary schools in Ames, 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 Ames on the city page.
Is Mitchell Elementary School a good school?
Mitchell Elementary School earns 34/100 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 Ames Comm School District?
Besides Mitchell Elementary School, Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students), Ames Middle School (1,033 students), and Fellows Elementary School (489 students). See the Ames 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.