Enrollment
925
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · North Liberty, IA
North Central Junior High School
Federal NCES profile for North Central Junior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 191470001392
👥 S:T ratio 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 8
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Central Junior High School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in North Liberty · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 23.7:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 19.9%
- free-lunch eligible
North Central Junior High School has class sizes larger than 96% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Central Junior High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in North Liberty, IA.
School address
District: Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191470001392 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.7:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+60% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Central Junior High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Central Junior High School
North Central Junior High School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in North Liberty, Iowa, enrolling 925 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.7:1 is larger than about 96% of Iowa schools and 60% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 19.9% free-meal eligibility runs 45% below the Iowa average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 95% of state schools at 925 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 101 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #82, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and African American (12%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 463 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students) and West Senior High School (1,514 students) alongside North Central Junior High 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 North Central Junior High School compares
North Central Junior High 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 | 23.7:1 | ▲ 60% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.9% | ▼ 45% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 925 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.7:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
925
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
23.7:1
students per teacher
- 60% above state mean
Top 96% in Iowa - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
11.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,920
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 463 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 28 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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 69.8%
African American 12.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 69.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.6, North Central Junior High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Iowa City Comm School District, which includes North Central Junior High School.
$13,920
Per student
+8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.7%
State 41.5%
Federal 12.8%
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 North Central Junior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Liberty High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southeast Junior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Central Junior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,666
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,514
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,286
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle 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 (~925 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~23.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Central Junior High School's federal record.
- Compare North Central Junior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Iowa City 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 North Central Junior High School
How many students attend North Central Junior High School?
North Central Junior High School has 925 students enrolled. It is a middle school in North Liberty, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Central Junior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at North Central Junior High School is 23.7:1, which is 60% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 51% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Central Junior High School?
19.9% of students at North Central Junior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Central Junior High School?
The largest demographic group at North Central Junior High School is White at 69.8% of enrollment, in North Liberty, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Central Junior High School?
North Central Junior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 North Central Junior High School rank among public schools in North Liberty?
By Resource Investment Index, North Central Junior High School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in North Liberty, 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 North Liberty on the city page.
Is North Central Junior High School a good school?
North Central Junior High School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. 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 Iowa City Comm School District?
Besides North Central Junior High School, Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students), West Senior High School (1,514 students), and Liberty High School (1,286 students). See the Iowa City 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.