Enrollment
168
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Leon, IA
North Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for North Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190690000816
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Leon · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 58.1%
- free-lunch eligible
North Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Leon, IA.
School address
District: Central Decatur Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190690000816 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
12.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Elementary School
North Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Leon, Iowa, enrolling 168 students.
At 14:1, 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 is high: 58.1% of students qualify for free meals, 60% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 168 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 62 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #21.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 15/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 15.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Central Decatur Comm School District also operates Central Decatur Ms/Hs High School (291 students) and South Elementary School (173 students) alongside North 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 North Elementary School compares
North 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.1% | ▲ 60% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 168 | top 83% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
168
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 50% in Iowa - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.6%
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
$13,169
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
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 92.3%
Two or More 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%
Largest group: White at 92.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.5, North Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Central Decatur Comm School District, which includes North Elementary School.
$13,169
Per student
+2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.4%
State 58.3%
Federal 15.3%
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 North Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Decatur Ms/Hs High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 291
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 173
- Students per teacher
- 10.2:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
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 (~168 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare North Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Central Decatur 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 Elementary School
How many students attend North Elementary School?
North Elementary School has 168 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Leon, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at North Elementary School is 14:1, which is 5% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 11% 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 North Elementary School?
58.1% of students at North Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at North Elementary School is White at 92.3% of enrollment, in Leon, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Elementary School?
North Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North Elementary School rank among public schools in Leon?
By Resource Investment Index, North Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Leon, 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 Leon on the city page.
Is North Elementary School a good school?
North Elementary School earns 53/100 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 Central Decatur Comm School District?
Besides North Elementary School, Central Decatur Comm School District also operates Central Decatur Ms/Hs High School (291 students) and South Elementary School (173 students). See the Central Decatur 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.