Enrollment
301
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · New Sharon, IA
North Mahaska Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for North Mahaska Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 192085001246
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Mahaska Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 30.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 301
- students enrolled
North Mahaska Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: North Mahaska Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192085001246 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Mahaska Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Mahaska Elementary School
North Mahaska Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in New Sharon, Iowa, enrolling 301 students.
At 14.3:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 301 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 464 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #158.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment) (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 376 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
11.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among New Sharon's public schools, it stands alongside North Mahaska Jr-Sr High School (275 students): North Mahaska Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.3:1 vs 12.5:1).
Its district, North Mahaska Comm School District, also runs North Mahaska Jr-Sr High School (275 students).
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 Mahaska Elementary School compares
North Mahaska 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.3% | ▼ 17% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 301 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
301
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 56% in Iowa - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.0%
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
$11,347
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
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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 94.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
Two or More 2.3%
African American 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 94.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.5, North Mahaska 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 North Mahaska Comm School District, which includes North Mahaska Elementary School.
$11,347
Per student
-12%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.4%
State 37.5%
Federal 10.1%
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 Mahaska Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Mahaska Jr-Sr High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Mahaska Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 275
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in New Sharon
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~301 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Mahaska Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare North Mahaska Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- North Mahaska 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 Mahaska Elementary School
How many students attend North Mahaska Elementary School?
North Mahaska Elementary School has 301 students enrolled. It is a public school in New Sharon, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Mahaska Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at North Mahaska Elementary School is 14.3:1, which is 3% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 9% 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 Mahaska Elementary School?
30.3% of students at North Mahaska Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Mahaska Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at North Mahaska Elementary School is White at 94.0% of enrollment, in New Sharon, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Mahaska Elementary School?
North Mahaska Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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).
Is North Mahaska Elementary School a good school?
North Mahaska 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 North Mahaska Comm School District?
Besides North Mahaska Elementary School, North Mahaska Comm School District also operates North Mahaska Jr-Sr High School (275 students). See the North Mahaska 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.