Enrollment
348
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Knoxville, IA
Northstar Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Northstar Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 191584002132
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northstar Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Knoxville · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 50.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Northstar Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northstar Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Knoxville, IA.
School address
District: Knoxville Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191584002132 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northstar Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northstar Elementary School
Northstar Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Knoxville, Iowa, enrolling 348 students.
At 14.5:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 50.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 348 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 270 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #160.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 20/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 348 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Knoxville Comm School District also operates Knoxville High School (508 students) and West Elementary (485 students) alongside Northstar 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 Northstar Elementary School compares
Northstar 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 | 14.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.1% | ▲ 38% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 348 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
348
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 58% in Iowa - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.7%
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
$12,576
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 348 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 89.4%
Two or More 4.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%
Asian 1.4%
African American 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 89.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 19.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 19.7, Northstar 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 Knoxville Comm School District, which includes Northstar Elementary School.
$12,576
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.5%
State 54.7%
Federal 10.8%
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 Northstar Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Knoxville Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northstar Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 508
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 485
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 323
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 (~348 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northstar Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Northstar Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Knoxville 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 Northstar Elementary School
How many students attend Northstar Elementary School?
Northstar Elementary School has 348 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Knoxville, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northstar Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northstar Elementary School is 14.5:1, which is 2% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 8% 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 Northstar Elementary School?
50.1% of students at Northstar Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northstar Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Northstar Elementary School is White at 89.4% of enrollment, in Knoxville, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northstar Elementary School?
Northstar Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Northstar Elementary School rank among public schools in Knoxville?
By Resource Investment Index, Northstar Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Knoxville, 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 Knoxville on the city page.
Is Northstar Elementary School a good school?
Northstar Elementary School earns 43/100 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 Knoxville Comm School District?
Besides Northstar Elementary School, Knoxville Comm School District also operates Knoxville High School (508 students), West Elementary (485 students), and Knoxville Middle School (323 students). See the Knoxville 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.