Other / mixed grade configuration · Ames, IA

Northwood Pre-School

Federal NCES profile for Northwood Pre-School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.

2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190354001906
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Compiled from official source data by .
0/100100/10044/100
👥 S:T ratio
11
🌟 Gifted program
30
📋 Attendance
92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Northwood Pre-School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.

#4 of 8
public schools in Ames · Resource Index
44
Resource Index · Typical
22.2:1
large classes for Iowa
27.6%
free-lunch eligible

Northwood Pre-School has class sizes larger than 95% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Northwood Pre-School ranks #4 of 8 public schools in Ames, IA.

School address

Ames, IA 50010
District: Ames Comm School District · Iowa

NCES ID 190354001906 Verify on NCES CCD record →

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-5 students YoY

Northwood Pre-School held near 249 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount).

Teacher FTE lost 12.0 → 10.9 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

-5 students YoY 190354001906 · Ames, IA Other · SMALL · TRAD

244 enr · 22.2:1 · 27.6% lunch · RII 44

Nearest enrollment peer: Ames High School (1,440 students)

Northwood Pre-School held near 249 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 12.0 → 10.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →

Northwood Pre-School in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Northwood Pre-School reports 244 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Northwood Pre-School compares

Northwood Pre-School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Iowa and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Iowa Iowa avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 22.2:1 ▲ 50% 14.8:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 27.6% ▼ 24% 36.4% 51.7%
Enrollment 244 top 66% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

22.2:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
244
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
27.6%
free-lunch eligible - 24% 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
22.2:1
students per teacher - 50% above state mean
Top 95% in Iowa - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
3.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$13,278
per pupil, district-wide - below Iowa avg of $13,441
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.

Student demographics

White 57.8%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
African American 12.7%
Two or More 9.0%
Asian 6.6%

Largest group: White at 57.8% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 61.8/100

Simpson diversity index - at 61.8, Northwood Pre-School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.

Programs

District finance for Ames Comm School District reports $13,278 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Northwood Pre-School Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
Ames High School Larger Similar economic need Lower S:T ratio
Ames Middle School Larger Similar economic need Lower S:T ratio
Fellows Elementary School Larger Similar economic need Lower S:T ratio
Edwards Elementary School Larger Similar economic need Lower S:T ratio
Sawyer Elementary School Larger Similar economic need Lower S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to Northwood Pre-School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Ames Comm School District · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Similar enrollment (~244 students)

Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.2:1)

Frequently asked questions about Northwood Pre-School

How many students attend Northwood Pre-School?

Northwood Pre-School has 244 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ames, IA. CCD year-over-year: 254 (2022-23) → 249 (2023-24), nearly flat (-5).

What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwood Pre-School?

The student-teacher ratio at Northwood Pre-School is 22.2:1, which is 50% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.

What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwood Pre-School?

27.6% of students at Northwood Pre-School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwood Pre-School?

The largest demographic group at Northwood Pre-School is White at 57.8% of enrollment, in Ames, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.8/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwood Pre-School?

Northwood Pre-School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Northwood Pre-School rank among public schools in Ames?

By Resource Investment Index, Northwood Pre-School ranks #4 of 8 public 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 public schools in Ames on the city page.

What other schools are in Ames Comm School District?

Besides Northwood Pre-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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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Compiled from official source data by .