Enrollment
244
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
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
👥 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
District: Ames Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190354001906 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
11.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+50% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.6%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwood Pre-School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwood Pre-School
Northwood Pre-School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Ames, Iowa, enrolling 244 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.2:1 is larger than about 95% of Iowa schools and 50% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 244 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 404 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #332, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students) and Ames Middle School (1,033 students) alongside Northwood Pre-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 Northwood Pre-School compares
Northwood Pre-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 | 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 (what these measure)
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
$12,626
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
Counselors0.0 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 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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ames Comm School District, which includes Northwood Pre-School.
$12,626
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.7%
State 34.6%
Federal 7.8%
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 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
- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 489
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 371
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
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 (~244 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwood Pre-School's federal record.
- Compare Northwood Pre-School against another school. Compare schools
- Ames 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 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.
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, attendance rates. 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.
Is Northwood Pre-School a good school?
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. 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 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.
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.