Enrollment
347
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Marion, IA
Novak Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Novak Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 191722001006
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 23
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Novak Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of Iowa schools.
- #4 of 7
- elementary schools in Marion · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 24.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Novak Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 88% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Novak Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Marion, IA.
School address
District: Linn-Mar Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191722001006 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Novak Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Novak Elementary School
Novak Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Marion, Iowa, enrolling 347 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.8:1, Novak Elementary School is leaner than roughly 88% of Iowa schools and 27% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 347 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 413 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #284.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Two or More (10%) (diversity index 38/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 347 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Marion's elementary schools, it stands alongside Boulder Peak Intermediate School (613 students): Novak Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.8:1 vs 15.7:1).
Linn-Mar Comm School District also operates Linn-Mar High School (2,229 students) and Boulder Peak Intermediate School (613 students) alongside Novak 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 Novak Elementary School compares
Novak 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 | 10.8:1 | ▼ 27% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.0% | ▼ 34% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 347 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
347
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% 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
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 12% in Iowa - lower ratio than 88% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.8%
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
$12,349
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 347 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 77.5%
Two or More 9.5%
African American 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 77.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.3, Novak Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Linn-Mar Comm School District, which includes Novak Elementary School.
$12,349
Per student
-4%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.3%
State 50.8%
Federal 7.9%
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 Novak Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linn-Mar High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Boulder Peak Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Excelsior Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hazel Point Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Echo Hill Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Novak Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,229
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 594
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 536
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Marion
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Boulder Peak Intermediate School
Standard public school
613 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Vernon Middle School
Standard public school
587 students 14:1 students per teacher
Hazel Point Intermediate School
Standard public school
563 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Indian Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
354 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Francis Marion Intermediate School
Standard public school
320 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Starry Elementary School
Standard public school
267 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
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 (~347 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Novak Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Novak Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Linn-Mar 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 Novak Elementary School
How many students attend Novak Elementary School?
Novak Elementary School has 347 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Marion, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Novak Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Novak Elementary School is 10.8:1, which is 27% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 31% 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 Novak Elementary School?
24.0% of students at Novak Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Novak Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Novak Elementary School is White at 77.5% of enrollment, in Marion, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Novak Elementary School?
Novak Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Novak Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Marion?
By Resource Investment Index, Novak Elementary School ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Marion, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Marion on the city page.
Is Novak Elementary School a good school?
Novak Elementary School earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 88% of 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 Linn-Mar Comm School District?
Besides Novak Elementary School, Linn-Mar Comm School District also operates Linn-Mar High School (2,229 students), Boulder Peak Intermediate School (613 students), and Excelsior Middle School (594 students). See the Linn-Mar 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.