- Enrollment
- 1,035
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Norwalk, IA
Orchard Hills Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Orchard Hills Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 192124002279
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Orchard Hills Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Iowa schools.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Norwalk · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 17.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Orchard Hills Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Hills Elementary ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Norwalk, IA.
School address
District: Norwalk Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192124002279 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+0 students YoY
Orchard Hills Elementary held near 526 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 36.7 → 35.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+0 students YoY 192124002279 · Norwalk, IA Elementary · MID · TRAD
558 enr · 15.5:1 · 17.9% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Norwalk Senior High School (1,035 students)
Orchard Hills Elementary held near 526 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 36.7 → 35.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
Orchard Hills Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Norwalk Senior
Norwalk Senior High School
1,035 students
- Norwalk Middle
Norwalk Middle School
824 students
- This school
Orchard Hills Elementary
558 students
- Lakewood Eleme
Lakewood Elementary School
554 students
- Oviatt Element
Oviatt Elementary School
548 students
What this shows Orchard Hills Elementary reports 558 students on the CCD universe file.
How Orchard Hills Elementary compares
Orchard Hills Elementary 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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.9% | ▼ 51% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 558 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
558
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
17.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 72% in Iowa - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.6%
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
$11,287
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 558 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 82.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
Two or More 7.5%
African American 1.8%
Asian 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 82.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.9, Orchard Hills Elementary is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Norwalk Comm School District reports $11,287 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Orchard Hills Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwalk Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Norwalk Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakewood Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oviatt Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Orchard Hills Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 824
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 554
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 548
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Norwalk
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~558 students)
Frequently asked questions about Orchard Hills Elementary
How many students attend Orchard Hills Elementary?
Orchard Hills Elementary has 558 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Norwalk, IA. CCD year-over-year: 526 (2022-23) → 526 (2023-24), nearly flat (+0).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Orchard Hills Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Orchard Hills Elementary is 15.5:1, which is 5% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Orchard Hills Elementary?
17.9% of students at Orchard Hills Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Orchard Hills Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Orchard Hills Elementary is White at 82.4% of enrollment, in Norwalk, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Orchard Hills Elementary?
Orchard Hills Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Orchard Hills Elementary rank among public schools in Norwalk?
By Resource Investment Index, Orchard Hills Elementary ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Norwalk, 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 Norwalk on the city page.
What other schools are in Norwalk Comm School District?
Besides Orchard Hills Elementary, Norwalk Comm School District also operates Norwalk Senior High School (1,035 students), Norwalk Middle School (824 students), and Lakewood Elementary School (554 students). See the Norwalk Comm School District district page for the complete list.