- Enrollment
- 1,666
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · North Liberty, IA
Penn Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Penn Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191470000898
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Penn Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Iowa schools.
- #4 of 5
- schools in North Liberty · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 11.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Penn Elementary School has class sizes larger than 72% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Penn Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in North Liberty, IA.
School address
District: Iowa City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191470000898 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+18 students YoY
Penn Elementary School held near 560 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+18 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 33.5 → 33.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+18 students YoY 191470000898 · North Liberty, IA Other · MID · TRAD
512 enr · 15.5:1 · 11.4% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Iowa City High School (1,666 students)
Penn Elementary School held near 560 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+18 headcount). Teacher FTE held 33.5 → 33.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
Penn Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Iowa City High
Iowa City High School
1,666 students
- West Senior Hi
West Senior High School
1,514 students
- Liberty High S
Liberty High School
1,286 students
- Southeast Juni
Southeast Junior High School
1,269 students
- Northwest Juni
Northwest Junior High School
1,113 students
- This school 512
Penn Elementary School
512 students
What this shows Penn Elementary School reports 512 students on the CCD universe file.
How Penn Elementary School compares
Penn Elementary 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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.4% | ▼ 69% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 512 | top 19% | - | - |
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.
512
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
11.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% 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
6.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,290
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $13,441
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 512 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.
Student demographics
White 75.6%
African American 8.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 75.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.1, Penn Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Iowa City Comm School District reports $14,290 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Penn Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southeast Junior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Junior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Penn Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,514
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,286
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,113
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in North Liberty
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Christine Grant Elementary
Standard public school
426 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
James Van Allen Elementary School
Standard public school
376 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Buford Garner Elementary
Standard public school
344 students 10.1:1 students per teacher
North Bend Elementary
Standard public school
326 students 13:1 students per teacher
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 (~512 students)
Frequently asked questions about Penn Elementary School
How many students attend Penn Elementary School?
Penn Elementary School has 512 students enrolled. It is a public school in North Liberty, IA. CCD year-over-year: 542 (2022-23) → 560 (2023-24), nearly flat (+18).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Penn Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Penn Elementary School 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 Penn Elementary School?
11.4% of students at Penn Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Penn Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Penn Elementary School is White at 75.6% of enrollment, in North Liberty, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Penn Elementary School?
Penn Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Penn Elementary School rank among schools in North Liberty?
By Resource Investment Index, Penn Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 schools in North Liberty, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in North Liberty on the city page.
What other schools are in Iowa City Comm School District?
Besides Penn Elementary School, Iowa City Comm School District also operates Iowa City High School (1,666 students), West Senior High School (1,514 students), and Liberty High School (1,286 students). See the Iowa City Comm School District district page for the complete list.