Enrollment
1,004
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Ankeny, IA
Prairie Ridge Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Ridge Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 190369002139
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Ridge Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #8 of 17
- public schools in Ankeny · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 13.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Ridge Middle School has class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Ridge Middle School ranks #8 of 17 public schools in Ankeny, IA.
School address
District: Ankeny Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190369002139 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
63.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
13.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prairie Ridge Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prairie Ridge Middle School
Prairie Ridge Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Ankeny, Iowa, enrolling 1,004 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 13.7% free-meal eligibility runs 62% below the Iowa average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,004 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 60 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #30.
Its student body is predominantly White (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 335 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Ankeny's middle schools, it stands alongside Parkview Middle School (865 students): Prairie Ridge Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.9:1 vs 14.2:1).
Ankeny Comm School District also operates Ankeny Centennial High School (1,470 students) and Ankeny High School (1,375 students) alongside Prairie Ridge Middle 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 Prairie Ridge Middle School compares
Prairie Ridge Middle 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 | 15.9:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.7% | ▼ 62% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,004 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,004
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
13.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 76% in Iowa - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.6%
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
$11,716
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 335 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
41
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 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 81.1%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Two or More 5.1%
African American 3.9%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 81.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.2, Prairie Ridge Middle School is about as mixed as the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ankeny Comm School District, which includes Prairie Ridge Middle School.
$11,716
Per student
-9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.8%
State 50.4%
Federal 5.8%
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 Prairie Ridge Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny Centennial High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ankeny High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northview Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southview Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Parkview Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Ridge Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,375
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,021
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 865
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle schools in Ankeny
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~1,004 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prairie Ridge Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Prairie Ridge Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Ankeny 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 Prairie Ridge Middle School
How many students attend Prairie Ridge Middle School?
Prairie Ridge Middle School has 1,004 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Ankeny, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Ridge Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Ridge Middle School is 15.9:1, which is 7% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Ridge Middle School?
13.7% of students at Prairie Ridge Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Ridge Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Ridge Middle School is White at 81.1% of enrollment, in Ankeny, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Ridge Middle School?
Prairie Ridge Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Prairie Ridge Middle School rank among public schools in Ankeny?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Ridge Middle School ranks #8 of 17 public schools in Ankeny, 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 Ankeny on the city page.
Is Prairie Ridge Middle School a good school?
Prairie Ridge Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. 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 Ankeny Comm School District?
Besides Prairie Ridge Middle School, Ankeny Comm School District also operates Ankeny Centennial High School (1,470 students), Ankeny High School (1,375 students), and Northview Middle School (1,021 students). See the Ankeny 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.