Enrollment
526
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ankeny, IA
Prairie Trail Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Trail Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190369002183
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 62
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Trail Elementary earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Iowa schools.
- #2 of 10
- elementary schools in Ankeny · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 6.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Trail Elementary has class sizes larger than 72% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Trail Elementary ranks #2 of 10 elementary schools in Ankeny, IA.
School address
District: Ankeny Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190369002183 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-83% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prairie Trail Elementary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prairie Trail Elementary
Prairie Trail Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Ankeny, Iowa, enrolling 526 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.3% free-meal eligibility runs 83% below the Iowa average.
Enrollment of 526 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 116 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #11, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (83% of enrollment) (diversity index 30/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 263 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
15.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Ankeny's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rock Creek Elementary (639 students): Prairie Trail Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.5:1 vs 14.9:1).
Ankeny Comm School District also operates Ankeny Centennial High School (1,470 students) and Ankeny High School (1,375 students) alongside Prairie Trail Elementary.
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 Trail Elementary compares
Prairie Trail Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.5:1 | ▲ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.3% | ▼ 83% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 526 | top 18% | - | - |
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.
526
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% 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
15.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 263 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.0 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 83.3%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 2.3%
African American 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 83.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 29.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 29.6, Prairie Trail Elementary is less mixed than 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 Trail Elementary.
$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 Trail Elementary 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 | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northview Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Prairie Ridge Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southview Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Trail Elementary'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
- 1,004
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Ankeny
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rock Creek Elementary
Standard public school
639 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Heritage Elementary
Standard public school
604 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Northeast Elementary
Standard public school
595 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Southeast Elementary School
Standard public school
585 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Westwood Elementary School
Standard public school
551 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Ashland Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
548 students 14.8:1 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 (~526 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prairie Trail Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Prairie Trail Elementary 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 Trail Elementary
How many students attend Prairie Trail Elementary?
Prairie Trail Elementary has 526 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ankeny, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Trail Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Trail 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 Prairie Trail Elementary?
6.3% of students at Prairie Trail Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Trail Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Trail Elementary is White at 83.3% of enrollment, in Ankeny, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Trail Elementary?
Prairie Trail Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Trail Elementary rank among elementary schools in Ankeny?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Trail Elementary ranks #2 of 10 elementary 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 elementary schools in Ankeny on the city page.
Is Prairie Trail Elementary a good school?
Prairie Trail Elementary earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% 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 Ankeny Comm School District?
Besides Prairie Trail Elementary, 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.