Enrollment
273
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Urbandale, IA
Radiant Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Radiant Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 193051002249
👥 S:T ratio 74
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 64
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Radiant Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Urbandale · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 6.5:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 7.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Radiant Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 99% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Radiant Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Urbandale, IA.
School address
District: Waukee Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193051002249 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
6.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-56% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
7.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-78% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Radiant Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Radiant Elementary School
Radiant Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Urbandale, Iowa, enrolling 273 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 6.5:1, Radiant Elementary School is leaner than roughly 99% of Iowa schools and 56% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 7.9% free-meal eligibility runs 78% below the Iowa average.
With 273 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 117 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #13, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and African American (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 182 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Urbandale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Walnut Hills Elementary School (708 students): Radiant Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (6.5:1 vs 18.6:1).
Waukee Comm School District also operates Northwest High School (1,574 students) and Waukee High School (1,375 students) alongside Radiant 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 Radiant Elementary School compares
Radiant 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 | 6.5:1 | ▼ 56% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.9% | ▼ 78% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 273 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
6.5:1
Leaner classes than 97% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
273
Bigger than 28% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
7.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 78% 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
6.5:1
students per teacher
- 56% below state mean
Top 1% in Iowa - lower ratio than 99% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.3%
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
$11,578
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
Counselors1.5 FTE
Per 182 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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 55.1%
African American 16.5%
Asian 9.9%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Two or More 8.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 55.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.4, Radiant 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 Waukee Comm School District, which includes Radiant Elementary School.
$11,578
Per student
-10%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.3%
State 44.6%
Federal 6.1%
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 Radiant Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest High School | Larger | Similar economic need | No ratio data |
| Waukee High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Timberline School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Waukee Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Radiant Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,574
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,375
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,092
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 992
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 867
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar elementary schools in Urbandale
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~273 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Radiant Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Radiant Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Waukee 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 Radiant Elementary School
How many students attend Radiant Elementary School?
Radiant Elementary School has 273 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Urbandale, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Radiant Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Radiant Elementary School is 6.5:1, which is 56% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 59% 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 Radiant Elementary School?
7.9% of students at Radiant Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Radiant Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Radiant Elementary School is White at 55.1% of enrollment, in Urbandale, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Radiant Elementary School?
Radiant Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (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 Radiant Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Urbandale?
By Resource Investment Index, Radiant Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Urbandale, 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 Urbandale on the city page.
Is Radiant Elementary School a good school?
Radiant Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Waukee Comm School District?
Besides Radiant Elementary School, Waukee Comm School District also operates Northwest High School (1,574 students), Waukee High School (1,375 students), and South Middle School (1,092 students). See the Waukee 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.