Enrollment
371
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ames, IA
Sawyer Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sawyer Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190354000049
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sawyer Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #4 of 5
- elementary schools in Ames · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 28.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Sawyer Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sawyer Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Ames, IA.
School address
District: Ames Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190354000049 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sawyer Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sawyer Elementary School
Sawyer Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Ames, Iowa, enrolling 371 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.1% of students eligible for free meals.
With 371 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 442 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #386, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 371 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Ames's elementary schools, it stands alongside Fellows Elementary School (489 students): Sawyer Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.8:1 vs 11.9:1).
Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students) and Ames Middle School (1,033 students) alongside Sawyer 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 Sawyer Elementary School compares
Sawyer 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 14% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.1% | ▼ 23% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 371 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
371
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 33% in Iowa - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
17.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,626
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 371 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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 65.2%
Hispanic or Latino 11.9%
African American 8.6%
Two or More 7.3%
Asian 7.0%
Largest group: White at 65.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.3, Sawyer Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Ames Comm School District, which includes Sawyer Elementary School.
$12,626
Per student
-2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 57.7%
State 34.6%
Federal 7.8%
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 Sawyer Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ames Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fellows Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Edwards Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Meeker Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sawyer Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,440
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 489
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 361
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Ames
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Fellows Elementary School
Standard public school
489 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Edwards Elementary School
Standard public school
436 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Meeker Elementary School
Standard public school
361 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Mitchell Elementary School
Standard public school
314 students 13.1:1 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 (~371 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sawyer Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sawyer Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Ames 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 Sawyer Elementary School
How many students attend Sawyer Elementary School?
Sawyer Elementary School has 371 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ames, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sawyer Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sawyer Elementary School is 12.8:1, which is 14% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 18% 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 Sawyer Elementary School?
28.1% of students at Sawyer Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sawyer Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sawyer Elementary School is White at 65.2% of enrollment, in Ames, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sawyer Elementary School?
Sawyer Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 Sawyer Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Ames?
By Resource Investment Index, Sawyer Elementary School ranks #4 of 5 elementary schools in Ames, 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 Ames on the city page.
Is Sawyer Elementary School a good school?
Sawyer Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Ames Comm School District?
Besides Sawyer Elementary School, Ames Comm School District also operates Ames High School (1,440 students), Ames Middle School (1,033 students), and Fellows Elementary School (489 students). See the Ames 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.