- Enrollment
- 1,073
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grimes, IA
South Prairie Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Prairie Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190852002029
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Prairie Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Grimes · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 21.5%
- free-lunch eligible
South Prairie Elementary has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Prairie Elementary ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Grimes, IA.
School address
District: Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190852002029 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+3 students YoY
South Prairie Elementary held near 455 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+3 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 31.7 → 33.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+3 students YoY 190852002029 · Grimes, IA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
436 enr · 14.1:1 · 21.5% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Dallas Center-Grimes High School (1,073 students)
South Prairie Elementary held near 455 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+3 headcount). Teacher FTE added 31.7 → 33.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
South Prairie Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Dallas Center-
Dallas Center-Grimes High School
1,073 students
- Dallas Center-
Dallas Center-Grimes Middle School
586 students
- Dc-G Oak View
Dc-G Oak View
537 students
- Heritage Eleme
Heritage Elementary
530 students
- This school
South Prairie Elementary
436 students
- North Ridge El 412
North Ridge Elementary
412 students
What this shows South Prairie Elementary reports 436 students on the CCD universe file.
How South Prairie Elementary compares
South Prairie Elementary 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 | 14.1:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.5% | ▼ 41% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 436 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
436
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
21.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 52% in Iowa - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.9%
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
$11,347
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $13,441
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 436 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 69.7%
African American 16.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.3%
Two or More 5.0%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 69.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.8, South Prairie Elementary is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District reports $11,347 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How South Prairie Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Center-Grimes High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dallas Center-Grimes Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dc-G Oak View | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heritage Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Ridge Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Prairie Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 537
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 530
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 412
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar elementary schools in Grimes
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~436 students)
Frequently asked questions about South Prairie Elementary
How many students attend South Prairie Elementary?
South Prairie Elementary has 436 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grimes, IA. CCD year-over-year: 452 (2022-23) → 455 (2023-24), nearly flat (+3).
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Prairie Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Prairie Elementary is 14.1:1, which is 5% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 10% 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 South Prairie Elementary?
21.5% of students at South Prairie Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Prairie Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Prairie Elementary is White at 69.7% of enrollment, in Grimes, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Prairie Elementary?
South Prairie Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 South Prairie Elementary rank among public schools in Grimes?
By Resource Investment Index, South Prairie Elementary ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Grimes, 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 Grimes on the city page.
What other schools are in Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District?
Besides South Prairie Elementary, Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District also operates Dallas Center-Grimes High School (1,073 students), Dallas Center-Grimes Middle School (586 students), and Dc-G Oak View (537 students). See the Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District district page for the complete list.