Enrollment
534
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Tama, IA
South Tama County Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Tama County Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 192673001463
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 40
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Tama County Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.3:1
- students per teacher
- 57.2%
- free-lunch eligible
- 534
- students enrolled
South Tama County Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.2%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Tama County Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Tama County Elementary School
South Tama County Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Tama, Iowa, enrolling 534 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 57.2% of students qualify for free meals, 57% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 534 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 153 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #16, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (40%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 274 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
South Tama County also operates South Tama County High School (421 students) and South Tama County Middle School (413 students) alongside South Tama County 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 South Tama County Elementary School compares
South Tama County 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 10% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.2% | ▲ 57% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 534 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
534
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 40% in Iowa - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.0%
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
$13,087
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors1.9 FTE
Per 274 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 44.2%
Hispanic or Latino 40.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 7.9%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 1.5%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 44.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.2, South Tama County 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 South Tama County, which includes South Tama County Elementary School.
$13,087
Per student
+2%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-21%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.8%
State 56.6%
Federal 13.7%
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 South Tama County Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Tama County High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Tama County Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Tama County Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 421
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar other 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 (~534 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Tama County Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Tama County Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South Tama County'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 South Tama County Elementary School
How many students attend South Tama County Elementary School?
South Tama County Elementary School has 534 students enrolled. It is a public school in Tama, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Tama County Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Tama County Elementary School is 13.3:1, which is 10% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 15% 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 Tama County Elementary School?
57.2% of students at South Tama County Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Tama County Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Tama County Elementary School is White at 44.2% of enrollment, in Tama, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Tama County Elementary School?
South Tama County Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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).
Is South Tama County Elementary School a good school?
South Tama County Elementary School earns 51/100 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 South Tama County?
Besides South Tama County Elementary School, South Tama County also operates South Tama County High School (421 students) and South Tama County Middle School (413 students). See the South Tama County 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.