Enrollment
683
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Sioux City, IA
Spalding Park Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Spalding Park Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 192640002178
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Spalding Park Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #9 of 11
- schools in Sioux City · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 51.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Spalding Park Elementary has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Spalding Park Elementary ranks #9 of 11 schools in Sioux City, IA.
School address
District: Sioux City Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192640002178 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Spalding Park Elementary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Spalding Park Elementary
Spalding Park Elementary is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Sioux City, Iowa, enrolling 683 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.9:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 51.5% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 91% of state schools at 683 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 118 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #77.
Its student body is led by White (37%) and Hispanic or Latino (35%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 72/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 683 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Sioux City's public schools, it stands alongside Liberty Elementary School (659 students): Spalding Park Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 14:1).
Sioux City Comm School District also operates North High School (1,529 students) and East High School (1,495 students) alongside Spalding Park 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 Spalding Park Elementary compares
Spalding Park 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 13% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.5% | ▲ 41% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 683 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
683
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 34% in Iowa - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.2%
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
$11,941
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 683 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 36.6%
Hispanic or Latino 35.3%
African American 10.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.2%
Two or More 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.5%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 36.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.9, Spalding Park Elementary is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sioux City Comm School District, which includes Spalding Park Elementary.
$11,941
Per student
-7%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.0%
State 66.5%
Federal 14.5%
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 Spalding Park Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Spalding Park Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,529
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,495
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,136
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Sioux City
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Liberty Elementary School
Standard public school
659 students 14:1 students per teacher
Morningside Elementary
Standard public school
645 students 14:1 students per teacher
Bryant Elementary School
Standard public school
608 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Leeds Elementary School
Standard public school
593 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Unity Elementary School
Standard public school
483 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Hunt Elementary School
Standard public school
451 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~683 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Spalding Park Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Spalding Park Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Sioux City 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 Spalding Park Elementary
How many students attend Spalding Park Elementary?
Spalding Park Elementary has 683 students enrolled. It is a public school in Sioux City, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Spalding Park Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Spalding Park Elementary is 12.9:1, which is 13% 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 Spalding Park Elementary?
51.5% of students at Spalding Park Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Spalding Park Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Spalding Park Elementary is White at 36.6% of enrollment, in Sioux City, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Spalding Park Elementary?
Spalding Park Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Spalding Park Elementary rank among schools in Sioux City?
By Resource Investment Index, Spalding Park Elementary ranks #9 of 11 schools in Sioux City, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Sioux City on the city page.
Is Spalding Park Elementary a good school?
Spalding Park Elementary earns 38/100 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 Sioux City Comm School District?
Besides Spalding Park Elementary, Sioux City Comm School District also operates North High School (1,529 students), East High School (1,495 students), and West High School (1,308 students). See the Sioux City 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.