Enrollment
822
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Storm Lake, IA
Storm Lake Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Storm Lake Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 192739002107
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Storm Lake Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Storm Lake · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.8:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 67.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Storm Lake Elementary has class sizes larger than 75% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Storm Lake Elementary ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Storm Lake, IA.
School address
District: Storm Lake Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192739002107 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+84% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Storm Lake Elementary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Storm Lake Elementary
Storm Lake Elementary is a higher-need, large elementary school in Storm Lake, Iowa, enrolling 822 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 67.1% of students qualify for free meals, 84% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 94% of state schools at 822 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 39 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #35, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and Asian (14%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 211 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Storm Lake's elementary schools, it stands alongside Storm Lake Middle School (651 students): Storm Lake Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 12.8:1).
Storm Lake Comm School District also operates Storm Lake High School (851 students) and Storm Lake Middle School (651 students) alongside Storm Lake 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 Storm Lake Elementary compares
Storm Lake 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 7% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.1% | ▲ 84% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 822 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
822
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 84% 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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 75% in Iowa - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
40.4%
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
$12,490
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
Counselors3.9 FTE
Per 211 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 55.5%
Asian 13.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 13.4%
White 10.5%
African American 4.7%
Two or More 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.2, Storm Lake Elementary is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Storm Lake Comm School District, which includes Storm Lake Elementary.
$12,490
Per student
-3%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.1%
State 57.8%
Federal 14.1%
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 Storm Lake Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Lake High School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Storm Lake Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Storm Lake Early Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Early Childhood Ctr | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St Lake/Ia Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College Hs | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Storm Lake Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 651
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 3/100
- Enrollment
- 122
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 50
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 65/100
Similar elementary schools in Storm Lake
1 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 (~822 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Storm Lake Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Storm Lake Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Storm Lake 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 Storm Lake Elementary
How many students attend Storm Lake Elementary?
Storm Lake Elementary has 822 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Storm Lake, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Storm Lake Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Storm Lake Elementary is 15.8:1, which is 7% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Storm Lake Elementary?
67.1% of students at Storm Lake Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Storm Lake Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Storm Lake Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 55.5% of enrollment, in Storm Lake, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Storm Lake Elementary?
Storm Lake Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Storm Lake Elementary rank among public schools in Storm Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Storm Lake Elementary ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Storm Lake, 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 Storm Lake on the city page.
Is Storm Lake Elementary a good school?
Storm Lake Elementary earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Storm Lake Comm School District?
Besides Storm Lake Elementary, Storm Lake Comm School District also operates Storm Lake High School (851 students), Storm Lake Middle School (651 students), and Storm Lake Early Elementary School (437 students). See the Storm Lake 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.