Enrollment
651
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Storm Lake, IA
Storm Lake Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Storm Lake Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 192739001600
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Storm Lake Middle School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #2 of 5
- public schools in Storm Lake · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- students per teacher
- 59.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Storm Lake Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Storm Lake Middle School ranks #2 of 5 public schools in Storm Lake, IA.
School address
District: Storm Lake Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192739001600 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Storm Lake Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Storm Lake Middle School
Storm Lake Middle School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Storm Lake, Iowa, enrolling 651 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 is high: 59.0% of students qualify for free meals, 62% 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 90% of state schools at 651 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 94 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #15.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (57%) and Asian (13%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 343 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Storm Lake's elementary schools, it stands alongside Storm Lake Elementary (822 students): Storm Lake Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 15.8:1).
Storm Lake Comm School District also operates Storm Lake High School (851 students) and Storm Lake Elementary (822 students) alongside Storm Lake Middle 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 Storm Lake Middle School compares
Storm Lake Middle 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 | 59.0% | ▲ 62% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 651 | top 10% | - | - |
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.
651
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% 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
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
26.4%
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
Counselors1.9 FTE
Per 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
89
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 expulsions.
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 56.8%
Asian 13.1%
White 12.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 11.8%
African American 4.3%
Two or More 1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, Storm Lake Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Storm Lake Comm School District, which includes Storm Lake Middle School.
$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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Lake High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Storm Lake Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher 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 Middle School'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
- 822
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- 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 (~651 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Storm Lake Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Storm Lake Middle School 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 Middle School
How many students attend Storm Lake Middle School?
Storm Lake Middle School has 651 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Storm Lake, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Storm Lake Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Storm Lake Middle 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 Storm Lake Middle School?
59.0% of students at Storm Lake Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Storm Lake Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Storm Lake Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 56.8% of enrollment, in Storm Lake, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Storm Lake Middle School?
Storm Lake Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Storm Lake Middle School rank among public schools in Storm Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Storm Lake Middle School ranks #2 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 Middle School a good school?
Storm Lake Middle School earns 46/100 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 Storm Lake Comm School District?
Besides Storm Lake Middle School, Storm Lake Comm School District also operates Storm Lake High School (851 students), Storm Lake Elementary (822 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.