Enrollment
298
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Burlington, IA
Sunnyside Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sunnyside Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190579000194
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunnyside Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 82% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #2 of 5
- elementary schools in Burlington · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.5:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 56.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunnyside Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunnyside Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Burlington, IA.
School address
District: Burlington Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190579000194 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.3%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunnyside Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunnyside Elementary School
Sunnyside Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Burlington, Iowa, enrolling 298 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 56.3% of students qualify for free meals, 55% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 298 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 182 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #176, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and African American (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 596 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Burlington's elementary schools, it stands alongside Aldo Leopold Intermediate School (412 students): Sunnyside Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.5:1 vs 10:1).
Burlington Comm School District also operates Burlington Community High School (1,016 students) and Edward Stone Middle School (452 students) alongside Sunnyside 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 Sunnyside Elementary School compares
Sunnyside 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 | 11.5:1 | ▼ 22% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.3% | ▲ 55% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 298 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.5:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
298
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
11.5:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 18% in Iowa - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
29.5%
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
$13,983
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.0 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 62.4%
African American 15.1%
Two or More 14.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
Asian 1.0%
Largest group: White at 62.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.2, Sunnyside Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Burlington Comm School District, which includes Sunnyside Elementary School.
$13,983
Per student
+9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 57.5%
Federal 16.2%
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 Sunnyside Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edward Stone Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aldo Leopold Intermediate School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Black Hawk Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Hill Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunnyside Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,016
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 452
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 412
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 268
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar elementary schools in Burlington
4 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Aldo Leopold Intermediate School
Standard public school
412 students 10:1 students per teacher
Black Hawk Elementary School
Standard public school
305 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
North Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
268 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
James Wilson Grimes School
Standard public school
212 students 8.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~298 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunnyside Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sunnyside Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Burlington 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 Sunnyside Elementary School
How many students attend Sunnyside Elementary School?
Sunnyside Elementary School has 298 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Burlington, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunnyside Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunnyside Elementary School is 11.5:1, which is 22% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 27% 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 Sunnyside Elementary School?
56.3% of students at Sunnyside Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunnyside Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sunnyside Elementary School is White at 62.4% of enrollment, in Burlington, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunnyside Elementary School?
Sunnyside Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (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 Sunnyside Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Burlington?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunnyside Elementary School ranks #2 of 5 elementary schools in Burlington, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Burlington on the city page.
Is Sunnyside Elementary School a good school?
Sunnyside Elementary School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 82% 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 Burlington Comm School District?
Besides Sunnyside Elementary School, Burlington Comm School District also operates Burlington Community High School (1,016 students), Edward Stone Middle School (452 students), and Aldo Leopold Intermediate School (412 students). See the Burlington 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.