- Enrollment
- 227
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ackley, IA
The Cougars Den
Federal NCES profile for The Cougars Den, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190306001383
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
The Cougars Den earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 80% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Iowa.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Ackley · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 31.7%
- free-lunch eligible
The Cougars Den has class sizes smaller than 80% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, The Cougars Den ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Ackley, IA.
School address
District: Agwsr Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190306001383 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-6 students YoY
The Cougars Den shrank from 41 students in 2022-23 to 35 in 2023-24 (-14.6%).
Teacher FTE held 3.0 → 3.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-6 students YoY 190306001383 · Ackley, IA Other · SMALL · TRAD
35 enr · 11.7:1 · 31.7% lunch · RII 42
Nearest enrollment peer: Agwsr Elementary School (227 students)
The Cougars Den shrank from 41 students in 2022-23 to 35 in 2023-24 (-14.6%). Teacher FTE held 3.0 → 3.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Iowa schools → · Find another →
The Cougars Den in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Agwsr Elementa
Agwsr Elementary School
227 students
- Agwsr High Sch
Agwsr High School
190 students
- Agwsr Middle S
Agwsr Middle School
131 students
- Agwsr Elementa 59
Agwsr Elementary at Wellsburg
59 students
- This school 35
The Cougars Den
35 students
What this shows The Cougars Den reports 35 students on the CCD universe file.
How The Cougars Den compares
The Cougars Den is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.7:1 | ▼ 21% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 31.7% | ▼ 13% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 35 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
35
Bigger than 4% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
31.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 20% in Iowa - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$13,848
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $13,441
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 88.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%
Largest group: White at 88.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.2, The Cougars Den is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
District finance for Agwsr Comm School District reports $13,848 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How The Cougars Den Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agwsr Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Agwsr High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Agwsr Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Agwsr Elementary at Wellsburg | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to The Cougars Den's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 190
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 131
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 59
- Students per teacher
- 9.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~35 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about The Cougars Den
How many students attend The Cougars Den?
The Cougars Den has 35 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ackley, IA. CCD year-over-year: 41 (2022-23) → 35 (2023-24), down 6.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The Cougars Den?
The student-teacher ratio at The Cougars Den is 11.7:1, which is 21% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 25% 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 The Cougars Den?
31.7% of students at The Cougars Den are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of The Cougars Den?
The largest demographic group at The Cougars Den is White at 88.6% of enrollment, in Ackley, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for The Cougars Den?
The Cougars Den has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does The Cougars Den rank among public schools in Ackley?
By Resource Investment Index, The Cougars Den ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Ackley, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.
What other schools are in Agwsr Comm School District?
Besides The Cougars Den, Agwsr Comm School District also operates Agwsr Elementary School (227 students), Agwsr High School (190 students), and Agwsr Middle School (131 students). See the Agwsr Comm School District district page for the complete list.