Enrollment
429
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cedar Rapids, IA
Van Buren Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Van Buren Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190654000266
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Van Buren Elementary School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #13 of 13
- elementary schools in Cedar Rapids · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 75.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Van Buren Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Van Buren Elementary School ranks #13 of 13 elementary schools in Cedar Rapids, IA.
School address
District: Cedar Rapids Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190654000266 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.6%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+108% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Van Buren Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Van Buren Elementary School
Van Buren Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, enrolling 429 students.
At 14.3:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Iowa median, within a few percentage points of the 14.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 75.6% of students qualify for free meals, 108% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 429 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 77 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #65, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (46%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 438 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Cedar Rapids's elementary schools, it stands alongside Prairie Creek (846 students): Van Buren Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 15.7:1).
Cedar Rapids Comm School District also operates John F Kennedy High School (1,648 students) and Thomas Jefferson High School (1,501 students) alongside Van Buren 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 Van Buren Elementary School compares
Van Buren 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.6% | ▲ 108% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 429 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
429
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
75.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 108% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 56% in Iowa - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
35.2%
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
$13,962
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.1 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
African American 46.2%
Hispanic or Latino 25.2%
White 22.1%
Two or More 4.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
Asian 0.9%
Largest group: African American at 46.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.2, Van Buren Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cedar Rapids Comm School District, which includes Van Buren Elementary School.
$13,962
Per student
+9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.7%
State 48.5%
Federal 13.9%
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 Van Buren Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F Kennedy High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harding Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Taft Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Van Buren Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,648
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,501
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,182
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 710
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 593
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar elementary schools in Cedar Rapids
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Prairie Creek
Standard public school
846 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Hoover Elementary School
Standard public school
420 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Pierce Elementary School
Standard public school
334 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Johnson Steam Academy School
Standard public school
324 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Grant Elementary School
Standard public school
312 students 13:1 students per teacher
Erskine Elementary School
Standard public school
308 students 15.4:1 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 (~429 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Van Buren Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Van Buren Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Cedar Rapids 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 Van Buren Elementary School
How many students attend Van Buren Elementary School?
Van Buren Elementary School has 429 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cedar Rapids, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Van Buren Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Van Buren Elementary School is 14.3:1, which is 3% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 9% 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 Van Buren Elementary School?
75.6% of students at Van Buren Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Van Buren Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Van Buren Elementary School is African American at 46.2% of enrollment, in Cedar Rapids, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Van Buren Elementary School?
Van Buren Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Van Buren Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Cedar Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Van Buren Elementary School ranks #13 of 13 elementary schools in Cedar Rapids, 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 Cedar Rapids on the city page.
Is Van Buren Elementary School a good school?
Van Buren Elementary School earns 34/100 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 Cedar Rapids Comm School District?
Besides Van Buren Elementary School, Cedar Rapids Comm School District also operates John F Kennedy High School (1,648 students), Thomas Jefferson High School (1,501 students), and George Washington High School (1,182 students). See the Cedar Rapids 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.