Enrollment
587
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Marion, IA
Vernon Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Vernon Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 191869001078
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vernon Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #5 of 7
- elementary schools in Marion · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 32.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Vernon Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vernon Middle School ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Marion, IA.
School address
District: Marion Independent School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191869001078 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
32.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-10% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vernon Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vernon Middle School
Vernon Middle School is a large elementary school in Marion, Iowa, enrolling 587 students.
At 14:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 32.9% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 587 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 259 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #153.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 294 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 230 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 587 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Marion's elementary schools, it stands alongside Boulder Peak Intermediate School (613 students): Vernon Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 15.7:1).
Marion Independent School District also operates Marion High School (735 students) and Francis Marion Intermediate School (320 students) alongside Vernon 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 Vernon Middle School compares
Vernon 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 | 14:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.9% | ▼ 10% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 587 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
587
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
32.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 10% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 50% in Iowa - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.0%
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
$12,964
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 294 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
41
in-school suspensions + 189 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.2 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 80.1%
Two or More 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%
African American 5.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 80.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.7, Vernon Middle School is about as mixed as the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Marion Independent School District, which includes Vernon Middle School.
$12,964
Per student
+1%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.7%
State 43.1%
Federal 9.2%
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 Vernon Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Francis Marion Intermediate School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Starry Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vernon Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 735
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 320
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 267
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 254
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar elementary schools in Marion
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Boulder Peak Intermediate School
Standard public school
613 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Hazel Point Intermediate School
Standard public school
563 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Indian Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
354 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Novak Elementary School
Standard public school
347 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Francis Marion Intermediate School
Standard public school
320 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Starry Elementary School
Standard public school
267 students 14.1:1 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 (~587 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vernon Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Vernon Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Marion Independent 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 Vernon Middle School
How many students attend Vernon Middle School?
Vernon Middle School has 587 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Marion, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vernon Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vernon Middle School is 14:1, which is 5% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 11% 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 Vernon Middle School?
32.9% of students at Vernon Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vernon Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Vernon Middle School is White at 80.1% of enrollment, in Marion, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vernon Middle School?
Vernon Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Vernon Middle School rank among elementary schools in Marion?
By Resource Investment Index, Vernon Middle School ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Marion, 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 Marion on the city page.
Is Vernon Middle School a good school?
Vernon Middle School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Marion Independent School District?
Besides Vernon Middle School, Marion Independent School District also operates Marion High School (735 students), Francis Marion Intermediate School (320 students), and Starry Elementary School (267 students). See the Marion Independent 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.