Enrollment
565
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cedar Rapids, IA
Viola Gibson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Viola Gibson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190654000731
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 51
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Viola Gibson Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Iowa schools.
- #9 of 17
- schools in Cedar Rapids · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.1:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 11.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Viola Gibson Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Viola Gibson Elementary School ranks #9 of 17 schools in Cedar Rapids, IA.
School address
District: Cedar Rapids Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190654000731 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-70% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Viola Gibson Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Viola Gibson Elementary School
Viola Gibson Elementary School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, enrolling 565 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.0% free-meal eligibility runs 70% below the Iowa average.
Enrollment of 565 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.
Among 153 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #136, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 27/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 577 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Cedar Rapids's public schools, it stands alongside Prairie Point (868 students): Viola Gibson Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.1:1 vs 11.4:1).
Cedar Rapids Comm School District also operates John F Kennedy High School (1,648 students) and Thomas Jefferson High School (1,501 students) alongside Viola Gibson 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 Viola Gibson Elementary School compares
Viola Gibson 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 | 16.1:1 | ▲ 9% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.0% | ▼ 70% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 565 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
565
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 70% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 78% in Iowa - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
19.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 85.0%
Two or More 6.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%
African American 1.6%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 85.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.0, Viola Gibson Elementary School is less 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 Viola Gibson 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 Viola Gibson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F Kennedy High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| George Washington High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Harding Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Taft Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Viola Gibson 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 other schools in Cedar Rapids
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Prairie Point
Standard public school
868 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
West Willow Elementary School
Standard public school
555 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Maple Grove Elementary
Standard public school
539 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Prairie Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
466 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Prairie Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
438 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Prairie Crest Elementary
Standard public school
434 students 15:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~565 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Viola Gibson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Viola Gibson 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 Viola Gibson Elementary School
How many students attend Viola Gibson Elementary School?
Viola Gibson Elementary School has 565 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cedar Rapids, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Viola Gibson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Viola Gibson Elementary School is 16.1:1, which is 9% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Viola Gibson Elementary School?
11.0% of students at Viola Gibson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Viola Gibson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Viola Gibson Elementary School is White at 85.0% of enrollment, in Cedar Rapids, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Viola Gibson Elementary School?
Viola Gibson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Viola Gibson Elementary School rank among schools in Cedar Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Viola Gibson Elementary School ranks #9 of 17 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 schools in Cedar Rapids on the city page.
Is Viola Gibson Elementary School a good school?
Viola Gibson Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of 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 Viola Gibson 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.