Enrollment
554
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Atlantic, IA
Washington Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Washington Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 190393000094
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Washington Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Iowa schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Atlantic · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.4:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 36.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Washington Elementary School has class sizes larger than 71% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Atlantic, IA.
School address
District: Atlantic Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190393000094 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington Elementary School
Washington Elementary School is a large combined-grade school in Atlantic, Iowa, enrolling 554 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 36.1% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 554 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 284 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #272, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 554 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Atlantic Comm School District also operates Atlantic High School (478 students) and Atlantic Middle School (349 students) alongside Washington 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 Washington Elementary School compares
Washington 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 4% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.1% | ▼ 1% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 554 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
554
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 71% in Iowa - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,731
per pupil, district-wide
- below 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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 554 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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.
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 84.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
Two or More 1.1%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 84.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.1, Washington Elementary School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Atlantic Comm School District, which includes Washington Elementary School.
$11,731
Per student
-9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.4%
State 38.1%
Federal 9.5%
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 Washington Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Atlantic Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Schuler Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 478
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 349
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 206
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
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 (~554 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Washington Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Atlantic 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 Washington Elementary School
How many students attend Washington Elementary School?
Washington Elementary School has 554 students enrolled. It is a public school in Atlantic, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington Elementary School is 15.4:1, which is 4% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Washington Elementary School?
36.1% of students at Washington Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Washington Elementary School is White at 84.1% of enrollment, in Atlantic, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington Elementary School?
Washington Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Washington Elementary School rank among public schools in Atlantic?
By Resource Investment Index, Washington Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Atlantic, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Atlantic on the city page.
Is Washington Elementary School a good school?
Washington Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% 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 Atlantic Comm School District?
Besides Washington Elementary School, Atlantic Comm School District also operates Atlantic High School (478 students), Atlantic Middle School (349 students), and Schuler Elementary School (206 students). See the Atlantic 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.