Enrollment
681
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Waverly, IA
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 193054002163
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Waverly · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 18.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Waverly, IA.
School address
District: Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193054002163 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-48% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School is a lower-poverty, large elementary school in Waverly, Iowa, enrolling 681 students.
At 13.4:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.9% free-meal eligibility runs 48% below the Iowa average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 91% of state schools at 681 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 192 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #23.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 341 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
17.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Waverly's elementary schools, it stands alongside Margaretta Carey Elementary School (237 students): Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.4:1 vs 15.8:1).
Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District also operates Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School (737 students) and Margaretta Carey Elementary School (237 students) alongside Waverly-Shell Rock 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 Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School compares
Waverly-Shell Rock 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 9% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.9% | ▼ 48% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 681 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
681
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 48% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 42% in Iowa - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,251
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 30 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.8 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 91.0%
Two or More 3.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%
African American 1.9%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 91.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.0, Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District, which includes Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School.
$12,251
Per student
-5%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.8%
State 51.5%
Federal 8.7%
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 Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Margaretta Carey Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Cedar Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shell Rock Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Greenview Alternative School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 737
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 237
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 230
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 116
- Students per teacher
- 6.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 45
- Students per teacher
- 45:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Waverly
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~681 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Waverly-Shell Rock 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 Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School
How many students attend Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School?
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School has 681 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Waverly, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School is 13.4:1, which is 9% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 15% 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 Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School?
18.9% of students at Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School is White at 91.0% of enrollment, in Waverly, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School?
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School rank among elementary schools in Waverly?
By Resource Investment Index, Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Waverly, 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 Waverly on the city page.
Is Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School a good school?
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School earns 51/100 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 Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District?
Besides Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School, Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District also operates Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School (737 students), Margaretta Carey Elementary School (237 students), and West Cedar Elementary School (230 students). See the Waverly-Shell Rock 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.