Enrollment
239
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Branch, IA
West Branch Middle School
Federal NCES profile for West Branch Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 193075001773
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Branch Middle School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in West Branch · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 22.6%
- free-lunch eligible
West Branch Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Branch Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in West Branch, IA.
School address
District: West Branch Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193075001773 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.6%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Branch Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Branch Middle School
West Branch Middle School is a mid-sized elementary school in West Branch, Iowa, enrolling 239 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 239 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 355 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #43.
Its student body is predominantly White (85% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 257 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
West Branch Comm School District also operates Hoover Elementary School (353 students) and West Branch High School (273 students) alongside West Branch 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 West Branch Middle School compares
West Branch 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.6% | ▼ 38% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 239 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
239
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 64% in Iowa - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
7.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,971
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.7 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 84.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 2.5%
African American 2.1%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 84.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 27.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 27.6, West Branch 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 West Branch Comm School District, which includes West Branch Middle School.
$11,971
Per student
-7%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 52.0%
State 41.0%
Federal 7.0%
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 West Branch Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoover Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Branch High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Branch Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 353
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 273
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
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 (~239 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Branch Middle School's federal record.
- Compare West Branch Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- West Branch 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 West Branch Middle School
How many students attend West Branch Middle School?
West Branch Middle School has 239 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Branch, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Branch Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Branch Middle School is 14.9:1, which is 1% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Branch Middle School?
22.6% of students at West Branch Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Branch Middle School?
The largest demographic group at West Branch Middle School is White at 84.5% of enrollment, in West Branch, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Branch Middle School?
West Branch Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (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 West Branch Middle School rank among public schools in West Branch?
By Resource Investment Index, West Branch Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in West Branch, 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 West Branch on the city page.
Is West Branch Middle School a good school?
West Branch Middle School earns 60/100 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 West Branch Comm School District?
Besides West Branch Middle School, West Branch Comm School District also operates Hoover Elementary School (353 students) and West Branch High School (273 students). See the West Branch 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.