Enrollment
293
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Emmetsburg, IA
West Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 64/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 191095000678
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Elementary School earns 64/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Emmetsburg · Resource Index
- 64
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 36.0%
- free-lunch eligible
West Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Emmetsburg, IA.
School address
District: Emmetsburg Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191095000678 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Elementary School
West Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Emmetsburg, Iowa, enrolling 293 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 36.0% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 293 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 97% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 442 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #7, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 20/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Emmetsburg Comm School District also operates Emmetsburg High School (235 students) and Emmetsburg Middle School (199 students) alongside West 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 West Elementary School compares
West 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 1% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.0% | ▼ 1% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 293 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
293
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.0%
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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 61% in Iowa - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
8.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,661
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 89.1%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%
Two or More 2.0%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 89.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.1, West 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 Emmetsburg Comm School District, which includes West Elementary School.
$11,661
Per student
-9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.9%
State 38.0%
Federal 12.1%
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 Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmetsburg High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Emmetsburg Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 235
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 199
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
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 (~293 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Emmetsburg 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 Elementary School
How many students attend West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has 293 students enrolled. It is a public school in Emmetsburg, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School is 14.7:1, which is 1% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 6% 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 West Elementary School?
36.0% of students at West Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Elementary School is White at 89.1% of enrollment, in Emmetsburg, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 64/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does West Elementary School rank among public schools in Emmetsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Emmetsburg, 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 Emmetsburg on the city page.
Is West Elementary School a good school?
West Elementary School earns 64/100 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 Emmetsburg Comm School District?
Besides West Elementary School, Emmetsburg Comm School District also operates Emmetsburg High School (235 students) and Emmetsburg Middle School (199 students). See the Emmetsburg 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.