Enrollment
440
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Glenwood, IA
West Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 191269000770
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Glenwood · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 28.7%
- 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 4 public schools in Glenwood, IA.
School address
District: Glenwood Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191269000770 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-21% 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 elementary school in Glenwood, Iowa, enrolling 440 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 28.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 440 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 400 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #162.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 16/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 440 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Glenwood Comm School District also operates Glenwood Senior High School (570 students) and Northeast Elementary School (538 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 | 15.2:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.7% | ▼ 21% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 440 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
440
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 68% in Iowa - lower ratio than 32% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,779
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 440 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 91.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%
Two or More 2.5%
African American 0.9%
Largest group: White at 91.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 16.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 16.1, 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 Glenwood Comm School District, which includes West Elementary School.
$11,779
Per student
-8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.6%
State 48.2%
Federal 12.2%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northeast Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glenwood Middle School | Similar size | 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
- 570
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 538
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~440 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Glenwood 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 440 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Glenwood, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 3% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Elementary School?
28.7% 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 91.4% of enrollment, in Glenwood, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Elementary School?
West Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 West Elementary School rank among public schools in Glenwood?
By Resource Investment Index, West Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Glenwood, 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 Glenwood on the city page.
Is West Elementary School a good school?
West Elementary School earns 48/100 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 Glenwood Comm School District?
Besides West Elementary School, Glenwood Comm School District also operates Glenwood Senior High School (570 students), Northeast Elementary School (538 students), and Glenwood Middle School (453 students). See the Glenwood 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.