Enrollment
438
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Liberty, IA
West Liberty Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Liberty Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 193099002109
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Liberty Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Iowa schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in West Liberty · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.8:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 50.1%
- free-lunch eligible
West Liberty Elementary School has class sizes larger than 83% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Liberty Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in West Liberty, IA.
School address
District: West Liberty Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193099002109 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.8:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.1%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Liberty Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Liberty Elementary School
West Liberty Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in West Liberty, Iowa, enrolling 438 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 50.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 438 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 244 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #192, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and White (33%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 438 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among West Liberty's elementary schools, it stands alongside West Liberty Middle School (367 students): West Liberty Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.8:1 vs 13.6:1).
West Liberty Comm School District also operates West Liberty High School (397 students) and West Liberty Middle School (367 students) alongside West Liberty 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 Liberty Elementary School compares
West Liberty 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 | 16.8:1 | ▲ 14% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.1% | ▲ 38% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 438 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.8:1
Leaner classes than 32% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
438
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.8:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 83% in Iowa - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,339
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 438 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 64.8%
White 32.9%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.7%
Two or More 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.2, West Liberty Elementary School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Liberty Comm School District, which includes West Liberty Elementary School.
$11,339
Per student
-12%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 59.6%
Federal 11.6%
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 Liberty Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Liberty High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Liberty Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Early Childhood Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Liberty Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 397
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 367
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 89
- Students per teacher
- 8.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in West Liberty
1 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 (~438 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Liberty Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Liberty Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- West Liberty 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 Liberty Elementary School
How many students attend West Liberty Elementary School?
West Liberty Elementary School has 438 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Liberty, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Liberty Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Liberty Elementary School is 16.8:1, which is 14% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 7% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Liberty Elementary School?
50.1% of students at West Liberty Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Liberty Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Liberty Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 64.8% of enrollment, in West Liberty, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Liberty Elementary School?
West Liberty Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Liberty Elementary School rank among public schools in West Liberty?
By Resource Investment Index, West Liberty Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in West Liberty, 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 Liberty on the city page.
Is West Liberty Elementary School a good school?
West Liberty Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 West Liberty Comm School District?
Besides West Liberty Elementary School, West Liberty Comm School District also operates West Liberty High School (397 students), West Liberty Middle School (367 students), and Early Childhood Center (89 students). See the West Liberty 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.