Enrollment
561
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Inwood, IA
West Lyon Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Lyon Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 193102001806
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Lyon Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Iowa schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Inwood · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 20.0%
- free-lunch eligible
West Lyon Elementary School has class sizes larger than 77% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Lyon Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Inwood, IA.
School address
District: West Lyon Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193102001806 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.0%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Lyon Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Lyon Elementary School
West Lyon Elementary School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Inwood, Iowa, enrolling 561 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 561 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 262 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #57.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 23/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 572 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
West Lyon Comm School District also operates West Lyon High School (284 students) and West Lyon Junior High School (128 students) alongside West Lyon 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 Lyon Elementary School compares
West Lyon 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 8% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.0% | ▼ 45% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 561 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
561
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 77% in Iowa - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
3.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$11,202
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
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 87.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%
Two or More 2.1%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 87.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.4, West Lyon 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 West Lyon Comm School District, which includes West Lyon Elementary School.
$11,202
Per student
-13%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-32%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 41.4%
State 47.5%
Federal 11.2%
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 Lyon Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lyon High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Lyon Junior High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Lyon Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 284
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 128
- Students per teacher
- 32:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
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 (~561 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Lyon Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Lyon Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- West Lyon 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 Lyon Elementary School
How many students attend West Lyon Elementary School?
West Lyon Elementary School has 561 students enrolled. It is a public school in Inwood, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Lyon Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Lyon Elementary School is 16:1, which is 8% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at West Lyon Elementary School?
20.0% of students at West Lyon Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Lyon Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Lyon Elementary School is White at 87.0% of enrollment, in Inwood, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Lyon Elementary School?
West Lyon Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Lyon Elementary School rank among public schools in Inwood?
By Resource Investment Index, West Lyon Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Inwood, 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 Inwood on the city page.
Is West Lyon Elementary School a good school?
West Lyon Elementary School earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Lyon Comm School District?
Besides West Lyon Elementary School, West Lyon Comm School District also operates West Lyon High School (284 students) and West Lyon Junior High School (128 students). See the West Lyon 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.