Enrollment
352
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Onawa, IA
West Monona Elementary
Federal NCES profile for West Monona Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 193111002195
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Monona Elementary earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Iowa schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Onawa · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 39.7%
- free-lunch eligible
West Monona Elementary has class sizes larger than 77% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Monona Elementary ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Onawa, IA.
School address
District: West Monona Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 193111002195 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Monona Elementary compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Monona Elementary
West Monona Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Onawa, Iowa, enrolling 352 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 above the state's typical profile, with 39.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 352 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 423 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #46.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 176 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
16.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
West Monona Comm School District also operates West Monona High School (161 students) and West Monona Middle Sch (120 students) alongside West Monona Elementary.
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 Monona Elementary compares
West Monona Elementary 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 | 39.7% | ▲ 9% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 352 | top 41% | - | - |
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.
352
Bigger than 40% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; 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
16.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,752
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 176 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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 84.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%
Two or More 3.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 84.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.0, West Monona Elementary is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for West Monona Comm School District, which includes West Monona Elementary.
$12,752
Per student
-1%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.0%
State 42.4%
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 Monona Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Monona High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Monona Middle Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Monona Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 161
- Students per teacher
- 10.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 120
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
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 (~352 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Monona Elementary's federal record.
- Compare West Monona Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- West Monona 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 Monona Elementary
How many students attend West Monona Elementary?
West Monona Elementary has 352 students enrolled. It is a public school in Onawa, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Monona Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at West Monona Elementary 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 Monona Elementary?
39.7% of students at West Monona Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Monona Elementary?
The largest demographic group at West Monona Elementary is White at 84.4% of enrollment, in Onawa, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Monona Elementary?
West Monona Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 Monona Elementary rank among public schools in Onawa?
By Resource Investment Index, West Monona Elementary ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Onawa, 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 Onawa on the city page.
Is West Monona Elementary a good school?
West Monona Elementary earns 57/100 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 Monona Comm School District?
Besides West Monona Elementary, West Monona Comm School District also operates West Monona High School (161 students) and West Monona Middle Sch (120 students). See the West Monona 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.