Enrollment
551
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ankeny, IA
Westwood Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Westwood Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 190369002026
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Westwood Elementary School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 10
- elementary schools in Ankeny · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 14.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Westwood Elementary School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Westwood Elementary School ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Ankeny, IA.
School address
District: Ankeny Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190369002026 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
14.5%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-60% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Westwood Elementary School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Westwood Elementary School
Westwood Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Ankeny, Iowa, enrolling 551 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 14.5% free-meal eligibility runs 60% below the Iowa average.
Enrollment of 551 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 204 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 led by White (79%) and Hispanic or Latino (9%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 276 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
10.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Ankeny's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rock Creek Elementary (639 students): Westwood Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 14.9:1).
Ankeny Comm School District also operates Ankeny Centennial High School (1,470 students) and Ankeny High School (1,375 students) alongside Westwood 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 Westwood Elementary School compares
Westwood 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 14.5% | ▼ 60% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 551 | top 16% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
551
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
14.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 60% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 64% in Iowa - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.7%
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
$11,716
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 276 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 78.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Two or More 6.5%
African American 4.0%
Asian 1.5%
Largest group: White at 78.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.7, Westwood 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 Ankeny Comm School District, which includes Westwood Elementary School.
$11,716
Per student
-9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.8%
State 50.4%
Federal 5.8%
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 Westwood Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny Centennial High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ankeny High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northview Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Prairie Ridge Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Southview Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Westwood Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,375
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,021
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,004
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Ankeny
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rock Creek Elementary
Standard public school
639 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Heritage Elementary
Standard public school
604 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Northeast Elementary
Standard public school
595 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Southeast Elementary School
Standard public school
585 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Ashland Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
548 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Prairie Trail Elementary
Standard public school
526 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
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 (~551 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Westwood Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Westwood Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Ankeny 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 Westwood Elementary School
How many students attend Westwood Elementary School?
Westwood Elementary School has 551 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ankeny, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Westwood Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Westwood Elementary School is 14.9:1, which is 1% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Westwood Elementary School?
14.5% of students at Westwood Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Westwood Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Westwood Elementary School is White at 78.6% of enrollment, in Ankeny, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Westwood Elementary School?
Westwood Elementary School 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 Westwood Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Ankeny?
By Resource Investment Index, Westwood Elementary School ranks #1 of 10 elementary schools in Ankeny, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Ankeny on the city page.
Is Westwood Elementary School a good school?
Westwood Elementary School earns 57/100 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 Ankeny Comm School District?
Besides Westwood Elementary School, Ankeny Comm School District also operates Ankeny Centennial High School (1,470 students), Ankeny High School (1,375 students), and Northview Middle School (1,021 students). See the Ankeny 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.