Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 32 schools in district

West Willow Elementary School

6225 1st AVE SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405Cedar Rapids Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
534
Students
Total enrolled
$18,192
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 27% vs nat'l
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 12% vs nat'l
53/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 534 students in grades PK–05 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
27% above average funding
District spends $18,192 per pupil, 27% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 53th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

West Willow Elementary School is a large elementary in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, serving grades PK–05 with 534 students. The district invests $18,192 per student — 27% above the national average of $14,347, with a 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 39% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at West Willow Elementary School

534
Total Students
17.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
39%
Free Lunch
31
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution284 male · 250 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility39%
National avg 52% · 209 students
Student Composition
61%
8%
20%
10%
Asian1%
White61%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black20%
Multiracial10%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 190654000235

Academic Outcomes at West Willow Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
53
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 53th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 89th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 52405

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,192Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,192
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,005
Student Support$3,457
Administration$2,183
Operations$2,729
Other$1,819
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,192 spent per student, an estimated $8,059 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
48%
38%
State government
48.5%
Local (property tax)
37.7%
Federal programs
13.9%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,192/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Viola Gibson Elementary SchoolMaple Grove ElementaryKenwood Leadership Academy SchoolHoover Elementary School
+15 more
↓
Middle
Harding Middle SchoolTaft Middle SchoolFranklin Middle SchoolRoosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy
+3 more
↓
High School
John F Kennedy High SchoolThomas Jefferson High SchoolGeorge Washington High SchoolMetro High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyLinn County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCedar Rapids Comm School District →
Phone: (319)558-3130
NCES ID: 190654000235
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Cedar Rapids seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Cedar Rapids Comm School District
High
John F Kennedy High School
1,714 students · 09–12
● 53 opp31% FRL
High
Thomas Jefferson High School
1,543 students · 09–12
● 47 opp56% FRL
High
George Washington High School
1,291 students · 09–12
● 50 opp49% FRL
Mid
Harding Middle School
713 students · 06–08
● 53 opp43% FRL
Elem
Viola Gibson Elementary School
591 students · PK–05
● 46 opp14% FRL
Mid
Taft Middle School
578 students · 06–08
● 53 opp38% FRL
Mid
Franklin Middle School
537 students · 06–08
● 44 opp56% FRL
Elem
Maple Grove Elementary
529 students · PK–05
● 53 opp35% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
6225 1st AVE SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.