Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 8 schools in district

Horizon Elementary

5905 N W 100th Street, Johnston, IA 50131Johnston Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
647
Students
Total enrolled
$13,296
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 7% vs nat'l
14.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 647 students in grades KG–05 in Johnston, Iowa.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,296 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
14.8 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Horizon Elementary is a large elementary in Johnston, Iowa, serving grades KG–05 with 647 students. The district invests $13,296 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 36% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Horizon Elementary

647
Total Students
14.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
36%
Free Lunch
44
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution326 male · 321 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility36%
National avg 52% · 232 students
Student Composition
64%
11%
14%
Asian7%
White64%
Hispanic / Latino11%
Black14%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 191545000653

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,296Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,296
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,850
Student Support$2,526
Administration$1,595
Operations$1,994
Other$1,330
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,296 spent per student, an estimated $5,890 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
46%
47%
State government
45.8%
Local (property tax)
46.6%
Federal programs
7.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 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
Henry A Wallace Elementary SchoolTimber Ridge ElementaryLawson Elementary SchoolBeaver Creek Elementary School
↓
Middle
Summit Middle School
↓
High School
Johnston Senior High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyPolk County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJohnston Comm School District →
Phone: (515)986-1121
NCES ID: 191545000653
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Johnston seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Johnston Comm School District
High
Johnston Senior High School
1,790 students · 10–12
23% FRL
Other
Johnston Middle School
1,166 students · 08–09
24% FRL
Mid
Summit Middle School
1,112 students · 06–07
27% FRL
Elem
Henry A Wallace Elementary School
876 students · PK–05
14% FRL
Elem
Timber Ridge Elementary
662 students · KG–05
33% FRL
Elem
Lawson Elementary School
607 students · KG–05
32% FRL
Elem
Beaver Creek Elementary School
571 students · KG–05
26% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
5905 N W 100th Street, Johnston, IA 50131
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.