Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 18 schools in district

Irving Elementary School

1115 W. 5th Street, Waterloo, IA 50702Waterloo Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
402
Students
Total enrolled
$16,998
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 18% vs nat'l
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 18% vs nat'l
41/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 402 students in grades KG–05 in Waterloo, Iowa.
18% above average funding
District spends $16,998 per pupil, 18% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 41th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Irving Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Waterloo, Iowa, serving grades KG–05 with 402 students. The district invests $16,998 per student — 18% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 92% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Irving Elementary School

402
Total Students
12.6 : 1
Student:Teacher
92%
Free Lunch
32
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution213 male · 189 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility92%
National avg 52% · 369 students
Student Composition
20%
17%
37%
12%
8%
Asian5%
White20%
Hispanic / Latino17%
Black37%
Multiracial12%
Pacific Islander8%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 193048001724

Academic Outcomes at Irving Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
41
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 41th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 32th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 50702

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,998Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,998
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,479
Student Support$3,230
Administration$2,040
Operations$2,550
Other$1,700
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,998 spent per student, an estimated $7,530 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
57%
23%
State government
56.9%
Local (property tax)
23.0%
Federal programs
20.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $16,998/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 92% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Kittrell Elementary SchoolOrange Elementary SchoolLowell Elementary SchoolHighland Elementary School
+6 more
↓
Middle
Hoover Middle SchoolCentral Middle SchoolGeorge Washington Carver AcademyBunger Middle School
↓
High School
West High SchoolEast High SchoolExpo Alternative Learning Center
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyBlack Hawk County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWaterloo Comm School District →
Phone: (319)433-2800
NCES ID: 193048001724
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Waterloo 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 Waterloo Comm School District
High
West High School
1,652 students · 09–12
● 41 opp62% FRL
High
East High School
1,022 students · 09–12
● 41 opp73% FRL
Mid
Hoover Middle School
883 students · 06–08
● 60 opp59% FRL
Elem
Kittrell Elementary School
614 students · PK–05
● 41 opp73% FRL
High
Expo Alternative Learning Center
609 students · 06–12
● 41 opp85% FRL
Elem
Orange Elementary School
521 students · PK–05
● 60 opp53% FRL
Elem
Lowell Elementary School
513 students · PK–05
● 41 opp74% FRL
Elem
Highland Elementary School
477 students · PK–05
● 41 opp85% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1115 W. 5th Street, Waterloo, IA 50702
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.