Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 15 schools in district

Carter Lake Elementary School

1000 Willow Drive, Carter Lake, IA 51510Council Bluffs Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
361
Students
Total enrolled
$16,862
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 18% vs nat'l
12.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 18% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 21% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 361 students in grades PK–05 in Carter Lake, Iowa.
18% above average funding
District spends $16,862 per pupil, 18% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Carter Lake Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in Carter Lake, Iowa, serving grades PK–05 with 361 students. The district invests $16,862 per student — 18% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 72% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Carter Lake Elementary School

361
Total Students
12.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
72%
Free Lunch
28
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 Distribution189 male · 172 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility72%
National avg 52% · 259 students
Student Composition
74%
12%
9%
Asian1%
White74%
Hispanic / Latino12%
Black9%
Multiracial4%
Native American1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 190822000413

Academic Outcomes at Carter Lake Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 26th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 51510

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,862Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,862
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,419
Student Support$3,204
Administration$2,023
Operations$2,529
Other$1,686
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,862 spent per student, an estimated $7,470 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
54%
30%
State government
53.5%
Local (property tax)
30.2%
Federal programs
16.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $16,862/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • 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
Franklin Elementary SchoolLongfellow Elementary SchoolRoosevelt Elementary SchoolCollege View Elementary
+6 more
↓
Middle
Gerald W Kirn Middle SchoolWoodrow Wilson Middle School
↓
High School
Abraham Lincoln High SchoolThomas Jefferson High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyPottawattamie County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCouncil Bluffs Comm School District →
Phone: (712)347-5876
NCES ID: 190822000413
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Carter Lake 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 Council Bluffs Comm School District
High
Abraham Lincoln High School
1,399 students · 09–12
● 42 opp52% FRL
High
Thomas Jefferson High School
1,243 students · 09–12
● 39 opp65% FRL
Mid
Gerald W Kirn Middle School
956 students · 06–08
● 42 opp54% FRL
Mid
Woodrow Wilson Middle School
900 students · 06–08
● 39 opp75% FRL
Elem
Franklin Elementary School
497 students · PK–05
● 39 opp64% FRL
Elem
Longfellow Elementary School
481 students · PK–05
● 39 opp61% FRL
Elem
Roosevelt Elementary School
462 students · PK–05
● 39 opp60% FRL
Elem
College View Elementary
449 students · PK–05
● 42 opp40% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1000 Willow Drive, Carter Lake, IA 51510
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.