Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 16 schools in district

Walnut Hills Elementary School

4240 156th St, Urbandale, IA 50323Waukee Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
625
Students
Total enrolled
$18,190
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 27% vs nat'l
16.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 6% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 625 students in grades KG–05 in Urbandale, Iowa.
27% above average funding
District spends $18,190 per pupil, 27% more than the national average of $14,347.
16.3 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Walnut Hills Elementary School is a large elementary in Urbandale, Iowa, serving grades KG–05 with 625 students. The district invests $18,190 per student — 27% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 9% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Walnut Hills Elementary School

625
Total Students
16.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
9%
Free Lunch
38
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution314 male · 311 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility9%
National avg 52% · 55 students
Student Composition
80%
Asian5%
White80%
Hispanic / Latino5%
Black4%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 193051000958

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,190Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,190
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,004
Student Support$3,456
Administration$2,183
Operations$2,729
Other$1,819
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,190 spent per student, an estimated $8,058 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
45%
49%
State government
44.6%
Local (property tax)
49.3%
Federal programs
6.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,190/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 9% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • 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
Radiant Elementary SchoolWaukee Elementary SchoolShuler Elementary SchoolEason Elementary School
+4 more
↓
Middle
Waukee Middle SchoolSouth Middle School
↓
High School
Northwest High SchoolWaukee High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyDallas County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWaukee Comm School District →
Phone: (515)987-3585
NCES ID: 193051000958
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Urbandale 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 Waukee Comm School District
High
Northwest High School
1,427 students · 10–12
● 50 opp13% FRL
High
Waukee High School
1,268 students · 10–12
● 50 opp24% FRL
Mid
Waukee Middle School
1,069 students · 06–07
● 50 opp12% FRL
Other
Prairieview School
1,039 students · 08–09
● 50 opp13% FRL
Mid
South Middle School
909 students · 06–07
● 50 opp26% FRL
Other
Timberline School
889 students · 08–09
● 50 opp26% FRL
Elem
Radiant Elementary School
682 students · KG–05
9% FRL
Elem
Waukee Elementary School
682 students · KG–05
● 50 opp20% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4240 156th St, Urbandale, IA 50323
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.