1
What's the vibe like in the hallways at Ballard West Elementary right now?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
451
Elementary
DISTRICT 434 · STATE 325
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BALLARD COMM SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 190420000108
Ballard West Elementary
105 E Main St, Slater, IA 50244 · (515) 228-3890 · Story County
GRADES PK–02ELEMENTARY42-RURALREGULAR SCHOOL451 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
15.0:1
30 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.8:1 · STATE 13.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
19%
85 students
DISTRICT 19% · STATE 41%
Community
5
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 47 | 10% |
| Kindergarten | 144 | 32% |
| Grade 1 | 131 | 29% |
| Grade 2 | 129 | 29% |
Student demographics
17%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 15% · STATE 48% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Based on grade levels within Ballard Comm School District. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Schools most like Ballard West Elementary
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard West Elementary this school | 451 | 18.8% | N/A |
| Alan Shepard Elementary School Long Grove | 467 | 18.4% | 83.5% |
| Meadow View Elementary Adel | 520 | 19.6% | 83.3% |
| Roland-Story Elementary School Story City | 446 | 16.1% | 88.3% |
| Atkins Elementary School Atkins | 394 | 19.3% | 83.0% |
| North Ridge Elementary Waverly | 397 | 20.4% | N/A |
Matched among Iowa elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Ballard West Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Iowa | In Story County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 451 | #146 of 705 | #3 of 13 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.0:1 | #454 of 561 | #8 of 11 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 17.0% | #462 of 561 | #9 of 11 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 18.8% | #608 of 666 | #10 of 13 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +13.3% | #68 of 168 | #2 of 7 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
451
-6 (-1%) vs 2020
+158% since 1990-91, when it was 175
Student : Teacher
15.0:1
was 15.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 451 | 30 | 15.0:1 | 19% (85) |
| 2023-24 | 456 | 33.9 | 13.5:1 | 18% (81) |
| 2022-23 | 472 | 34.6 | 13.7:1 | 17% (82) |
| 2020-21 | 457 | 30 | 15.2:1 | 14% (63) |
| 2017-18 | 398 | 29.1 | 13.7:1 | 12% (49) |
| 2015-16 | 423 | 29 | 14.6:1 | 19% (79) |
| 2010-11 | 571 | 36 | 15.9:1 | 23% (129) |
| 2000-01 | 377 | 20 | 18.9:1 | 17% (63) |
| 1990-91 | 175 | 8 | 21.9:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Ballard West Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students up 13% (398 to 451); teachers up 3% (29.1 to 30).
About Ballard West Elementary
Ballard West Elementary is a public medium-sized elementary school in Slater, Iowa. Enrollment in 2024-25 was 451 students in pre-K through 2. Against the 325-student average for elementary schools in Iowa, enrollment here is 39% higher.
Ballard West Elementary reports to Ballard Comm School District, which has 4 schools and 1,872 students.
Most students at Ballard West Elementary are White: 91% of enrollment. Other students are 5% Hispanic and 2% multiracial. That is higher than the 82% White share among all Story County residents. By the diversity index, Ballard West Elementary comes in at 17%.
Federal staffing data show 30 full-time-equivalent teachers at Ballard West Elementary and a ratio of 15.0:1. The average ratio among elementary schools in Iowa is 13.7:1, lower than at this school. The count of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch equals 19% of enrollment. That rate is below the 28% average among public schools in Story County.
According to the American Community Survey, in Story County, median household income is about $69,685, 55% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. A total of 26 public schools operate in Story County, serving about 11,665 students.
Nearby, Ballard High School is about 3.3 miles away. Other public schools within five miles number 2.
Federal records code the school's setting as Rural: Distant.
Compared with 2020-21, when it had 457 students, enrollment in 2024-25 was about the same at 451.
Community posts for Ballard West Elementary can cover science fairs, picture day, and bus routes. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Story County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
100,466
Census ACS
Median income
$69,685
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
55%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
26
11,665 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Ballard Comm School District
- Ballard High SchoolHigh · 586 students
- Ballard Middle SchoolMiddle · 418 students
- Ballard East ElementaryElementary · 417 students
Nearby schools
- Ballard High School3.3 mi · 586
- Ballard Middle School3.8 mi · 418
- North Polk Middle School5.6 mi · 504
- North Polk Central Elementary School5.6 mi · 408
- North Polk High School5.7 mi · 644
- Ballard East Elementary6.9 mi · 417
Frequently asked questions
About Ballard West ElementaryHow large is Ballard West Elementary?
Ballard West Elementary enrolls approximately 451 students in grades PK-02.
Is Ballard West Elementary an elementary, middle, or high school?
Ballard West Elementary is an elementary school covering grades PK-02.
How many teachers does Ballard West Elementary have?
Ballard West Elementary employs 30 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.0:1.
How diverse is Ballard West Elementary?
Ballard West Elementary reports a student body of 91% White, 5% Hispanic, 1% Black, 0% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Is Ballard West Elementary public or private?
Ballard West Elementary is a public K-12 school, overseen by Ballard Comm School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.