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What's the best and worst thing about the food at South Prairie Elementary?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
436
Elementary
DISTRICT 387 · STATE 325
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·DALLAS CENTER-GRIMES COMM SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 190852002029
South Prairie Elementary
500 S James St, Grimes, IA 50111 · (515) 986-4057 · Polk County
GRADES KG–04ELEMENTARY21-SUBURBREGULAR SCHOOL436 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
13.5:1
32 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 14.3:1 · STATE 13.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
30%
132 students
DISTRICT 21% · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 99 | 23% |
| Grade 1 | 82 | 19% |
| Grade 2 | 86 | 20% |
| Grade 3 | 88 | 20% |
| Grade 4 | 81 | 19% |
This year's kindergarten class (99) is 22% larger than its 4th grade class (81).
Student demographics
48%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 29% · 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
South Prairie Elementary→Dallas Center-Grimes Middle School→DC-G Oak View→Dallas Center-Grimes High School
Based on grade levels within Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Schools most like South Prairie Elementary
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Prairie Elementary this school | 436 | 30.3% | N/A |
| Prairie Hill Elementary School Cedar Rapids | 466 | 35.2% | 79.6% |
| Prairie View Elementary School Cedar Rapids | 430 | 35.6% | 84.8% |
| Prairie Ridge Elementary Cedar Rapids | 438 | 34.7% | 81.4% |
| Buford Garner Elementary North Liberty | 344 | 31.1% | 68.8% |
| North Bend Elementary North Liberty | 326 | 30.4% | 77.6% |
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 South Prairie Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Iowa | In Polk County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 436 | #170 of 705 | #43 of 89 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.5:1 | #278 of 561 | #40 of 86 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 47.7% | #232 of 561 | #65 of 86 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 30.3% | #500 of 666 | #66 of 89 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -0.9% | #347 of 359 | #64 of 64 |
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
436
-53 (-11%) vs 2020
-28% since 1990-91, when it was 602
Student : Teacher
13.5:1
was 15.3:1
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 | 436 | 32.4 | 13.5:1 | 30% (132) |
| 2023-24 | 455 | 33.7 | 13.5:1 | 27% (122) |
| 2022-23 | 452 | 31.7 | 14.3:1 | 24% (110) |
| 2020-21 | 489 | 32 | 15.3:1 | 21% (104) |
| 2017-18 | 440 | 29.6 | 14.9:1 | 21% (93) |
| 2015-16 | 633 | 39 | 16.2:1 | 14% (86) |
| 2010-11 | 576 | 33 | 17.4:1 | 14% (79) |
| 2000-01 | 724 | 53 | 13.7:1 | 10% (76) |
| 1990-91 | 602 | 36 | 16.7:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for South Prairie Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 1% (440 to 436); teachers up 9% (29.6 to 32.4).
About South Prairie Elementary
South Prairie Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Grimes, Iowa. The school covers kindergarten through 4 and reported 436 students in 2024-25. That puts enrollment 34% above the 325-student average for elementary schools in Iowa.
Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District, which runs South Prairie Elementary, has 7 schools and 3,743 students.
Of every 100 students at South Prairie Elementary, about 70 are White. After that, the student body is 17% Black, 8% Hispanic, and 5% multiracial. Measured by the diversity index, the student body scores 48%.
A staff of 32.4 full-time-equivalent teachers puts the student-to-teacher ratio at 13.5:1. The ratio is within a point of the 13.7:1 average for elementary schools in Iowa. The share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch is 30%. Among public schools in Polk County, the average eligibility rate is 49%.
Polk County is the school's county. There, the median household earns about $83,576 a year, roughly 40% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Public schools in Polk County number 137, with about 77,436 students.
South Prairie Elementary's nearest public school is DC-G Oak View (about 1.1 miles). Inside a five-mile radius, there are at least 8 other public schools.
The federal government classifies South Prairie Elementary's location as Suburb: Large.
By 2024-25, enrollment had dropped to 436, from 489 in 2020-21. The ratio was 15.3:1 in 2020-21 and 13.5:1 in 2024-25.
This community page is for conversations about athletics, class schedules, and weather closures. You can also rate the school on this page.
Polk County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
503,175
Census ACS
Median income
$83,576
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
40%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
7%
Below federal line
Schools in county
137
77,436 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District
- Dallas Center-Grimes High SchoolHigh · 1,073 students
- Dallas Center-Grimes Middle SchoolMiddle · 586 students
- DC-G Oak ViewMiddle · 537 students
- Heritage ElementaryElementary · 530 students
- North Ridge ElementaryElementary · 412 students
- Dallas Center ElementaryElementary · 169 students
Other schools in Grimes
- Dallas Center-Grimes High SchoolHigh · 1,073 students
- DC-G Oak ViewMiddle · 537 students
- Heritage ElementaryElementary · 530 students
- North Ridge ElementaryElementary · 412 students
Other South Prairie Elementary schools
3 other US public schools in 4 states are named South Prairie Elementary. South Prairie Elementary is the 2nd largest of the 4.
- South Prairie Elementary SchoolSycamore, IL · 456 students
- SOUTH PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMinot, ND · 411 students
- South Prairie Elementary SchoolTillamook, OR · 287 students
Nearby schools
- DC-G Oak View1.1 mi · 537
- Heritage Elementary1.3 mi · 530
- Dallas Center-Grimes High School1.4 mi · 1,073
- North Ridge Elementary1.7 mi · 412
- Johnston Senior High School2.0 mi · 1,820
- Waterford Elementary School2.4 mi · 464
Frequently asked questions
About South Prairie ElementaryWhat is the total enrollment at South Prairie Elementary?
South Prairie Elementary enrolls approximately 436 students in grades KG-04.
What grades does South Prairie Elementary serve?
South Prairie Elementary serves grades KG-04.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Prairie Elementary?
The student-to-teacher ratio at South Prairie Elementary is approximately 13.5:1 (32 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at South Prairie Elementary?
At South Prairie Elementary, the student body is approximately 70% White, 8% Hispanic, 17% Black, 0% Asian, 5% Two or more.
What district is South Prairie Elementary in?
South Prairie Elementary is part of Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.