Public schools in Waterloo, IA
16 open public schools with an address in Waterloo, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
16
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
9,682
16 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13:1
Iowa median 13.7:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Waterloo public schools
The federal directory lists 16 public schools in Waterloo, IA: 10 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high. The 16 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 9,682 students, an average of 605 per school. The largest campus is West High School (1,696 students), and the largest elementary school is Kittrell Elementary School (576).
Every listed school belongs to Waterloo Comm School District. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 13:1, lower than the statewide school median of 13.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 71% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Waterloo
Elementary schools in Waterloo
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cunningham School Waterloo Comm School District | PK–05 | 443 | 12.7:1 | |
| Fred Becker Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | PK–05 | 501 | 13.1:1 | |
| Highland Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | PK–05 | 448 | 11.9:1 | |
| Irving Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | KG–05 | 353 | 10.5:1 | |
| Kingsley Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | KG–05 | 337 | 11.6:1 | |
| Kittrell Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | PK–05 | 576 | 12.4:1 | |
| Lincoln Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | PK–05 | 463 | 12.1:1 | |
| Lou Henry Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | KG–05 | 460 | 12.1:1 | |
| Lowell Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | PK–05 | 538 | 12.8:1 | |
| Orange Elementary School Waterloo Comm School District | PK–05 | 518 | 13.7:1 |
Middle schools in Waterloo
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Middle School Waterloo Comm School District | 06–08 | 469 | 13.4:1 | |
| George Washington Carver Academy Waterloo Comm School District | 06–08 | 455 | 13.7:1 | |
| Hoover Middle School Waterloo Comm School District | 06–08 | 848 | 14.9:1 |
High schools in Waterloo
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East High School Waterloo Comm School District | 09–12 | 1,016 | 16.4:1 | |
| Expo Alternative Learning Center Waterloo Comm School District · Alternative School | 06–12 | 561 | 16:1 | |
| West High School Waterloo Comm School District | 09–12 | 1,696 | 16.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White37.2%
- Hispanic14.2%
- Black29.9%
- Asian3.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander4.6%
- Multiracial10.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 16 Waterloo schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (9,682 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Waterloo
How many public schools are in Waterloo, IA?
The current NCES directory lists 16 open public schools with a location address in Waterloo: 10 elementary, 3 middle, 3 high. Together they reported 9,682 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Waterloo?
All listed public schools with an address in Waterloo belong to Waterloo Comm School District. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Waterloo?
West High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Waterloo, with 1,696 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Waterloo?
No school with an address in Waterloo is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in Iowa.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Waterloo schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Waterloo public schools is 13:1, lower than the Iowa school median of 13.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Waterloo guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Iowa cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Iowa cities