Rock Creek Elementary

Q: Is Rock Creek Elementary a good school?

Rock Creek Elementary ranks 104 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Rock Creek Elementary is a public elementary school in Ankeny, Iowa, serving 732 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is part of the Ankeny Community School District, which is ranked 46th out of 309 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Rock Creek Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Iowa, maintaining a 4 or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are significantly higher than the state averages, often exceeding the Ankeny district averages as well. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 89.3% of 3rd-grade students at Rock Creek Elementary were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 76.3% statewide and 85.9% in the Ankeny district.

Rock Creek Elementary also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 10.59% to 17.62% over the past three school years, which is significantly lower than some nearby schools like East Elementary (36.56%) and Northwest Elementary (33.62%). Additionally, the school maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 16.5 to 17.7 over the past three school years, which is comparable to or slightly lower than the ratios of many nearby schools.

Detail:

Public K-5

3800 NW Abilene Rd
Ankeny, IA 50023

(515) 965-9629

District: Ankeny Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
104^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,986

Students who attend Rock Creek Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Prairie Ridge Middle School
High:	Ankeny Centennial High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.6

Number of students: 732

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.1%

African American:

7.0%

Hispanic:

6.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 17.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Rock Creek Elementary ranks better than 81.3% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 5^th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Ankeny Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.92. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Rock Creek Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Ankeny Community School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rock Creek Elementary is $11,986, which is the 3^rd highest among 9 elementary schools in the Ankeny Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Rock Creek Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Ankeny Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ankeny Community School District 46^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Rock Creek Elementary.

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Rank History for Rock Creek Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2016	84.43	38^th	599	93.7%
2017	91.60	3^rd	574	99.5%
2018	89.24	13^th	567	97.7%
2019	82.56	74^th	603	87.7%
2021	85.20	45^th	567	92.1%
2022	80.81	75^th	574	86.9%
2023	79.06	87^th	565	84.6%
2024	75.92	104^th	557	81.3%

See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, June 27, 2019

Great school, great teachers. My kids love going to Rock Creek. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, April 10, 2017

Awful! So many problems with this school. Pick another in Ankeny. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Rock Creek Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2015	509	13	7	20	0	0	25	574
2016	611	10	13	26	0	1	35	696
2017	643	7	5	20	0	0	37	712
2018	592	10	15	34	0	0	30	681
2019	599	14	30	48	0	0	24	715
2020	602	16	30	51	0	0	25	724
2021	580	16	30	55	0	1	26	708
2022	584	39	36	53	0	0	29	741
2023	586	51	19	46	1	0	29	732

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Rock Creek Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	574	30.0	19.1	8.2
2016	696	32.0	21.7	5.2
2017	712	37.1	19.1	7.2
2018	681	39.1	17.4	13.2
2019	715	38.8	18.4	14.7
2020	724	41.8	17.3	14.1
2021	708	42.7	16.5	10.6
2022	741	41.8	17.7	14.6
2023	732	43.8	16.6	17.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Rock Creek Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	574	30.0	19.1	8.2
2016	696	32.0	21.7	5.2
2017	712	37.1	19.1	7.2
2018	681	39.1	17.4	13.2
2019	715	38.8	18.4	14.7
2020	724	41.8	17.3	14.1
2021	708	42.7	16.5	10.6
2022	741	41.8	17.7	14.6
2023	732	43.8	16.6	17.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Rock Creek Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$349 (2.9%)	$11,637 (97.1%)	$11,986

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rock Creek Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 74^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 87^th of 565 Elementary schools	3.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rock Creek Elementary)	77.4	73.2	4.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ankeny Community School District)	77.3	78	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Rock Creek Elementary)	89.7	81.9	7.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ankeny Community School District)	86.3	83.8	2.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Rock Creek Elementary)	79.5	88	8.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ankeny Community School District)	85	86.2	1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Rock Creek Elementary)	85.8	84	1.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ankeny Community School District)	88.8	84	4.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Rock Creek Elementary)	84.4	83.8	0.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ankeny Community School District)	84.9	80.7	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Rock Creek Elementary)	85.2	85.6	0.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ankeny Community School District)	87.7	82.8	4.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	715	732	2.4%
African American	14	51	264.3%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	30	19	36.7%
Hispanic	48	46	4.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	599	586	2.2%
Two or More Races	24	29	20.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	14.7%	17.6%	2.9%

Schools Near Rock Creek Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)			ISASP Mathematics (2024)			ISASP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Rock Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	3800 NW Abilene Rd	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9629	732	44	16.6	17.6%	586 (80.1%)	51 (7.0%)	46 (6.3%)	19 (2.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.0%)	75.9	104^th of 557 public elementary schools	81.3%		79.1	87^th of 565 public elementary schools	84.6%	17	79.5	84.5	81.8	89.3	72.9	84.1	68.2	$11,986	$349	$11,637
Ashland Ridge Elementary	Public	K-5	2600 NW Ash Drive	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9594	759	38	20.0	10.7%	633 (83.4%)	25 (3.3%)	35 (4.6%)	26 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (5.3%)	81.2	61^st of 557 public elementary schools	89.0%		85.1	38^th of 565 public elementary schools	93.3%	23	82.0	87.1	85.7	85.0	83.3	84.0	71.2	$11,160	$239	$10,921
Westwood Elementary School	Public	K-5	2920 NW 9th St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9690	642	38	16.9	16.4%	538 (83.8%)	19 (3.0%)	44 (6.9%)	7 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (4.8%)	82.5	57^th of 557 public elementary schools	89.8%		75	117^th of 565 public elementary schools	79.3%	60	87.0	82.7	81.4	93.5	83.7	82.4	75.7	$11,911	$384	$11,527
Northwest Elementary School	Public	K-5	1202 W First St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 965-9680	354	26	13.5	33.6%	244 (68.9%)	27 (7.6%)	45 (12.7%)	5 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.0%)	55.1	298^th of 557 public elementary schools	46.5%		58.2	257^th of 565 public elementary schools	54.5%	41	59.6	71.0	75.0	73.7	78.3	72.9	66.7	$12,743	$644	$12,099
Northeast Elementary	Public	K-5	1705 NE Trilein Dr	Ankeny	50021	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9620	655	39	16.8	10.4%	533 (81.4%)	23 (3.5%)	40 (6.1%)	23 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.5%)	83.7	48^th of 557 public elementary schools	91.4%		86.6	30^th of 565 public elementary schools	94.7%	18	83.6	90.5	86.4	94.8	85.7	83.1	66.9	$11,723	$246	$11,477
East Elementary School	Public	K-5	710 SE 3rd St	Ankeny	50021	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 965-9660	413	29	14.3	36.6%	279 (67.6%)	30 (7.3%)	38 (9.2%)	15 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (12.1%)	53.1	311^th of 557 public elementary schools	44.2%		46.2	359^th of 565 public elementary schools	36.5%	48	73.7	74.6	71.6	77.2	68.3	64.2	61.2	$11,901	$351	$11,551
Prairie Trail Elementary	Public	K-5	1850 SW College Ave	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9605	571	35	16.3	7.0%	468 (82.0%)	18 (3.2%)	34 (6.0%)	16 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (5.8%)	91.2	8^th of 557 public elementary schools	98.6%		88.7	18^th of 565 public elementary schools	96.8%	10	89.7	91.3	88.5	97.4	94.2	89.7	78.2	$11,662	$230	$11,432
Southeast Elementary School	Public	K-5	1005 SE Trilein Dr	Ankeny	50021	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 965-9650	520	36	14.4	29.6%	374 (71.9%)	41 (7.9%)	48 (9.2%)	20 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (7.1%)	60.4	251^st of 557 public elementary schools	54.9%		72.7	139^th of 565 public elementary schools	75.4%	112	71.4	79.1	68.2	72.4	83.7	68.2	69.4	$11,914	$404	$11,509
Heritage Elementary	Public	K-5	301 SW Prairie Trail Pky	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9645	610	35	17.4	30.3%	441 (72.3%)	20 (3.3%)	84 (13.8%)	35 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.9%)	62.6	224^th of 557 public elementary schools	59.8%		74.8	118^th of 565 public elementary schools	79.1%	106	69.0	79.2	75.6	81.6	80.2	74.4	55.6
North Polk Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	311 NE 141st Ave	Alleman	50007	Polk County	North Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 984-3400	342	24	14.4	10.8%	309 (90.4%)	11 (3.2%)	13 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.6%)	70.4	157^th of 557 public elementary schools	71.8%		70	167^th of 565 public elementary schools	70.4%	10	65.5	88.2	73.6	84.5	94.1	75.5	64.2	$12,580	$378	$12,202

Frequently Asked Questions about Rock Creek Elementary

Is Rock Creek Elementary a good school?

Rock Creek Elementary ranks 104^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Rock Creek Elementary in?

Ankeny Community School District

How many students attend Rock Creek Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 732 students attended Rock Creek Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Rock Creek Elementary?

Students at Rock Creek Elementary are 80% White, 7% African American, 6% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Rock Creek Elementary attend?

Students who attend Rock Creek Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Prairie Ridge Middle School
High : Ankeny Centennial High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.