Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

Summary:

Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in Belmond, Iowa, part of the Belmond-Klemme Community School District. With 362 students, the school consistently underperforms compared to the state average on academic assessments, despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio.

The school's academic performance is a significant concern, with proficiency rates in 3rd grade English Language Arts and Mathematics falling well below the state averages. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families. Interestingly, the school's spending per student is slightly lower than nearby schools like West Hancock Elementary and Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Elementary, which consistently outperform Richard O. Jacobson Elementary on academic measures.

The declining academic performance of Richard O. Jacobson Elementary, as evidenced by its steadily dropping statewide ranking and star rating, suggests that the school faces significant challenges. While the low student-teacher ratio may not be a barrier to student learning, the school's high percentage of students from low-income families and lower spending per student compared to nearby schools may be contributing factors to its relatively poor academic performance. Addressing these issues will likely require a comprehensive approach to support student success.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

1004 Seventh Street NE
Belmond, IA 50421-1610

(641) 444-4300

District: Belmond-Klemme Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
497^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,171

Students who attend Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Belmond-Klemme Community Junior-Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 362

Racial breakdown:

White:

60.5%

Hispanic:

35.9%

Two or more races:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School ranks worse than 89.2% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.07. (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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School is $13,171.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Belmond-Klemme Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Belmond-Klemme Community School District 282^nd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	53.70	349^th	626	44.2%
2013	66.39	197^th	624	68.4%
2014	60.08	281^st	603	53.4%
2015	47.49	407^th	616	33.9%
2016	39.78	441^st	599	26.4%
2017	33.54	440^th	574	23.3%
2018	31.23	441^st	567	22.2%
2019	48.97	344^th	603	43.0%
2021	47.24	335^th	567	40.9%
2022	32.50	432^nd	574	24.7%
2023	26.27	457^th	565	19.1%
2024	13.07	497^th	557	10.8%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

One the best elementary schools in the area! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	372	5	3	69	3	n/a	n/a	452
2010	362	2	4	80	3	0	12	463
2011	346	2	2	81	2	0	10	443
2012	363	3	2	97	4	0	7	476
2013	358	9	3	93	5	0	6	474
2014	354	8	2	103	5	0	5	477
2015	347	10	0	117	5	0	4	483
2016	307	12	0	107	5	0	7	438
2017	302	12	1	117	1	0	7	440
2018	294	9	0	104	0	0	7	414
2019	289	11	0	98	0	0	10	408
2020	257	11	0	108	0	0	7	383
2021	231	9	0	114	0	0	6	360
2022	227	9	0	131	0	0	7	374
2023	219	6	0	130	0	0	7	362

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 Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	452	21.0	21.5	40.9
2010	463	23.0	20.1	49.5
2011	443	31.0	14.2	50.1
2012	476	29.3	16.2	54.6
2013	474	30.2	15.6	57.2
2014	477	31.0	15.3	56.6
2015	483	33.0	14.6	55.3
2016	438	31.0	14.1	52.7
2017	440	28.7	15.2	53
2018	414	30.6	13.5	53.9
2019	408	30.7	13.2	50
2020	383	29.7	12.8	48
2021	360	29.8	12.0	46.7
2022	374	27.8	13.4	47.1
2023	362	28.8	12.5	54.7

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 Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	452	21.0	21.5	40.9
2010	463	23.0	20.1	49.5
2011	443	31.0	14.2	50.1
2012	476	29.3	16.2	54.6
2013	474	30.2	15.6	57.2
2014	477	31.0	15.3	56.6
2015	483	33.0	14.6	55.3
2016	438	31.0	14.1	52.7
2017	440	28.7	15.2	53
2018	414	30.6	13.5	53.9
2019	408	30.7	13.2	50
2020	383	29.7	12.8	48
2021	360	29.8	12.0	46.7
2022	374	27.8	13.4	47.1
2023	362	28.8	12.5	54.7

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 Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$879 (6.7%)	$12,290 (93.3%)	$13,171

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

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 344^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 457^th of 565 Elementary schools	23.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	55.6	50	5.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	55.6	50	5.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	59.3	60.9	1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	59.3	60.9	1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	77.8	43.6	34.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	77.8	43.6	34.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	77.8	66.7	11.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	77.8	66.7	11.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	75.4	72.1	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	75.4	72.1	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	89.9	62.8	27.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	89.9	62.8	27.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	52.5	62.8	10.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	52.5	62.8	10.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School)	64.4	51.2	13.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Belmond-Klemme Community School District)	64.4	51.2	13.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	408	362	11.3%
African American	11	6	45.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	98	130	32.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	289	219	24.2%
Two or More Races	10	7	30%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50%	54.7%	4.7%

Schools Near Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1004 Seventh Street NE	Belmond	50421	Wright County	Belmond-Klemme Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 444-4300	362	29	12.5	54.7%	219 (60.5%)	6 (1.7%)	130 (35.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	13.1	497^th of 557 public elementary schools	10.8%		26.3	457^th of 565 public elementary schools	19.1%	40	44.4	51.0	40.0	69.8	62.2	61.2	32.5	55.8	25.0	$13,171	$879	$12,290
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	319 3rd Ave NE	Clarion	50525	Wright County	Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 532-2873	535	35	15.4	53.8%	287 (53.6%)	2 (0.4%)	227 (42.4%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.8%)	44.1	370^th of 557 public elementary schools	33.6%		52.6	309^th of 565 public elementary schools	45.3%	61	62.5	77.4	59.4		78.1	77.4	66.7		42.0	$13,085	$750	$12,335
CAL Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1441 Gull Ave	Latimer	50452	Franklin County	CAL Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 579-6085	176	14	12.1	53.4%	105 (59.7%)	1 (0.6%)	68 (38.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	53.4	305^th of 557 public elementary schools	45.2%		29	442^nd of 565 public elementary schools	21.8%	137	75.0	90.0	59.1	85.7	79.2	60.0	72.7	78.6	45.5	$19,567	$939	$18,628
Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	620 W 11th St	Garner	50438	Hancock County	Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 923-2831	374	22	17.3	25.1%	343 (91.7%)	2 (0.5%)	19 (5.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.1%)	87.4	23^rd of 557 public elementary schools	95.9%		82.9	57^th of 565 public elementary schools	89.9%	34	83.3	87.3			92.4	90.5				$13,537	$566	$12,972
West Hancock Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	510 9th Ave SW	Britt	50423	Hancock County	West Hancock Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 843-3833	272	16	17.1	37.1%	214 (78.7%)	6 (2.2%)	46 (16.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	87	26^th of 557 public elementary schools	95.3%		88.9	17^th of 565 public elementary schools	97.0%	9	86.0	90.9			88.4	88.6				$13,535	$702	$12,833

Frequently Asked Questions about Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Belmond-Klemme Community Junior-Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School?

Students at Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School are 60% White, 36% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Is Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School a good school?

Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.8% of Iowa elementary schools.

What district is Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School in?

Belmond-Klemme Community School District

How many students attend Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 362 students attended Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School.

Rate Richard O. Jacobson Elementary 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.