James Wilson Grimes School

Summary:

James Wilson Grimes School is an elementary school located in Burlington, Iowa, serving 269 students in grades K-4. The school is part of the Burlington Community School District, which is ranked 283 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While James Wilson Grimes School has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with 52.79% White, 24.91% African American, 6.32% Hispanic, and 15.61% two or more races, the school consistently underperforms in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 39.6% of 3rd graders and 32.1% of 4th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 64.2% and 72.9%, respectively. Similarly, in Mathematics, only 58.5% of 3rd graders and 30.2% of 4th graders were proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 76.3% and 72.7%.

The school's academic challenges may be influenced by its high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 59.79% to 75.09% over the past three school years, as well as its fluctuating student-teacher ratio, which has ranged from 10.7 to 17.3 students per teacher. Despite the higher per-student spending of $15,144 in the 2018-2019 school year, compared to nearby schools like Black Hawk Elementary ($13,181) and Sunnyside Elementary ($14,081), James Wilson Grimes School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa elementary schools, with a ranking as low as 537 out of 557 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

Detail:

Public K-4

800 South St.
Burlington, IA 52601

(319) 753-0420

District: Burlington Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
537^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,144

Students who attend James Wilson Grimes School usually attend:

Middle:	Aldo Leopold Intermediate School
	Edward Stone Middle School
High:	Burlington Community High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.2

Number of students: 247

Racial breakdown:

White:

54.3%

African American:

23.9%

Two or more races:

15.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 75.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details James Wilson Grimes School ranks worse than 96.4% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks last among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Burlington Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.93. (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 Student population at James Wilson Grimes School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (54.3%), African American (23.9%), two or more races (15.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 75.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Burlington Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Wilson Grimes School is 11.2, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Burlington Community School District. (See more...)

Compare James Wilson Grimes School employs 21.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Wilson Grimes School is $15,144, which is the 2^nd highest among 4 elementary schools in the Burlington Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

James Wilson Grimes School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Burlington Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Burlington Community School District 283^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for James Wilson Grimes School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	31.82	515^th	626	17.7%
2013	21.04	557^th	624	10.7%
2014	21.97	523^rd	603	13.3%
2015	27.76	502^nd	616	18.5%
2016	47.98	381^st	599	36.4%
2017	24.72	477^th	574	16.9%
2018	34.02	430^th	567	24.2%
2019	51.76	325^th	603	46.1%
2021	16.06	502^nd	567	11.5%
2022	10.79	525^th	574	8.5%
2023	4.00	548^th	565	3.0%
2024	4.93	537^th	557	3.6%

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

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Enrollment information for James Wilson Grimes School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	217	32	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	252
1989	225	42	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	273
1990	188	47	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	244
1991	166	40	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	216
1992	171	63	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	242
1993	164	53	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	222
1994	125	47	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	176
1995	110	40	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	151
1996	110	40	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	151
1997	104	44	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	155
1998	98	42	4	8	1	n/a	n/a	153
1999	89	35	0	5	9	n/a	n/a	138
2000	90	51	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	147
2001	84	46	0	6	4	n/a	n/a	140
2002	125	108	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	240
2003	125	108	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	240
2004	122	101	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	232
2005	133	84	0	13	2	n/a	n/a	232
2006	268	63	5	9	0	n/a	n/a	345
2007	254	69	5	16	1	n/a	n/a	345
2008	272	75	4	11	0	n/a	n/a	362
2009	268	77	6	20	0	n/a	n/a	371
2010	282	52	4	18	1	0	31	388
2011	298	55	2	21	0	0	23	399
2012	306	48	2	26	0	0	28	410
2013	313	65	0	23	1	0	39	441
2014	300	55	0	17	1	0	39	412
2015	290	64	0	20	1	0	42	417
2016	290	56	0	23	2	0	50	421
2017	267	68	0	21	0	0	53	409
2018	248	62	0	14	0	0	44	368
2019	205	49	0	12	2	0	49	317
2020	201	64	0	18	1	0	41	325
2021	200	100	2	31	1	0	48	382
2022	171	58	1	24	0	0	32	286
2023	142	67	1	17	0	0	42	269
2024	134	59	1	15	0	0	38	247

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 James Wilson Grimes School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	252	15.8	15.9	31
1989	273	15.8	17.2	42.9
1990	244	14.3	17.0	35.7
1991	216	14.3	15.1	61.6
1992	242	15.0	16.1	52.5
1993	222	14.5	15.3	48.6
1994	176	12.0	14.7	48.9
1995	151	13.2	11.4	60.9
1996	151	13.2	11.4	60.9
1997	155	13.6	11.4	58.1
1998	153	14.0	10.9	56.2
1999	138	14.0	9.9	75.4
2000	147	14.7	10.0	74.1
2001	140	13.3	10.5	77.1
2002	240	17.4	13.8	78.3
2003	240	17.4	13.8	78.3
2004	232	19.9	11.7	88.4
2005	232	18.8	12.3	86.6
2006	345	24.6	14.0	60.6
2007	345	23.3	14.8	61.2
2008	362	25.4	14.3	67.7
2009	371	26.4	14.1	63.6
2010	388	26.8	14.4	64.7
2011	399	31.4	12.7	70.4
2012	410	30.4	13.4	69.5
2013	441	31.0	14.2	75.1
2014	412	31.0	13.2	71.6
2015	417	29.0	14.3	72.7
2016	421	29.0	14.5	72.7
2017	409	28.5	14.3	71.6
2018	368	23.9	15.3	69.3
2019	317	23.9	13.2	74.1
2020	325	25.0	13.0	72.3
2021	382	22.0	17.3	72.5
2022	286	25.0	11.4	59.8
2023	269	25.0	10.7	75.1
2024	247	21.9	11.2	75.7

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 James Wilson Grimes School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	252	15.8	15.9	31
1989	273	15.8	17.2	42.9
1990	244	14.3	17.0	35.7
1991	216	14.3	15.1	61.6
1992	242	15.0	16.1	52.5
1993	222	14.5	15.3	48.6
1994	176	12.0	14.7	48.9
1995	151	13.2	11.4	60.9
1996	151	13.2	11.4	60.9
1997	155	13.6	11.4	58.1
1998	153	14.0	10.9	56.2
1999	138	14.0	9.9	75.4
2000	147	14.7	10.0	74.1
2001	140	13.3	10.5	77.1
2002	240	17.4	13.8	78.3
2003	240	17.4	13.8	78.3
2004	232	19.9	11.7	88.4
2005	232	18.8	12.3	86.6
2006	345	24.6	14.0	60.6
2007	345	23.3	14.8	61.2
2008	362	25.4	14.3	67.7
2009	371	26.4	14.1	63.6
2010	388	26.8	14.4	64.7
2011	399	31.4	12.7	70.4
2012	410	30.4	13.4	69.5
2013	441	31.0	14.2	75.1
2014	412	31.0	13.2	71.6
2015	417	29.0	14.3	72.7
2016	421	29.0	14.5	72.7
2017	409	28.5	14.3	71.6
2018	368	23.9	15.3	69.3
2019	317	23.9	13.2	74.1
2020	325	25.0	13.0	72.3
2021	382	22.0	17.3	72.5
2022	286	25.0	11.4	59.8
2023	269	25.0	10.7	75.1
2024	247	21.9	11.2	75.7

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 James Wilson Grimes School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,780 (11.8%)	$13,365 (88.3%)	$15,144

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James Wilson Grimes 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 325^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 548^th of 565 Elementary schools	43.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James Wilson Grimes School)	78	35.8	42.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Burlington Community School District)	62.2	49.8	12.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (James Wilson Grimes School)	75.6	50.9	24.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Burlington Community School District)	60.9	62.7	1.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James Wilson Grimes School)	77.3	47.9	29.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Burlington Community School District)	61.7	57.7	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (James Wilson Grimes School)	69.7	39.6	30.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Burlington Community School District)	51.1	53.1	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	317	269	15.1%
African American	49	67	36.7%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	12	17	41.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	205	142	30.7%
Two or More Races	49	42	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.1%	75.1%	1%

Schools Near James Wilson Grimes 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
James Wilson Grimes School	Public	K-4	800 South St.	Burlington	52601	Des Moines County	Burlington Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 753-0420	247	22	11.2	75.7%	134 (54.3%)	59 (23.9%)	15 (6.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (15.4%)	4.9	537^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.6%		4	548^th of 565 public elementary schools	3.0%	11	39.6	32.1			58.5	30.2				$15,144	$1,780	$13,365
Corse Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	700 South Starr Avenue	Burlington	52601	Des Moines County	Burlington Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 753-2707	176	8	22.2	35.8%	90 (51.1%)	38 (21.6%)	17 (9.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (17.6%)								(n/a)
North Hill Elementary School	Public	K-4	825 N. 9th St.	Burlington	52601	Des Moines County	Burlington Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 753-6363	237	19	12.5	62.9%	124 (52.3%)	47 (19.8%)	24 (10.1%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	39 (16.5%)	33.8	421^st of 557 public elementary schools	24.4%		12.4	514^th of 565 public elementary schools	9.0%	93	65.2	55.3			73.9	55.3				$16,012	$2,124	$13,888
Black Hawk Elementary School	Public	K-4	2804 S 14th St	Burlington	52601	Des Moines County	Burlington Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 753-5300	290	26	11.1	61.7%	165 (56.9%)	70 (24.1%)	22 (7.6%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (10.0%)	33.6	422^nd of 557 public elementary schools	24.2%		18.6	491^st of 565 public elementary schools	13.1%	69	42.4	82.2			57.6	73.3				$13,181	$1,602	$11,579
Sunnyside Elementary School	Public	K-4	2040 Sunnyside Ave.	Burlington	52601	Des Moines County	Burlington Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 753-5244	298	26	11.4	67.4%	189 (63.4%)	41 (13.8%)	18 (6.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (16.4%)	62.5	225^th of 557 public elementary schools	59.6%		46.9	355^th of 565 public elementary schools	37.2%	130	80.0	68.3			92.2	70.0				$14,081	$1,580	$12,500
West Burlington Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	545 Ramsey St	West Burlington	52655	Des Moines County	West Burlington Ind School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 752-8747	437	29	14.9	45.3%	312 (71.4%)	21 (4.8%)	34 (7.8%)	14 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (12.8%)	44.3	368^th of 557 public elementary schools	33.9%		70.8	159^th of 565 public elementary schools	71.9%	209	67.6	73.2	60.9		78.9	66.7	64.1		51.6	$14,218	$441	$13,777
Danville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	419 South Main Street	Danville	52623	Des Moines County	Danville Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 392-4221	377	27	14.0	34.5%	362 (96.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.9%)	72.1	140^th of 557 public elementary schools	74.9%		69.6	172^nd of 565 public elementary schools	69.6%	32	75.0	76.3	82.4	75.0	89.6	86.4	88.2	84.1	58.8	$10,174	$277	$9,896
Mediapolis Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	725 N. Northfield	Mediapolis	52637	Des Moines County	Mediapolis Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 394-3101	429	29	14.8	36.4%	391 (91.1%)	5 (1.2%)	15 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	68.7	176^th of 557 public elementary schools	68.4%		69.5	173^rd of 565 public elementary schools	69.4%	3	68.1	76.1	83.3		81.9	71.8	84.8		71.6	$10,838	$206	$10,632
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	K-3	1326 Ave E	Fort Madison	52627	Lee County	Fort Madison Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 372-2896	227	14	15.8	59.9%	190 (83.7%)	1 (0.4%)	21 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.2%)								(n/a)	70.4				83.3					$18,036	$1,146	$16,890
Richardson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	3301 Avenue L	Fort Madison	52627	Lee County	Fort Madison Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 372-2765	286	26	11.0	69.9%	212 (74.1%)	8 (2.8%)	36 (12.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.8%)								(n/a)	67.7				79.0					$19,961	$1,687	$18,274

Frequently Asked Questions about James Wilson Grimes School

What schools do graduates of James Wilson Grimes School attend?

Students who attend James Wilson Grimes School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Aldo Leopold Intermediate School
Middle : Edward Stone Middle School
High : Burlington Community High School

What district is James Wilson Grimes School in?

Burlington Community School District

Is James Wilson Grimes School a good school?

James Wilson Grimes School ranks in the bottom 3.6% of Iowa elementary schools.

How many students attend James Wilson Grimes School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 247 students attended James Wilson Grimes School.

What is the racial makeup of James Wilson Grimes School?

Students at James Wilson Grimes School are 54% White, 24% African American, 15% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic.

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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.