West Willow Elementary School

Q: Is West Willow Elementary School a good school?

West Willow Elementary School ranks 391 st of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

West Willow Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 534 students in grades PK-5 in the Cedar Rapids Community School District in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The school has consistently outperformed the district and state in academic proficiency, with its 3rd grade students scoring 73.2% proficient or better in Mathematics compared to 68.2% for the district and 76.3% for the state. Similarly, its 5th grade students scored 64.3% proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 59.8% for the district and 69% for the state.

Despite its strong academic performance, West Willow Elementary has seen a slight decline in its statewide ranking in recent years, dropping from 67th out of 603 Iowa elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 391 out of 557 schools in 2023-2024. The school also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (39.14% in 2022-2023) compared to the state average, but lower than some of the nearby schools in the Cedar Rapids district, such as Viola Gibson Elementary and Maple Grove Elementary, which consistently outperform West Willow in academic proficiency.

West Willow Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to some of the other nearby schools, with a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students. The school's spending per student ($14,545 in 2018-2019) is on par with the district and state averages, and it has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.6 to 17.2 over the past few years, which may be a contributing factor to its academic success.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

6225 1st AVE SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52405

(319) 558-3130

District: Cedar Rapids Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
391^st of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,545

Students who attend West Willow Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Taft Middle School
High:	Thomas Jefferson High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.9

Number of students: 541

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.1%

African American:

22.0%

Two or more races:

11.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.7%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare West Willow Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details West Willow Elementary School ranks worse than 70.2% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 9^th among 20 ranked elementary schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.05. (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 Racial makeup is: White (57.1%), African American (22%), two or more races (11.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Willow Elementary School is 16.9. 18 elementary schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare West Willow Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Willow Elementary School is $14,545. 14 elementary schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

West Willow Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Cedar Rapids Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cedar Rapids Community School District 276^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for West Willow Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	80.51	53^rd	626	91.5%
2013	79.11	50^th	624	92.0%
2014	79.10	67^th	603	88.9%
2015	71.27	163^rd	616	73.5%
2016	65.98	229^th	599	61.8%
2017	65.89	218^th	574	62.0%
2018	58.17	274^th	567	51.7%
2019	67.85	192^nd	603	68.2%
2021	62.25	218^th	567	61.6%
2022	54.14	298^th	574	48.1%
2023	48.44	339^th	565	40.0%
2024	39.05	391^st	557	29.8%

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

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Enrollment information for West Willow Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	436	11	13	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	463
1989	450	13	16	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	481
1990	484	17	13	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	518
1991	458	14	11	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	488
1992	447	8	13	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	476
1993	500	11	10	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	527
1994	427	10	8	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	449
1995	437	8	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	454
1996	437	8	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	454
1997	437	10	6	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1998	387	14	6	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	414
1999	383	7	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	401
2000	404	7	5	8	0	n/a	n/a	-27	397
2001	412	5	5	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	431
2002	369	11	13	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	401
2003	369	11	13	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	401
2004	395	10	11	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	419
2005	396	10	14	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	423
2006	387	13	13	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	420
2007	376	14	9	12	2	n/a	n/a	0	413
2008	389	14	9	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	425
2009	412	19	14	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	459
2010	427	18	22	13	5	0	0	0	485
2011	402	15	19	16	6	0	12	0	470
2012	400	12	17	18	0	0	18	0	465
2013	415	16	14	22	0	0	24	0	491
2014	401	20	11	24	0	2	29	0	487
2015	401	21	10	20	0	3	33	0	488
2016	387	17	11	21	0	2	38	0	476
2017	382	27	10	30	0	3	37	0	489
2018	372	25	13	30	0	5	32	0	477
2019	331	24	12	28	1	1	34	0	431
2020	347	51	16	30	0	1	37	0	482
2021	303	55	12	31	0	1	37	0	439
2022	297	68	9	42	0	0	37	0	453
2023	324	105	6	44	1	2	52	0	534
2024	309	119	4	46	1	2	60	0	541

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 West Willow Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	463	25.8	17.9	5.4
1989	481	24.7	19.4	4.8
1990	518	25.0	20.7	7.1
1991	488	26.2	18.6	7.2
1992	476	27.0	17.6	4
1993	527	23.7	22.2	4.2
1994	449	22.0	20.4	7.3
1995	454	24.0	18.9	5.7
1996	454	24.0	18.9	5.7
1997	458	24.4	18.8	6.6
1998	414	22.4	18.5	7.5
1999	401	21.4	18.7	9.5
2000	397	23.0	17.3	8.7
2001	431	25.4	17.0	10.4
2002	401	21.0	19.1	11
2003	401	21.0	19.1	11
2004	419	24.6	17.0	11.7
2005	423	24.6	17.2	12.5
2006	420	25.5	16.5	13.8
2007	413	25.5	16.2	14
2008	425	24.5	17.3	12.7
2009	459	27.5	16.7	18.3
2010	485	28.4	17.0	17.9
2011	470	27.0	17.4	20.2
2012	465	27.0	17.2	19.1
2013	491	27.0	18.1	27.9
2014	487	27.3	17.8	32.2
2015	488	26.0	18.7	30.1
2016	476	24.0	19.8	30.5
2017	489	24.3	20.0	30.7
2018	477	26.4	18.0	29.1
2019	431	25.9	16.6	32.3
2020	482	28.8	16.7	36.5
2021	439	27.8	15.7	37.4
2022	453	30.8	14.6	37.5
2023	534	30.8	17.2	39.1
2024	541	32.0	16.9	42.7

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 West Willow Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	463	25.8	17.9	5.4
1989	481	24.7	19.4	4.8
1990	518	25.0	20.7	7.1
1991	488	26.2	18.6	7.2
1992	476	27.0	17.6	4
1993	527	23.7	22.2	4.2
1994	449	22.0	20.4	7.3
1995	454	24.0	18.9	5.7
1996	454	24.0	18.9	5.7
1997	458	24.4	18.8	6.6
1998	414	22.4	18.5	7.5
1999	401	21.4	18.7	9.5
2000	397	23.0	17.3	8.7
2001	431	25.4	17.0	10.4
2002	401	21.0	19.1	11
2003	401	21.0	19.1	11
2004	419	24.6	17.0	11.7
2005	423	24.6	17.2	12.5
2006	420	25.5	16.5	13.8
2007	413	25.5	16.2	14
2008	425	24.5	17.3	12.7
2009	459	27.5	16.7	18.3
2010	485	28.4	17.0	17.9
2011	470	27.0	17.4	20.2
2012	465	27.0	17.2	19.1
2013	491	27.0	18.1	27.9
2014	487	27.3	17.8	32.2
2015	488	26.0	18.7	30.1
2016	476	24.0	19.8	30.5
2017	489	24.3	20.0	30.7
2018	477	26.4	18.0	29.1
2019	431	25.9	16.6	32.3
2020	482	28.8	16.7	36.5
2021	439	27.8	15.7	37.4
2022	453	30.8	14.6	37.5
2023	534	30.8	17.2	39.1
2024	541	32.0	16.9	42.7

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 West Willow Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$265 (1.8%)	$14,280 (98.2%)	$14,545

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Willow 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 192^nd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 339^th of 565 Elementary schools	28.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (West Willow Elementary School)	71.4	65.3	6.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cedar Rapids Community School District)	61.8	54.8	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (West Willow Elementary School)	76.8	70.7	6.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cedar Rapids Community School District)	65.7	64.1	1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (West Willow Elementary School)	87.5	81.4	6.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cedar Rapids Community School District)	65	68.1	3.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (West Willow Elementary School)	82.1	77.1	5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cedar Rapids Community School District)	62.8	65.8	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Willow Elementary School)	76.6	62.8	13.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cedar Rapids Community School District)	62.7	62.7
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (West Willow Elementary School)	67.2	62.8	4.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cedar Rapids Community School District)	60.3	60.5	0.2%
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	431	534	23.9%
African American	24	105	337.5%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	12	6	50%
Hispanic	28	44	57.1%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	331	324	2.1%
Two or More Races	34	52	52.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	32.3%	39.1%	6.9%

Schools Near West Willow 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 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
West Willow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6225 1st AVE SW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 558-3130	541	32	16.9	42.7%	309 (57.1%)	119 (22.0%)	46 (8.5%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	60 (11.1%)	39	391^st of 557 public elementary schools	29.8%		48.4	339^th of 565 public elementary schools	40.0%	52	52.1	68.8	64.3	73.2	67.1	71.4	52.9	$14,545	$265	$14,280
Truman Early Learning Center	Public	PK	441 West Post Road NW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(319) 558-3962	298	16	18.6	49.3%	127 (42.6%)	88 (29.5%)	30 (10.1%)	3 (1.0%)	6 (2.0%)	2 (0.7%)	42 (14.1%)								(n/a)
Hoover Elementary School	Public	K-5	4141 Johnson AVE NW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2369	396	35	11.2	91.4%	75 (18.9%)	237 (59.8%)	30 (7.6%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.3%)	33 (8.3%)	15.6	485^th of 557 public elementary schools	12.9%		18.8	488^th of 565 public elementary schools	13.6%	3	52.8	58.2	47.8	62.5	49.1	56.5	34.8	$15,359	$1,346	$14,013
Maple Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 38th ST NW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 558-2471	527	35	15.1	39.5%	381 (72.3%)	57 (10.8%)	36 (6.8%)	9 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	41 (7.8%)	71.4	148^th of 557 public elementary schools	73.4%		64.8	204^th of 565 public elementary schools	63.9%	56	75.9	84.5	74.4	78.5	84.5	84.6	62.8	$14,520	$250	$14,269
Madison Elementary School	Public	K-5	1341 Woodside DR NW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 555-2000	159	9	17.9	57.2%	100 (62.9%)	29 (18.2%)	15 (9.4%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (8.2%)	67.3	184^th of 557 public elementary schools	67.0%		43.1	377^th of 565 public elementary schools	33.3%	193	64.7	72.2	68.0	91.2	83.3	80.0	72.0	$15,609	$506	$15,103
Van Buren Elementary School	Public	K-5	2525 29th ST SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2377	409	29	14.1	86.3%	102 (24.9%)	172 (42.1%)	99 (24.2%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.5%)	23 (5.6%)	7.4	523^rd of 557 public elementary schools	6.1%		23	470^th of 565 public elementary schools	16.8%	53	40.9	42.6	43.2	43.2	54.1	56.8	27.3	$15,319	$2,181	$13,139
Cleveland Elementary School	Public	K-5	2200 1st AVE NW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2463	277	22	12.6	76.2%	128 (46.2%)	79 (28.5%)	24 (8.7%)	5 (1.8%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.5%)	33 (11.9%)	1.6	553^rd of 557 public elementary schools	0.7%		2.5	556^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.6%	3	22.6	45.5	26.8	41.9	33.3	31.7	31.7	$14,650	$723	$13,927
Cedar Rapids Virtual Academy Elementary	Public, Virtual	K-5	2500 Edgewood Rd	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(319) 558-3427	16	0		81.3%	7 (43.8%)	2 (12.5%)	3 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (18.8%)	1 (6.3%)								(n/a)
Harrison Elementary School	Public	K-5	1310 11th ST NW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2269	288	19	15.1	77.8%	129 (44.8%)	72 (25.0%)	37 (12.8%)	4 (1.4%)	4 (1.4%)	7 (2.4%)	35 (12.2%)	4.8	539^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.2%		11.1	518^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.3%	21	32.0	38.1	44.4	60.0	45.2	37.8	28.9	$15,848	$1,116	$14,732
Cedar River Academy at Taylor	Public	PK, KG-5	720 7th AVE SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2477	344	29	11.8	83.7%	120 (34.9%)	122 (35.5%)	39 (11.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	10 (2.9%)	50 (14.5%)	5	535^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.9%		2.3	557^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.4%	22	20.4	42.2	52.6	33.3	44.4	42.1	42.1	$19,246	$2,030	$17,216

Frequently Asked Questions about West Willow Elementary School

Is West Willow Elementary School a good school?

West Willow Elementary School ranks 391^st of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend West Willow Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 541 students attended West Willow Elementary School.

What district is West Willow Elementary School in?

Cedar Rapids Community School District

What is the racial makeup of West Willow Elementary School?

Students at West Willow Elementary School are 57% White, 22% African American, 11% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of West Willow Elementary School attend?

Students who attend West Willow Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Taft Middle School
High : Thomas Jefferson 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.