Pierce Elementary School

Q: Is Pierce Elementary School a good school?

Pierce Elementary School ranks 352 nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Pierce Elementary School is a public elementary school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, serving 326 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Cedar Rapids Community School District, which is ranked 276 out of 309 school districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pierce Elementary School stands out among its nearby peers, such as Harrison Elementary School and Kenwood Leadership Academy School, in several key areas. The school consistently outperforms the district and the state of Iowa in ISASP test scores across all grade levels and subjects, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, Pierce Elementary School has a lower percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients (34.97%) compared to many nearby schools.

Despite its strong academic performance, Pierce Elementary School's ranking among Iowa elementary schools has been declining over the years, from a 3-star rating to a 2-star rating. This could be due to factors beyond just academic achievement, such as changes in the school's demographics, funding, or other school-level factors. The school's racial makeup has become more diverse over the years, with an increase in the percentage of African American, Hispanic, and students of two or more races, although it still has a higher percentage of white students compared to the nearby schools.

Detail:

Public K-5

4343 Marilyn DR NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

(319) 558-2373

District: Cedar Rapids Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
352^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,106

Students who attend Pierce Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Franklin Middle School
High:	John F Kennedy High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 326

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.2%

Two or more races:

11.3%

African American:

11.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 35%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Pierce Elementary School ranks worse than 63.2% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 7^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 46.39. (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 Pierce Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pierce Elementary School is $14,106. 17 elementary schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Pierce 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 Pierce Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	82.19	38^th	626	93.9%
2013	75.60	88^th	624	85.9%
2014	60.43	271^st	603	55.1%
2015	50.89	381^st	616	38.1%
2016	60.32	279^th	599	53.4%
2017	59.72	272^nd	574	52.6%
2018	64.72	216^th	567	61.9%
2019	65.95	205^th	603	66.0%
2021	42.98	361^st	567	36.3%
2022	41.01	389^th	574	32.2%
2023	47.96	343^rd	565	39.3%
2024	46.39	352^nd	557	36.8%

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 Pierce Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	447	5	11	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	465
1989	464	5	9	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	479
1990	452	10	11	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	476
1991	436	7	8	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	455
1992	459	8	11	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	481
1993	451	10	9	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	473
1994	428	7	8	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	446
1995	421	10	16	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	456
1996	421	10	16	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	456
1997	426	10	16	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	463
1998	417	15	19	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1999	412	17	16	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	452
2000	415	12	17	6	1	n/a	n/a	-23	428
2001	397	10	13	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	426
2002	397	27	10	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	440
2003	397	27	10	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	440
2004	407	29	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
2005	405	31	9	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	454
2006	409	32	11	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	463
2007	383	33	11	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	434
2008	394	25	15	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	440
2009	412	38	17	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	476
2010	411	47	17	10	0	0	0	0	485
2011	384	67	14	11	0	0	4	0	480
2012	346	52	12	11	0	1	17	0	439
2013	309	48	14	10	0	0	24	0	405
2014	296	58	12	18	0	0	26	0	410
2015	284	50	14	16	0	0	26	0	390
2016	273	51	12	24	1	2	24	0	387
2017	300	46	7	24	2	2	33	0	414
2018	286	43	9	16	1	0	27	0	382
2019	285	38	7	23	0	2	35	0	390
2020	296	60	6	17	1	0	40	0	420
2021	261	36	6	15	1	0	35	0	354
2022	238	27	4	22	1	0	35	0	327
2023	229	36	4	18	0	2	37	0	326

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 Pierce Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	465	23.8	19.5	2.8
1989	479	22.7	21.1	1.7
1990	476	23.0	20.6	2.3
1991	455	23.0	19.7	2
1992	481	25.0	19.2	15.6
1993	473	23.0	20.6	2.7
1994	446	22.0	20.3	3.6
1995	456	22.0	20.7	2.6
1996	456	22.0	20.7	2.6
1997	463	22.4	20.7	2.8
1998	458	22.4	20.4	3.1
1999	452	22.4	20.2	4
2000	428	22.5	19.0	4
2001	426	22.5	18.9	2.1
2002	440	22.5	19.6	11.1
2003	440	22.5	19.6	11.1
2004	450	23.7	19.0	12
2005	454	23.7	19.2	15.9
2006	463	23.6	19.6	18.4
2007	434	22.6	19.2	19.4
2008	440	22.5	19.6	17.3
2009	476	23.7	20.1	19.7
2010	485	23.7	20.4	23.9
2011	480	25.5	18.8	30.4
2012	439	26.0	16.8	33
2013	405	25.0	16.2	35.3
2014	410	24.3	16.8	39.5
2015	390	23.0	16.9	35.4
2016	387	24.0	16.1	36.2
2017	414	21.5	19.2	38.9
2018	382	24.3	15.7	31.4
2019	390	22.9	16.9	40
2020	420	24.9	16.8	41.7
2021	354	23.9	14.8	37.3
2022	327	23.9	13.6	35.5
2023	326	23.9	13.6	35

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 Pierce Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	465	23.8	19.5	2.8
1989	479	22.7	21.1	1.7
1990	476	23.0	20.6	2.3
1991	455	23.0	19.7	2
1992	481	25.0	19.2	15.6
1993	473	23.0	20.6	2.7
1994	446	22.0	20.3	3.6
1995	456	22.0	20.7	2.6
1996	456	22.0	20.7	2.6
1997	463	22.4	20.7	2.8
1998	458	22.4	20.4	3.1
1999	452	22.4	20.2	4
2000	428	22.5	19.0	4
2001	426	22.5	18.9	2.1
2002	440	22.5	19.6	11.1
2003	440	22.5	19.6	11.1
2004	450	23.7	19.0	12
2005	454	23.7	19.2	15.9
2006	463	23.6	19.6	18.4
2007	434	22.6	19.2	19.4
2008	440	22.5	19.6	17.3
2009	476	23.7	20.1	19.7
2010	485	23.7	20.4	23.9
2011	480	25.5	18.8	30.4
2012	439	26.0	16.8	33
2013	405	25.0	16.2	35.3
2014	410	24.3	16.8	39.5
2015	390	23.0	16.9	35.4
2016	387	24.0	16.1	36.2
2017	414	21.5	19.2	38.9
2018	382	24.3	15.7	31.4
2019	390	22.9	16.9	40
2020	420	24.9	16.8	41.7
2021	354	23.9	14.8	37.3
2022	327	23.9	13.6	35.5
2023	326	23.9	13.6	35

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 Pierce Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$245 (1.7%)	$13,862 (98.3%)	$14,106

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pierce 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 205^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 343^rd of 565 Elementary schools	26.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pierce Elementary School)	79.4	61.9	17.5%
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 (Pierce Elementary School)	77.9	76.2	1.7%
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 (Pierce Elementary School)	74.2	76.3	2.1%
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 (Pierce Elementary School)	72.6	67.8	4.8%
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 (Pierce Elementary School)	79.3	77.6	1.7%
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 (Pierce Elementary School)	70.7	59.2	11.5%
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	390	326	16.4%
African American	38	36	5.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	7	4	42.9%
Hispanic	23	18	21.7%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	285	229	19.6%
Two or More Races	35	37	5.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	40%	35%	5%

Schools Near Pierce 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
Pierce Elementary School	Public	K-5	4343 Marilyn DR NE	Cedar Rapids	52402	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 558-2373	326	24	13.6	35.0%	229 (70.2%)	36 (11.0%)	18 (5.5%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	37 (11.3%)	46.4	352^nd of 557 public elementary schools	36.8%		48	343^rd of 565 public elementary schools	39.3%	9	58.3	70.8	74.1	75.0	74.2	61.1	55.6	$14,106	$245	$13,862
Wright Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1524 Hollywood Blvd NE	Cedar Rapids	52402	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2278	295	21	14.1	75.6%	113 (38.3%)	75 (25.4%)	33 (11.2%)	9 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	57 (19.3%)	32.5	434^th of 557 public elementary schools	22.1%		36.7	421^st of 565 public elementary schools	25.5%	13	34.1	65.9	57.9	56.8	82.9	73.7	50.0	$16,018	$1,085	$14,932
Hiawatha Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	603 Emmons ST	Hiawatha	52233	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2172	328	24	13.7	54.3%	193 (58.8%)	31 (9.5%)	58 (17.7%)	19 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (8.2%)	48.3	346^th of 557 public elementary schools	37.9%		39.8	400^th of 565 public elementary schools	29.2%	54	55.8	72.0	72.5	68.9	70.0	78.4	56.9	$15,749	$577	$15,172
Nixon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Nixon DR	Hiawatha	52233	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2188	289	23	12.6	67.1%	130 (45.0%)	53 (18.3%)	25 (8.7%)	42 (14.5%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (12.1%)	32.4	435^th of 557 public elementary schools	21.9%		38.2	408^th of 565 public elementary schools	27.8%	27	52.2	52.5	67.3	71.7	45.0	65.3	61.2	$15,864	$627	$15,237
Garfield Elementary School	Public	K-5	1201 Maplewood DR NE	Cedar Rapids	52402	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2169	214	17	12.5	79.4%	89 (41.6%)	64 (29.9%)	22 (10.3%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	34 (15.9%)	9.2	517^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.2%		10.2	525^th of 565 public elementary schools	7.1%	8	37.5	63.0	46.4	55.0	55.6	39.3	28.6	$16,964	$1,662	$15,302
Kenwood Leadership Academy School	Public	PK, KG-5	3700 E Ave NE	Cedar Rapids	52402	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-1465	414	28	14.8	62.3%	206 (49.8%)	89 (21.5%)	33 (8.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	82 (19.8%)	25.7	456^th of 557 public elementary schools	18.1%		43.6	374^th of 565 public elementary schools	33.8%	82	56.0	66.1	60.0	68.0	57.1	52.0	48.0	$15,281	$897	$14,383
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	17	0		82.4%	7 (41.2%)	3 (17.6%)	1 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.9%)	5 (29.4%)								(n/a)
Viola Gibson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6101 Gibson DR NE	Cedar Rapids	52411	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 558-2920	591	36	16.6	13.7%	506 (85.6%)	15 (2.5%)	19 (3.2%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (7.1%)	73.2	123^rd of 557 public elementary schools	77.9%		80	77^th of 565 public elementary schools	86.4%	46	78.5	80.5	73.6	94.9	81.8	82.4	61.5	$13,762	$268	$13,495
Arthur Elementary School	Public	K-5	2630 B Ave NE	Cedar Rapids	52402	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2264	242	17	13.8	63.2%	141 (58.3%)	48 (19.8%)	15 (6.2%)	4 (1.7%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	30 (12.4%)	40	385^th of 557 public elementary schools	30.9%		36.1	426^th of 565 public elementary schools	24.6%	41	65.7	67.9	66.7	74.3	75.0	55.6	47.2	$14,343	$554	$13,790
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	285	20	14.3	77.5%	142 (49.8%)	63 (22.1%)	30 (10.5%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	6 (2.1%)	40 (14.0%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Pierce Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Pierce Elementary School?

Students at Pierce Elementary School are 70% White, 11% Two or more races, 11% African American, 6% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

Is Pierce Elementary School a good school?

Pierce Elementary School ranks 352^nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Pierce Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 326 students attended Pierce Elementary School.

What district is Pierce Elementary School in?

Cedar Rapids Community School District

What schools do graduates of Pierce Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Pierce Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Franklin Middle School
High : John F Kennedy 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.