Colo-Nesco Elementary School

Q: Is Colo-Nesco Elementary School a good school?

Colo-Nesco Elementary School ranks 292 nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Colo-Nesco Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-4 in the small town of Zearing, Iowa, with a student population of 155. The school is part of the Colo-NESCO Community School District, which is ranked 176 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Colo-Nesco Elementary has shown mixed performance on standardized tests compared to state and district averages. While the school excels in mathematics, with 91.3% of 3rd graders and 76.9% of 4th graders proficient or better, its English Language Arts scores lag behind, with 65.2% of 3rd graders and 61.5% of 4th graders proficient or better. This is slightly above the state average but below the district average. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 42.58% to 46.99% over the past three years, which is higher than nearby high-performing schools like Gilbert Intermediate (10.26%) and Roland-Story Elementary (19.01%).

Colo-Nesco Elementary's student population is significantly more racially homogeneous compared to nearby schools, with over 92% of students identifying as white. This is in contrast to more diverse schools like Meeker Elementary (72.93% white) and Northwood Pre-School (62.99% white) in the Ames area. Additionally, Colo-Nesco Elementary spends $14,066 per student, which is higher than the state average and the spending levels at some nearby schools like Gilbert Intermediate ($11,603) and West Marshall Elementary ($10,443).

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

407 N Center
Zearing, IA 50278

(641) 487-7411

District: Colo-NESCO Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
292^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,066

Students who attend Colo-Nesco Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Colo-NESCO Middle/High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.1

Number of students: 164

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.5%

Hispanic:

4.9%

Two or more races:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Colo-Nesco Elementary School ranks worse than 52.4% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.77. (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 (91.5%), Hispanic (4.9%), two or more races (3.7%). (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 Colo-Nesco Elementary School is 12.1. (See more...)

Compare Colo-Nesco Elementary School employs 13.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Colo-Nesco Elementary School is $14,066.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Colo-Nesco Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Colo-NESCO Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Colo-NESCO Community School District 176^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Colo-Nesco Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2015	75.58	117^th	616	81.0%
2016	72.01	148^th	599	75.3%
2017	72.32	149^th	574	74.0%
2018	58.76	268^th	567	52.7%
2019	47.67	355^th	603	41.1%
2021	50.39	311^th	567	45.1%
2022	47.59	346^th	574	39.7%
2023	60.87	238^th	565	57.9%
2024	55.77	292^nd	557	47.6%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Colo-Nesco Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2014	152	1	1	16	1	171
2015	143	1	0	9	2	155
2016	144	0	0	6	4	154
2017	159	1	0	8	2	170
2018	160	1	0	5	2	168
2019	161	1	0	5	4	171
2020	157	2	0	6	8	173
2021	155	2	0	6	3	166
2022	147	1	0	10	1	159
2023	143	0	0	7	5	155
2024	150	0	0	8	6	164

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 Colo-Nesco Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	171	12.6	13.5	40.4
2015	155	14.0	11.0	31.6
2016	154	14.0	11.0	29.9
2017	170	12.8	13.2	38.8
2018	168	11.0	15.2	39.3
2019	171	11.0	15.5	45
2020	173	11.9	14.5	45.1
2021	166	12.4	13.3	47
2022	159	13.4	11.7	44
2023	155	14.6	10.6	42.6
2024	164	13.5	12.1	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 Colo-Nesco Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	171	12.6	13.5	40.4
2015	155	14.0	11.0	31.6
2016	154	14.0	11.0	29.9
2017	170	12.8	13.2	38.8
2018	168	11.0	15.2	39.3
2019	171	11.0	15.5	45
2020	173	11.9	14.5	45.1
2021	166	12.4	13.3	47
2022	159	13.4	11.7	44
2023	155	14.6	10.6	42.6
2024	164	13.5	12.1	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 Colo-Nesco Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$671 (4.8%)	$13,396 (95.2%)	$14,066

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Colo-Nesco 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 355^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 238^th of 565 Elementary schools	16.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colo-Nesco Elementary School)	47.4	64	16.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colo-NESCO Community School District)	47.4	64	16.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Colo-Nesco Elementary School)	84.2	84	0.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Colo-NESCO Community School District)	84.2	84	0.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colo-Nesco Elementary School)	63	66.7	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colo-NESCO Community School District)	63	66.7	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Colo-Nesco Elementary School)	77.8	90.5	12.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Colo-NESCO Community School District)	77.8	90.5	12.7%
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	171	155	9.4%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	5	7	40%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	161	143	11.2%
Two or More Races	4	5	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	45%	42.6%	2.4%

Schools Near Colo-Nesco 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
Colo-Nesco Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	407 N Center	Zearing	50278	Story County	Colo-NESCO Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 487-7411	164	14	12.1	42.7%	150 (91.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.7%)	55.8	292^nd of 557 public elementary schools	47.6%		60.9	238^th of 565 public elementary schools	57.9%	54	65.2	61.5		91.3	76.9			$14,066	$671	$13,396
West Marshall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	207 3rd St SW	State Center	50247	Marshall County	West Marshall Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 483-2671	431	30	14.4	34.1%	383 (88.9%)	2 (0.5%)	26 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	68.6	177^th of 557 public elementary schools	68.2%		54	293^rd of 565 public elementary schools	48.1%	116	75.8	79.6	78.6	83.3	74.1	78.6	62.9	$10,443	$372	$10,072
Hubbard-Radcliffe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	501 Isabella	Radcliffe	50230	Hardin County	Hubbard-Radcliffe Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 899-2111	193	13	14.6	30.6%	172 (89.1%)	1 (0.5%)	10 (5.2%)	2 (1.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	71	150^th of 557 public elementary schools	73.1%		74.2	122^nd of 565 public elementary schools	78.4%	28	67.7	83.3	88.9	83.9	88.9	77.8	59.3	$14,278	$482	$13,797
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	925 H Ave	Nevada	50201	Story County	Nevada Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 382-2383	646	46	14.1	36.5%	545 (84.4%)	3 (0.5%)	70 (10.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.2%)	73.1	124^th of 557 public elementary schools	77.7%		87	28^th of 565 public elementary schools	95.0%	96	64.2	79.5		89.9	89.7			$11,518	$1,130	$10,388
Roland-Story Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	900 Hillcrest Dr	Story City	50248	Story County	Roland-Story Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 733-4386	464	29	15.8	14.9%	431 (92.9%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.0%)	85.4	32^nd of 557 public elementary schools	94.3%		81.7	68^th of 565 public elementary schools	88.0%	36	71.2	92.0		94.5	92.0			$11,242	$484	$10,758
Eldora-New Providence Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1100 10th St	Eldora	50627	Hardin County	Eldora-New Providence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 939-9350	248	23	10.9	48.8%	219 (88.3%)	3 (1.2%)	18 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)	63.9	211^th of 557 public elementary schools	62.1%		51.3	318^th of 565 public elementary schools	43.7%	107	75.0	70.0	69.7	87.5	80.0	84.8	57.6	$14,520	$1,122	$13,398
Gilbert Intermediate School	Public	3-5	103 Mathews Dr	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 232-3748	358	21	16.7	10.1%	304 (84.9%)	7 (2.0%)	16 (4.5%)	19 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.4%)	92.8	4^th of 557 public elementary schools	99.3%		91	7^th of 565 public elementary schools	98.8%	3	90.6	92.7	87.8	94.9	95.5	91.9	87.8	$11,603	$317	$11,285
Collins-Maxwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	416 Fourth Avenue	Collins	50055	Story County	Collins-Maxwell Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 385-2446	189	18	10.6	47.6%	173 (91.5%)	2 (1.1%)	12 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	72.5	130^th of 557 public elementary schools	76.7%		61.3	229^th of 565 public elementary schools	59.5%	99	65.5	90.9	75.0	82.8	100.0	79.2	58.3	$14,450	$518	$13,932
Gilbert Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	109 Rothmoor	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 232-3744	408	24	16.7	11.5%	340 (83.3%)	6 (1.5%)	23 (5.6%)	17 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.4%)								(n/a)								$12,378	$377	$12,000
Northwood Pre-School	Public	PK-K	3012 Duff Avenue	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 268-2470	249	11	22.7	37.8%	135 (54.2%)	29 (11.6%)	34 (13.7%)	25 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.4%)								(n/a)								$19,833	$304	$19,530

Frequently Asked Questions about Colo-Nesco Elementary School

What district is Colo-Nesco Elementary School in?

Colo-NESCO Community School District

How many students attend Colo-Nesco Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 164 students attended Colo-Nesco Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Colo-Nesco Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Colo-Nesco Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Colo-NESCO Middle/High School

What is the racial makeup of Colo-Nesco Elementary School?

Students at Colo-Nesco Elementary School are 91% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

Is Colo-Nesco Elementary School a good school?

Colo-Nesco Elementary School ranks 292^nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Colo-Nesco 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.