Creston Elementary School

Q: Is Creston Elementary School a good school?

Creston Elementary School ranks 355 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Creston Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 1-5 in the Creston Community School District in Creston, Iowa, with a student population of around 410. While the school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa elementary schools according to the SchoolDigger rankings, there are several key insights that differentiate it from nearby schools.

Creston Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of white students (around 90%) compared to the state average, and its test scores on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) are generally below the state averages, especially in math and science. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students (over 55%) qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. However, Creston Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of around 11-12 students per teacher, which is better than the state average and some nearby schools.

When comparing Creston Elementary to nearby schools, some interesting patterns emerge. For example, Creston Early Childhood Center, also in the Creston district, has a higher percentage of white students and lower free/reduced lunch rates than Creston Elementary. Additionally, schools like Diagonal Elementary, Nodaway Valley Elementary, and Lenox Elementary all outperform Creston Elementary on test scores and have higher SchoolDigger rankings, despite serving similar rural/small-town communities.

Detail:

Public 1-5

805 Academic Ave
Creston, IA 50801

(641) 782-1155

District: Creston Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
355^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,712

Students who attend Creston Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Creston Middle School
High:	Creston High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.0

Number of students: 420

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.2%

Hispanic:

8.3%

Two or more races:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Creston Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Creston Elementary School ranks worse than 63.7% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.19. (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 (86.2%), Hispanic (8.3%), two or more races (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Creston Elementary School is 13. (See more...)

Compare Creston Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Creston Elementary School is $12,712.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Creston Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Creston Community School District 191^st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Creston Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	14.97	580^th	626	7.3%
2013	24.89	543^rd	624	13.0%
2014	28.99	496^th	603	17.7%
2015	37.45	461^st	616	25.2%
2016	37.32	453^rd	599	24.4%
2017	38.02	424^th	574	26.1%
2018	31.05	442^nd	567	22.0%
2019	36.82	425^th	603	29.5%
2021	27.30	457^th	567	19.4%
2022	43.54	367^th	574	36.1%
2023	38.74	406^th	565	28.1%
2024	46.19	355^th	557	36.3%

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 Creston Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2006	486	8	6	10	3	n/a	n/a	513
2007	487	13	6	6	4	n/a	n/a	516
2008	447	13	7	6	3	n/a	n/a	476
2009	487	20	7	13	3	n/a	n/a	530
2010	429	7	6	19	1	1	15	478
2011	433	5	3	21	1	1	15	479
2012	473	12	4	22	1	1	14	527
2013	465	15	3	26	1	0	13	523
2014	478	10	6	27	0	0	12	533
2015	474	11	8	31	0	0	13	537
2016	484	10	10	29	1	0	15	549
2017	465	6	7	29	1	0	13	521
2018	454	4	3	32	1	0	14	508
2019	416	6	4	30	1	0	13	470
2020	400	7	1	24	2	2	11	447
2021	382	3	0	26	2	2	6	421
2022	372	1	0	29	1	2	11	416
2023	368	5	0	25	1	0	11	410
2024	362	7	0	35	1	0	15	420

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 Creston Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	513	41.0	12.5	47
2007	516	41.0	12.6	48.4
2008	476	40.0	11.9	47.9
2009	530	41.0	12.9	48.5
2010	478	41.5	11.5	52.7
2011	479	42.3	11.3	57.8
2012	527	44.6	11.8	59.8
2013	523	45.3	11.5	58.7
2014	533	42.9	12.4	61
2015	537	40.0	13.4	57.5
2016	549	41.0	13.3	59.7
2017	521	40.8	12.7	63.5
2018	508	39.8	12.7	62
2019	470	39.8	11.8	69.4
2020	447	40.8	10.9	67.3
2021	421	39.3	10.7	60.6
2022	416	34.8	11.9	53.8
2023	410	34.8	11.7	55.1
2024	420	32.0	13.0	59

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 Creston Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2006	513	41.0	12.5	47
2007	516	41.0	12.6	48.4
2008	476	40.0	11.9	47.9
2009	530	41.0	12.9	48.5
2010	478	41.5	11.5	52.7
2011	479	42.3	11.3	57.8
2012	527	44.6	11.8	59.8
2013	523	45.3	11.5	58.7
2014	533	42.9	12.4	61
2015	537	40.0	13.4	57.5
2016	549	41.0	13.3	59.7
2017	521	40.8	12.7	63.5
2018	508	39.8	12.7	62
2019	470	39.8	11.8	69.4
2020	447	40.8	10.9	67.3
2021	421	39.3	10.7	60.6
2022	416	34.8	11.9	53.8
2023	410	34.8	11.7	55.1
2024	420	32.0	13.0	59

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 Creston Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,418 (11.2%)	$11,294 (88.8%)	$12,712

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Creston 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 425^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 406^th of 565 Elementary schools	1.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Creston Elementary School)	45.8	56.8	11%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Creston Community School District)	45.8	56.8	11%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Creston Elementary School)	49.4	60.8	11.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Creston Community School District)	49.4	60.8	11.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Creston Elementary School)	65	72	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Creston Community School District)	65	72	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Creston Elementary School)	64.1	67.1	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Creston Community School District)	64.1	67.1	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Creston Elementary School)	71.3	65.1	6.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Creston Community School District)	71.3	65.1	6.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Creston Elementary School)	76.2	67.5	8.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Creston Community School District)	76.2	67.5	8.7%
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	470	410	12.8%
African American	6	5	16.7%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	4	0	100%
Hispanic	30	25	16.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	416	368	11.5%
Two or More Races	13	11	15.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	69.4%	55.1%	14.2%

Schools Near Creston 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
Creston Elementary School	Public	1-5	805 Academic Ave	Creston	50801	Union County	Creston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 782-1155	420	32	13.0	59.0%	362 (86.2%)	7 (1.7%)	35 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.6%)	46.2	355^th of 557 public elementary schools	36.3%		38.7	406^th of 565 public elementary schools	28.1%	51	70.2	66.7	67.9		73.8	61.1	70.2		58.3	$12,712	$1,418	$11,294
Creston Early Childhood Center	Public	PK-K	901 N Elm St	Creston	50801	Union County	Creston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 782-2724	159	11	14.4	43.4%	140 (88.1%)	2 (1.3%)	10 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	6 (3.8%)								(n/a)										$15,230	$1,144	$14,086
Orient Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	201 S. School Street	Orient	50858	Adair County	Orient-Macksburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 352-4800	75	7	10.9	56.0%	73 (97.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$16,771	$789	$15,981
East Union Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1916 High School Dr.	Afton	50830	Union County	East Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 347-5411	210	18	11.4	48.6%	199 (94.8%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	78	83^rd of 557 public elementary schools	85.1%		70.1	166^th of 565 public elementary schools	70.6%	83	64.5	84.2	92.1		80.6	73.7	87.2		89.5	$14,373	$1,097	$13,276
Nodaway Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	324 NW 2nd	Greenfield	50849	Adair County	Nodaway Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 743-6136	313	22	14.0	45.7%	286 (91.4%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.2%)	60	256^th of 557 public elementary schools	54.0%		61.2	233^rd of 565 public elementary schools	58.8%	23	52.5	79.2	65.9		90.0	81.1	75.0		63.6	$11,132	$569	$10,563
Lenox Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	600 S. Locust St.	Lenox	50851	Taylor County	Lenox Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 333-2244	311	24	13.0	55.3%	211 (67.8%)	1 (0.3%)	95 (30.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	74	118^th of 557 public elementary schools	78.8%		70.9	157^th of 565 public elementary schools	72.2%	39	75.8	76.7	74.4	92.9	100.0	80.0	86.0	82.1	60.5	$11,735	$549	$11,185
Diagonal Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	403 W 2nd Street	Diagonal	50845	Ringgold County	Diagonal Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 734-5331	58	7	8.5	48.3%	57 (98.3%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	73	125^th of 557 public elementary schools	77.6%					(n/a)			81.8				81.8		63.6	$15,755	$1,392	$14,363

Frequently Asked Questions about Creston Elementary School

How many students attend Creston Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 420 students attended Creston Elementary School.

What district is Creston Elementary School in?

Creston Community School District

Is Creston Elementary School a good school?

Creston Elementary School ranks 355^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Creston Elementary School?

Students at Creston Elementary School are 86% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Creston Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Creston Middle School
High : Creston 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.