Essex Elementary School

Summary:

Essex Elementary School is a small public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in the Essex Community School District in Essex, Iowa. With just 109 students enrolled, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio compared to nearby schools.

While Essex Elementary has a higher spending per student than some neighboring schools, its academic performance lags behind. The school's test scores on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) are generally below the state averages across grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's English Language Arts proficiency rates ranged from 28.6% to 53.8%, compared to the state averages of 64.2% to 72.9%. In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates were 50% to 69.2%, versus the state averages of 70.7% to 76.3%. Essex Elementary's statewide ranking among Iowa elementary schools has also declined in recent years, from 214th out of 603 schools in 2018-2019 to 478th out of 557 schools in 2023-2024.

When compared to nearby schools like Sidney Elementary, Fremont-Mills Elementary, and Stanton Elementary, Essex Elementary's performance is generally lower. The school's high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 51.96% to 70.97% over the past three years, may be a contributing factor to its academic challenges. Exploring best practices from higher-performing schools in the area could provide insights for Essex Elementary to enhance its educational programs and strategies.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

111 Forbes St
Essex, IA 51638

(712) 379-3114

District: Essex Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
478^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,793

Students who attend Essex Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Essex Junior-Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.5

Number of students: 109

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.6%

Two or more races:

3.7%

Hispanic:

2.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 60.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Essex Elementary School ranks worse than 85.8% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.05. (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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Essex Elementary School is $15,793.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Essex Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Essex Community School District 260^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Essex Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	61.82	252^nd	626	59.7%
2013	69.10	162^nd	624	74.0%
2014	46.23	406^th	603	32.7%
2015	37.72	457^th	616	25.8%
2016	40.32	436^th	599	27.2%
2017	53.58	325^th	574	43.4%
2018	30.98	444^th	567	21.7%
2019	65.37	214^th	603	64.5%
2021	59.85	240^th	567	57.7%
2022	59.36	251^st	574	56.3%
2023	50.39	324^th	565	42.7%
2024	18.05	478^th	557	14.2%

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 Essex Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	190	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	192
1989	192	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	192
1990	177	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	177
1991	184	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	184
1992	173	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	173
1993	167	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	167
1994	169	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	169
1995	161	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	161
1996	161	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	161
1997	170	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	170
1998	162	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	162
1999	150	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	150
2000	167	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	-13	155
2001	153	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	156
2002	155	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	157
2003	155	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	157
2004	137	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	138
2005	135	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	135
2006	159	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	159
2007	158	2	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	163
2008	160	2	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	167
2009	145	3	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	153
2010	125	2	0	1	1	0	2	0	131
2011	112	2	0	0	1	0	10	0	125
2012	100	1	0	1	1	0	1	0	104
2013	97	1	0	2	0	0	1	0	101
2014	123	0	0	9	1	0	2	0	135
2015	104	0	0	6	0	0	1	0	111
2016	99	0	0	6	0	0	3	0	108
2017	90	0	0	5	0	0	1	0	96
2018	92	0	0	7	0	0	1	0	100
2019	89	0	0	7	2	0	0	0	98
2020	86	0	0	3	0	0	1	0	90
2021	87	0	0	2	1	0	3	0	93
2022	95	0	0	2	1	0	4	0	102
2023	102	0	0	3	0	0	4	0	109

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 Essex Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	192	11.8	16.2	18.8
1989	192	11.2	17.1	1.6
1990	177	11.3	15.6	15.3
1991	184	11.3	16.2	19
1992	173	11.0	15.7	18.5
1993	167	11.2	14.9	20.4
1994	169	11.5	14.7	17.2
1995	161	11.6	13.9	16.8
1996	161	11.6	13.9	16.8
1997	170	11.6	14.7	18.2
1998	162	11.5	14.1	15.4
1999	150	11.5	13.0	28.7
2000	155	16.1	9.6	18.5
2001	156	11.8	13.2	37.8
2002	157	9.0	17.4	40.8
2003	157	9.0	17.4	40.8
2004	138	10.7	12.9	31.9
2005	135	11.0	12.3	25.9
2006	159	11.5	13.8	31.4
2007	163	11.5	14.2	38
2008	167	11.5	14.5	38.9
2009	153	7.5	20.4	30.7
2010	131	10.0	13.1	32.8
2011	125	9.0	13.8	39.2
2012	104	10.8	9.5	32.7
2013	101	9.9	10.1	42.6
2014	135	10.6	12.6	57
2015	111	11.0	10.0	49.5
2016	108	11.0	9.8	61.1
2017	96	9.7	9.8	51
2018	100	8.7	11.4	68
2019	98	8.7	11.2	71.4
2020	90	6.8	13.2	71.1
2021	93	8.7	10.6	71
2022	102	9.4	10.8	52
2023	109	10.3	10.5	60.6

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 Essex Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	192	11.8	16.2	18.8
1989	192	11.2	17.1	1.6
1990	177	11.3	15.6	15.3
1991	184	11.3	16.2	19
1992	173	11.0	15.7	18.5
1993	167	11.2	14.9	20.4
1994	169	11.5	14.7	17.2
1995	161	11.6	13.9	16.8
1996	161	11.6	13.9	16.8
1997	170	11.6	14.7	18.2
1998	162	11.5	14.1	15.4
1999	150	11.5	13.0	28.7
2000	155	16.1	9.6	18.5
2001	156	11.8	13.2	37.8
2002	157	9.0	17.4	40.8
2003	157	9.0	17.4	40.8
2004	138	10.7	12.9	31.9
2005	135	11.0	12.3	25.9
2006	159	11.5	13.8	31.4
2007	163	11.5	14.2	38
2008	167	11.5	14.5	38.9
2009	153	7.5	20.4	30.7
2010	131	10.0	13.1	32.8
2011	125	9.0	13.8	39.2
2012	104	10.8	9.5	32.7
2013	101	9.9	10.1	42.6
2014	135	10.6	12.6	57
2015	111	11.0	10.0	49.5
2016	108	11.0	9.8	61.1
2017	96	9.7	9.8	51
2018	100	8.7	11.4	68
2019	98	8.7	11.2	71.4
2020	90	6.8	13.2	71.1
2021	93	8.7	10.6	71
2022	102	9.4	10.8	52
2023	109	10.3	10.5	60.6

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 Essex Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$829 (5.2%)	$14,965 (94.8%)	$15,793

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Essex 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 214^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 324^th of 565 Elementary schools	21.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Essex Elementary School)	90	41.2	48.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Essex Community School District)	90	41.2	48.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Essex Elementary School)	80	64.7	15.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Essex Community School District)	80	64.7	15.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Essex Elementary School)	71.4	53.8	17.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Essex Community School District)	71.4	53.8	17.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Essex Elementary School)	78.6	69.2	9.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Essex Community School District)	78.6	69.2	9.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Essex Elementary School)	71.4	100	28.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Essex Community School District)	71.4	100	28.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Essex Elementary School)	71.4	92.3	20.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Essex Community School District)	71.4	92.3	20.9%
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	98	109	11.2%
African American	0	0
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	7	3	57.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	89	102	14.6%
Two or More Races	0	4
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	71.4%	60.6%	10.9%

Schools Near Essex 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
Essex Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	111 Forbes St	Essex	51638	Page County	Essex Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 379-3114	109	10	10.5	60.6%	102 (93.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.7%)	18.1	478^th of 557 public elementary schools	14.2%		50.4	324^th of 565 public elementary schools	42.7%	154	39.1	28.6	53.8		56.5	50.0	69.2		61.5	$15,793	$829	$14,965
Shenandoah Elementary School	Public	K-4	601 Dr. Creighton Circle	Shenandoah	51601	Page County	Shenandoah Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 246-2520	375	27	13.6	38.9%	341 (90.9%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (6.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.1%)	63.6	217^th of 557 public elementary schools	61.0%		45.8	362^nd of 565 public elementary schools	35.9%	145	68.9	84.5			71.6	81.7				$12,333	$802	$11,531
Inman Elementary School	Public	K-6	900 Inman Drive	Red Oak	51566	Montgomery County	Red Oak Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 623-6635	496	35	14.0	58.9%	433 (87.3%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (8.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.6%)	15.3	487^th of 557 public elementary schools	12.6%		19.9	482^nd of 565 public elementary schools	14.7%	5	41.1	51.9	53.4	56.2	60.3	54.4	56.9	49.3	60.3	$13,647	$822	$12,825
Stanton Elementary School	Public	K-5	605 Elliott Street	Stanton	51573	Montgomery County	Stanton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 829-2171	128	6	22.2	46.1%	118 (92.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.3%)	69	174^th of 557 public elementary schools	68.8%		68.4	179^th of 565 public elementary schools	68.3%	5	79.2	75.0	72.2		79.2	79.2	88.9		66.7	$12,043	$476	$11,568
Garfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	901 S. 15th	Clarinda	51632	Page County	Clarinda Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 542-4510	578	39	14.7	43.9%	527 (91.2%)	5 (0.9%)	21 (3.6%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.6%)	44.8	365^th of 557 public elementary schools	34.5%		47.6	348^th of 565 public elementary schools	38.4%	17	51.4	69.3	63.1	73.2	79.2	84.0	63.1	71.8	53.8	$9,763	$407	$9,357
East Mills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	58962 380th St	Hastings	51540	Mills County	East Mills Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 624-8696	232	16	14.3	51.7%	214 (92.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.9%)	49.9	331^st of 557 public elementary schools	40.6%		37.4	417^th of 565 public elementary schools	26.2%	86	72.0	59.3	75.0	63.6	80.0	77.8	78.6	66.7	60.7	$13,482	$675	$12,807
South Page Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	606 Iowa Ave	College Springs	51637	Page County	South Page Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 582-3212	57	7	8.4	70.2%	57 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$19,480	$1,207	$18,272
Sylvia Enarson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	219 Central Avenue	Villisca	50864	Montgomery County	Villisca Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 826-5982	130	10	13.0	61.5%	123 (94.6%)	1 (0.8%)	2 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.1%)	64.1	208^th of 557 public elementary schools	62.7%		64.9	202^nd of 565 public elementary schools	64.2%	6	61.5	86.7	72.7		76.9	86.7	63.6		72.7	$16,557	$1,288	$15,269
Sidney Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1004 Illinois St	Sidney	51652	Fremont County	Sidney Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 374-2647	283	19	14.7	48.4%	251 (88.7%)	1 (0.4%)	13 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.0%)	57.7	272^nd of 557 public elementary schools	51.2%		61	235^th of 565 public elementary schools	58.4%	37	50.0	75.0	76.7	85.2	66.7	83.3	83.3	85.2	60.0	$14,138	$723	$13,416
Fremont-Mills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1114 US Hwy 275	Tabor	51653	Fremont County	Fremont-Mills Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 629-6555	261	16	16.1	40.2%	247 (94.6%)	2 (0.8%)	11 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	46.2	354^th of 557 public elementary schools	36.4%		66.6	191^st of 565 public elementary schools	66.2%	163	40.6	74.1	65.4	97.1	65.6	81.5	65.4	71.4	50.0	$12,355	$289	$12,067

Frequently Asked Questions about Essex Elementary School

What district is Essex Elementary School in?

Essex Community School District

How many students attend Essex Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 109 students attended Essex Elementary School.

Is Essex Elementary School a good school?

Essex Elementary School ranks in the bottom 14.2% of Iowa elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Essex Elementary School attend?

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

High : Essex Junior-Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Essex Elementary School?

Students at Essex Elementary School are 94% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

Rate Essex 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.