Butler Elementary School

Summary:

Butler Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 1-5 in the Fort Dodge Community School District in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The school has 379 students and a student-teacher ratio of 12.8 for the 2022-2023 school year.

Despite its relatively large size, Butler Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom half of Iowa elementary schools, with academic performance significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. The school also has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 76.52% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is much higher than the other nearby schools in the Fort Dodge district. Additionally, the school's enrollment has been steadily declining over the past several years.

When compared to other schools in the Fort Dodge district, Butler Elementary consistently underperforms academically. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of 3rd-grade students proficient in English Language Arts at Butler Elementary was 40%, compared to 35.4% at Cooper Elementary, 48.6% at Feelhaver Elementary, and 39.2% at Duncombe Elementary. These findings raise questions about the effective allocation and utilization of resources to support student learning and achievement at Butler Elementary.

Detail:

Public 1-5

945 South 18th Street
Fort Dodge, IA 50501

(515) 574-5882

District: Fort Dodge Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
525^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,434

Students who attend Butler Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Fort Dodge Middle School
High:	Fort Dodge High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 344

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.4%

Hispanic:

15.4%

Two or more races:

10.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Butler Elementary School ranks worse than 94.3% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Fort Dodge Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.27. (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 (63.4%), Hispanic (15.4%), two or more races (10.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 69.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Butler Elementary School is 12.8, which is the lowest among 5 elementary schools in the Fort Dodge Community School District! (See more...)

Compare Butler Elementary School employs 26.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Butler Elementary School is $15,434. 2 elementary schools in the Fort Dodge Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Fort Dodge Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Fort Dodge Community School District 300^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Butler Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	23.99	551^st	626	12.0%
2013	31.56	509^th	624	18.4%
2014	30.59	489^th	603	18.9%
2015	19.86	530^th	616	14.0%
2016	11.39	550^th	599	8.2%
2017	11.71	519^th	574	9.6%
2018	9.80	519^th	567	8.5%
2019	22.84	504^th	603	16.4%
2021	15.02	506^th	567	10.8%
2022	6.64	544^th	574	5.2%
2023	5.66	540^th	565	4.4%
2024	7.27	525^th	557	5.7%

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 Butler Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	266	4	0	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	281
1989	287	4	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	297
1990	294	6	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	308
1991	246	16	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	268
1992	230	12	0	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	254
1993	243	15	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	266
1994	240	10	2	8	3	n/a	n/a	0	263
1995	234	7	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	248
1996	234	7	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	248
1997	260	10	3	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	280
1998	259	14	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	284
1999	225	21	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	252
2000	266	20	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	-27	268
2001	212	25	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	248
2002	300	38	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	344
2003	300	38	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	344
2004	314	50	0	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	377
2005	318	39	1	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	369
2006	284	35	2	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	342
2007	277	39	4	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	332
2008	288	28	3	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	341
2009	288	26	2	25	3	n/a	n/a	0	344
2010	286	14	0	28	0	0	16	0	344
2011	293	13	2	28	1	0	18	0	355
2012	343	30	1	41	2	0	21	0	438
2013	350	33	2	49	3	0	36	0	473
2014	349	29	1	51	1	0	50	0	481
2015	345	32	1	63	3	0	50	0	494
2016	330	38	1	61	2	2	50	0	484
2017	329	44	2	64	1	1	44	0	485
2018	331	39	1	58	2	1	47	0	479
2019	285	38	0	57	2	0	45	0	427
2020	260	39	1	47	0	0	39	0	386
2021	271	41	3	56	1	0	46	0	418
2022	280	35	2	56	2	7	42	0	424
2023	251	28	3	52	1	1	43	0	379
2024	218	32	2	53	1	2	36	0	344

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 Butler Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	281	17.5	16.0	25.3
1989	297	16.5	18.0	27.6
1990	308	16.5	18.6	29.9
1991	268	15.4	17.4	35.8
1992	254	16.0	15.8	40.6
1993	266	11.5	23.1	41.7
1994	263	11.4	23.1	51.7
1995	248	11.1	22.3	33.9
1996	248	11.1	22.3	33.9
1997	280	18.0	15.6	31.4
1998	284	13.1	21.7	37
1999	252	18.9	13.3	64.3
2000	268	14.0	19.1	54.2
2001	248	14.5	17.1	70.6
2002	344	27.5	12.5	55.5
2003	344	27.5	12.5	55.5
2004	377	27.2	13.9	61.8
2005	369	26.0	14.2	60.7
2006	342	28.0	12.2	63.7
2007	332	26.0	12.8	63.3
2008	341	53.0	6.4	62.2
2009	344	25.7	13.4	64
2010	344	24.1	14.2	62.5
2011	355	24.0	14.7	67
2012	438	29.9	14.6	72.6
2013	473	31.6	14.9	75.1
2014	481	32.1	14.9	74.2
2015	494	31.0	15.9	79.6
2016	484	32.0	15.1	74.2
2017	485	32.4	14.9	73.8
2018	479	34.3	13.9	74.9
2019	427	34.0	12.5	75.6
2020	386	28.3	13.6	73.6
2021	418	27.1	15.3	70.8
2022	424	26.8	15.7	73.3
2023	379	29.4	12.8	76.5
2024	344	26.7	12.8	69.2

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 Butler Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	281	17.5	16.0	25.3
1989	297	16.5	18.0	27.6
1990	308	16.5	18.6	29.9
1991	268	15.4	17.4	35.8
1992	254	16.0	15.8	40.6
1993	266	11.5	23.1	41.7
1994	263	11.4	23.1	51.7
1995	248	11.1	22.3	33.9
1996	248	11.1	22.3	33.9
1997	280	18.0	15.6	31.4
1998	284	13.1	21.7	37
1999	252	18.9	13.3	64.3
2000	268	14.0	19.1	54.2
2001	248	14.5	17.1	70.6
2002	344	27.5	12.5	55.5
2003	344	27.5	12.5	55.5
2004	377	27.2	13.9	61.8
2005	369	26.0	14.2	60.7
2006	342	28.0	12.2	63.7
2007	332	26.0	12.8	63.3
2008	341	53.0	6.4	62.2
2009	344	25.7	13.4	64
2010	344	24.1	14.2	62.5
2011	355	24.0	14.7	67
2012	438	29.9	14.6	72.6
2013	473	31.6	14.9	75.1
2014	481	32.1	14.9	74.2
2015	494	31.0	15.9	79.6
2016	484	32.0	15.1	74.2
2017	485	32.4	14.9	73.8
2018	479	34.3	13.9	74.9
2019	427	34.0	12.5	75.6
2020	386	28.3	13.6	73.6
2021	418	27.1	15.3	70.8
2022	424	26.8	15.7	73.3
2023	379	29.4	12.8	76.5
2024	344	26.7	12.8	69.2

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 Butler Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,605 (10.4%)	$13,830 (89.6%)	$15,434

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Butler 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 504^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 540^th of 565 Elementary schools	12%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Butler Elementary School)	59.2	42.9	16.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Fort Dodge Community School District)	55.3	44.8	10.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Butler Elementary School)	67.1	47.1	20%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Fort Dodge Community School District)	54.5	54.4	0.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Butler Elementary School)	56	51.2	4.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Fort Dodge Community School District)	62.8	61.8	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Butler Elementary School)	42.9	41.9	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Fort Dodge Community School District)	53.4	52.4	1%
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	427	379	11.2%
African American	38	28	26.3%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	0	3
Hispanic	57	52	8.8%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	285	251	11.9%
Two or More Races	45	43	4.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	75.6%	76.5%	0.9%

Schools Near Butler 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
Butler Elementary School	Public	1-5	945 South 18th Street	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5882	344	27	12.8	69.2%	218 (63.4%)	32 (9.3%)	53 (15.4%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	36 (10.5%)	7.3	525^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.7%		5.7	540^th of 565 public elementary schools	4.4%	15	40.0	47.7	48.7	55.4	36.9	51.3	35.9	$15,434	$1,605	$13,830
Early Childhood Center	Public	PK-K	104 So. 17th St.	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5740	382	26	14.7	44.8%	262 (68.6%)	22 (5.8%)	51 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	44 (11.5%)								(n/a)
Duncombe Elementary School	Public	1-5	1620 6th Avenue North	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5623	454	31	14.8	70.3%	228 (50.2%)	37 (8.1%)	115 (25.3%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.3%)	64 (14.1%)	6.7	529^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.0%		14.6	507^th of 565 public elementary schools	10.3%	22	39.2	57.3	49.4	43.3	49.3	43.7	28.7	$15,271	$1,808	$13,463
Cooper Elementary School	Public	1-5	2420 14th Avenue North	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5602	238	18	13.1	46.2%	178 (74.8%)	14 (5.9%)	22 (9.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (9.7%)	14.4	491^st of 557 public elementary schools	11.8%		23.4	469^th of 565 public elementary schools	17.0%	22	35.4	51.2	64.6	60.4	53.5	51.1	38.3	$18,249	$1,339	$16,910
Feelhaver Elementary School	Public	1-5	1300 14th Ave N	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5680	221	12	17.8	36.2%	175 (79.2%)	9 (4.1%)	18 (8.1%)	2 (0.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (7.2%)	45.3	362^nd of 557 public elementary schools	35.0%		34.7	430^th of 565 public elementary schools	23.9%	68	48.6	70.5	79.5	62.9	68.2	72.7	59.1	$15,454	$1,136	$14,318
Manson Northwest Webster Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	303 Pierce Street	Barnum	50518	Webster County	Manson Northwest Webster Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 542-3211	440	27	16.1	34.8%	405 (92.0%)	3 (0.7%)	11 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.5%)								(n/a)								$12,033	$373	$11,659
Clyde D Mease Elementary School	Public	PK-K	23 3rd St No	Dakota City	50529	Humboldt County	Humboldt Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 332-3578	142	7	21.1	37.3%	122 (85.9%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (9.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.5%)								(n/a)								$13,645	$431	$13,214
Taft Elementary School	Public	1-4	612 2nd Ave North	Humboldt	50548	Humboldt County	Humboldt Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 332-3216	415	35	11.9	38.6%	348 (83.9%)	5 (1.2%)	49 (11.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.1%)	79.1	77^th of 557 public elementary schools	86.2%		89.5	14^th of 565 public elementary schools	97.5%	63	72.3	87.2		84.2	88.8			$12,984	$826	$12,158
Southeast Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	3116 Zearing Ave	Farnhamville	50538	Calhoun County	Southeast Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(515) 370-2861	238	17	13.6	44.5%	217 (91.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.9%)								(n/a)
Dayton Center	Public	PK, KG-4	104 2nd St. NW	Dayton	50530	Webster County	Southeast Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 547-2314	205	18	11.4	46.3%	183 (89.3%)	3 (1.5%)	12 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.4%)	63.1	222^nd of 557 public elementary schools	60.1%		75.3	114^th of 565 public elementary schools	79.8%	108	55.0	92.0		80.0	92.0			$14,497	$498	$13,999

Frequently Asked Questions about Butler Elementary School

What district is Butler Elementary School in?

Fort Dodge Community School District

What schools do graduates of Butler Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Fort Dodge Middle School
High : Fort Dodge High School

Is Butler Elementary School a good school?

Butler Elementary School ranks in the bottom 5.7% of Iowa elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Butler Elementary School?

Students at Butler Elementary School are 63% White, 15% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 9% African American.

How many students attend Butler Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 344 students attended Butler Elementary School.

Rate Butler 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.