Emerson Elementary School

Q: Is Emerson Elementary School a good school?

Emerson Elementary School ranks 207 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Emerson Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Indianola, Iowa, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 435 students. The school is part of the Indianola Community School District, which is ranked 143 out of 309 school districts in Iowa and is rated 3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Emerson Elementary School consistently outperforms the state and district averages in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Emerson's 4th-grade students scored 83.1% proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the district's 78.5% and the state's 72.9%. The school also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 22.66% in 2020-2021 to 36.09% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the nearby Whittier Elementary (29.5%) and Wilder Elementary (39.14%) schools. Additionally, Emerson Elementary School has a lower student-teacher ratio compared to the nearby schools, ranging from 12.8 in 2022-2023 to 13.4 in 2020-2021.

While Emerson Elementary School outperforms the nearby Whittier and Wilder Elementary Schools in test scores and student-teacher ratio, it is interesting to note that Irving Elementary School, also within the Indianola Community School District, has even higher test scores and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Detail:

Public K-5

1109 E Euclid
Indianola, IA 50125

(515) 961-9550

District: Indianola Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
207^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,431

Students who attend Emerson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Indianola Middle School
High:	Indianola High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 415

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.3%

Hispanic:

8.4%

Two or more races:

4.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.5%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Emerson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Emerson Elementary School ranks better than 62.8% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Indianola Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 64.12. (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 (84.3%), Hispanic (8.4%), two or more races (4.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Indianola Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School is 12.9, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Indianola Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Emerson Elementary School employs 31.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Emerson Elementary School is $12,431. 2 elementary schools in the Indianola Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Indianola Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Indianola Community School District 143^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Emerson Elementary School.

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Rank History for Emerson Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	48.10	399^th	626	36.3%
2013	64.21	228^th	624	63.5%
2014	72.72	129^th	603	78.6%
2015	69.24	194^th	616	68.5%
2016	70.61	169^th	599	71.8%
2017	69.16	190^th	574	66.9%
2018	66.93	197^th	567	65.3%
2019	71.57	158^th	603	73.8%
2021	65.87	182^nd	567	67.9%
2022	61.70	233^rd	574	59.4%
2023	53.33	303^rd	565	46.4%
2024	64.12	207^th	557	62.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Emerson Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	233	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	236
1989	265	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	268
1990	276	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	278
1991	301	2	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	309
1992	294	2	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	301
1993	279	2	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	288
1994	274	2	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	280
1995	275	1	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	281
1996	275	1	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	281
1997	404	2	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	411
1998	455	4	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	461
1999	433	5	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	446
2000	477	5	1	6	1	n/a	n/a	-37	453
2001	435	6	1	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	451
2002	475	5	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	487
2003	475	5	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	487
2004	457	6	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	467
2005	475	4	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	487
2006	495	6	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	507
2007	489	7	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	506
2008	475	8	9	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	497
2009	382	6	7	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	400
2010	368	8	5	14	3	0	7	0	405
2011	349	8	7	16	3	1	9	0	393
2012	350	9	7	20	0	0	11	0	397
2013	351	11	6	30	0	1	19	0	418
2014	359	11	7	20	0	1	17	0	415
2015	369	15	7	20	0	1	12	0	424
2016	371	16	3	21	0	1	15	0	427
2017	381	5	1	17	0	1	16	0	421
2018	397	4	4	15	0	1	22	0	443
2019	401	4	5	20	0	1	29	0	460
2020	381	5	7	23	2	1	23	0	442
2021	379	3	8	23	0	1	14	0	428
2022	365	6	6	32	0	1	17	0	427
2023	373	7	6	31	0	1	17	0	435
2024	350	7	4	35	1	1	17	0	415

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 Emerson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	236	13.6	17.3	11.9
1989	268	14.5	18.4	11.2
1990	278	14.9	18.6	9.7
1991	309	15.5	19.9	10.4
1992	301	16.0	18.8	9
1993	288	15.0	19.2	16
1994	280	14.8	18.9	13.9
1995	281	16.4	17.1	11.7
1996	281	16.4	17.1	11.7
1997	411	25.2	16.3	14.6
1998	461	27.9	16.5	14.5
1999	446	28.4	15.7	17.3
2000	453	28.6	15.8	14.9
2001	451	30.3	14.9	10.4
2002	487	31.3	15.6	21.6
2003	487	31.3	15.6	21.6
2004	467	31.2	15.0	19.9
2005	487	31.5	15.5	15.8
2006	507	32.8	15.5	23.3
2007	506	32.2	15.7	26.1
2008	497	32.2	15.4	24.9
2009	400	28.9	13.8	28
2010	405	30.1	13.4	30.6
2011	393	26.0	15.1	38.4
2012	397	28.4	13.9	37
2013	418	28.1	14.8	41.9
2014	415	29.8	13.9	39.3
2015	424	30.0	14.1	30.7
2016	427	30.0	14.2	36.1
2017	421	30.5	13.7	32.8
2018	443	30.8	14.3	14.9
2019	460	29.0	15.8	37.6
2020	442	31.9	13.8	34.2
2021	428	31.9	13.4	22.7
2022	427	31.9	13.3	33
2023	435	33.9	12.8	36.1
2024	415	31.9	12.9	40.5

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 Emerson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	236	13.6	17.3	11.9
1989	268	14.5	18.4	11.2
1990	278	14.9	18.6	9.7
1991	309	15.5	19.9	10.4
1992	301	16.0	18.8	9
1993	288	15.0	19.2	16
1994	280	14.8	18.9	13.9
1995	281	16.4	17.1	11.7
1996	281	16.4	17.1	11.7
1997	411	25.2	16.3	14.6
1998	461	27.9	16.5	14.5
1999	446	28.4	15.7	17.3
2000	453	28.6	15.8	14.9
2001	451	30.3	14.9	10.4
2002	487	31.3	15.6	21.6
2003	487	31.3	15.6	21.6
2004	467	31.2	15.0	19.9
2005	487	31.5	15.5	15.8
2006	507	32.8	15.5	23.3
2007	506	32.2	15.7	26.1
2008	497	32.2	15.4	24.9
2009	400	28.9	13.8	28
2010	405	30.1	13.4	30.6
2011	393	26.0	15.1	38.4
2012	397	28.4	13.9	37
2013	418	28.1	14.8	41.9
2014	415	29.8	13.9	39.3
2015	424	30.0	14.1	30.7
2016	427	30.0	14.2	36.1
2017	421	30.5	13.7	32.8
2018	443	30.8	14.3	14.9
2019	460	29.0	15.8	37.6
2020	442	31.9	13.8	34.2
2021	428	31.9	13.4	22.7
2022	427	31.9	13.3	33
2023	435	33.9	12.8	36.1
2024	415	31.9	12.9	40.5

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 Emerson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$403 (3.2%)	$12,028 (96.8%)	$12,431

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Emerson 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 158^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 303^rd of 565 Elementary schools	27.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Elementary School)	74	53.7	20.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indianola Community School District)	61.8	69.9	8.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Emerson Elementary School)	80.5	77.6	2.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Indianola Community School District)	75	81.6	6.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Elementary School)	83.5	78.2	5.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indianola Community School District)	83.3	74	9.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Emerson Elementary School)	82.3	85.9	3.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Indianola Community School District)	80.4	78.8	1.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Elementary School)	71.4	60	11.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indianola Community School District)	74.8	74.5	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Emerson Elementary School)	76.6	77.5	0.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Indianola Community School District)	80.1	83.7	3.6%
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	460	435	5.4%
African American	4	7	75%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	6	20%
Hispanic	20	31	55%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	401	373	7%
Two or More Races	29	17	41.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	37.6%	36.1%	1.5%

Schools Near Emerson 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
Emerson Elementary School	Public	K-5	1109 E Euclid	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 961-9550	415	32	12.9	40.5%	350 (84.3%)	7 (1.7%)	35 (8.4%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (4.1%)	64.1	207^th of 557 public elementary schools	62.8%		53.3	303^rd of 565 public elementary schools	46.4%	96	66.2	83.1	66.7		79.4	81.5	81.5		64.2	$12,431	$403	$12,028
Irving Elementary School	Public	K-5	500 W Clinton	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 961-9560	392	26	15.3	16.8%	368 (93.9%)	2 (0.5%)	11 (2.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.6%)	84.9	36^th of 557 public elementary schools	93.5%		84.5	43^rd of 565 public elementary schools	92.4%	7	78.8	88.7	87.8		89.4	95.8	86.5		68.9	$10,971	$101	$10,870
Whittier Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1306 W Salem	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 961-9570	397	22	17.7	29.7%	352 (88.7%)	4 (1.0%)	20 (5.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.0%)	53.4	307^th of 557 public elementary schools	44.9%		59.8	249^th of 565 public elementary schools	55.9%	58	69.2	75.6	70.9		82.1	73.2	70.9		50.9	$12,658	$258	$12,401
Wilder Elementary School	Public	K-5	2303 W. Euclid	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 961-9540	471	37	12.6	38.6%	418 (88.7%)	5 (1.1%)	22 (4.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.1%)	42	382^nd of 557 public elementary schools	31.4%		55.2	282^nd of 565 public elementary schools	50.1%	100	53.8	64.6	63.2		80.0	73.8	71.1		51.3	$13,704	$809	$12,895
Southeast Warren Primary	Public	PK, KG-3	316 N 5th	Milo	50166	Warren County	Southeast Warren Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 942-6216	129	10	12.3	34.1%	127 (98.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	77.3				90.9					$12,545	$574	$11,972
Carlisle Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	430 School St	Carlisle	50047	Warren County	Carlisle Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 989-0339	725	52	13.9	32.4%	575 (79.3%)	10 (1.4%)	82 (11.3%)	30 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.9%)								(n/a)	69.1				79.6					$11,109	$400	$10,709
Martensdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	390 Burlington	Martensdale	50160	Warren County	Martensdale-St Marys Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 764-2621	316	22	14.3	20.6%	290 (91.8%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	81	64^th of 557 public elementary schools	88.5%		79	89^th of 565 public elementary schools	84.2%	25	76.3	85.0	83.7	86.0	86.8	82.5	88.4	86.0	74.4	$12,243	$549	$11,694
Hartford Upper Elementary	Public	4-5	500 N. Vine	Hartford	50118	Warren County	Carlisle Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 989-0316	310	19	16.1	30.6%	252 (81.3%)	4 (1.3%)	31 (10.0%)	16 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.9%)	66	191^st of 557 public elementary schools	65.7%		57.4	263^rd of 565 public elementary schools	53.5%	72		78.2	71.5			80.3	84.2		61.4	$9,940	$408	$9,531
Oviatt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	1130 North Avenue	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 981-1005	579	39	14.9	17.8%	491 (84.8%)	14 (2.4%)	39 (6.7%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.0%)								(n/a)										$14,180	$322	$13,858
Studebaker Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 E County Line Rd	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8436	553	39	14.3	80.3%	179 (32.4%)	88 (15.9%)	226 (40.9%)	21 (3.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.5%)	4	543^rd of 557 public elementary schools	2.5%		4.7	543^rd of 565 public elementary schools	3.9%		34.4	50.0	36.2		53.3	38.6	44.9		26.1	$15,051	$1,299	$13,752

Frequently Asked Questions about Emerson Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Emerson Elementary School?

Students at Emerson Elementary School are 84% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

How many students attend Emerson Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 415 students attended Emerson Elementary School.

Is Emerson Elementary School a good school?

Emerson Elementary School ranks 207^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Emerson Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Indianola Middle School
High : Indianola High School

What district is Emerson Elementary School in?

Indianola Community School District

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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.