Central Elementary School

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Coralville, Iowa, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of 485. The school is part of the Iowa City Community School District, which is ranked 221 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to nearby schools, Central Elementary has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (30.31%) and Hispanic (14.02%) students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress), is generally lower than the district and state averages across various grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics were below the district and state averages. Additionally, Central Elementary has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (53.2% in 2022-2023) compared to the surrounding schools, indicating a higher proportion of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Central Elementary's statewide ranking has been declining over the years, from 302 out of 599 Iowa elementary schools in 2015-2016 to 432 out of 557 in 2023-2024. This suggests that the school's performance has not kept pace with other schools in the state. When compared to nearby schools within the same district, such as Wickham Elementary and Lincoln Elementary, which have lower percentages of economically disadvantaged students, Central Elementary generally underperforms in academic measures, such as ISASP proficiency rates. Addressing these factors through targeted interventions and resource allocation could be crucial in improving the school's overall performance and outcomes for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

501 6th St
Coralville, IA 52241

(319) 688-1100

District: Iowa City Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
432^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,271

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Northwest Junior High School
High:	West Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 485

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.5%

African American:

30.3%

Hispanic:

14.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 53.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks worse than 77.6% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 14^th among 19 ranked elementary schools in the Iowa City Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.77. (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 Central Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Iowa City Community School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $13,271. 10 elementary schools in the Iowa City Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Iowa City Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Iowa City Community School District 221^st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	46.88	407^th	626	35.0%
2013	45.51	425^th	624	31.9%
2014	49.74	372^nd	603	38.3%
2015	47.94	405^th	616	34.3%
2016	58.08	302^nd	599	49.6%
2017	45.76	380^th	574	33.8%
2018	50.06	333^rd	567	41.3%
2019	42.22	389^th	603	35.5%
2021	37.72	399^th	567	29.6%
2022	29.06	449^th	574	21.8%
2023	45.49	364^th	565	35.6%
2024	32.77	432^nd	557	22.4%

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 Central Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	327	19	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	360
1989	374	26	12	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	415
1990	387	18	8	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	420
1991	435	30	10	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	482
1992	405	33	12	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	456
1993	442	24	18	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	491
1994	405	43	15	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	473
1995	391	28	18	17	6	n/a	n/a	0	460
1996	391	28	18	17	6	n/a	n/a	0	460
1997	378	20	15	22	5	n/a	n/a	0	440
1998	337	32	16	16	5	n/a	n/a	0	406
1999	329	26	23	13	5	n/a	n/a	0	396
2000	365	38	27	22	3	n/a	n/a	-20	435
2001	339	48	24	21	2	n/a	n/a	0	434
2002	318	61	28	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	430
2003	318	61	28	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	430
2004	317	67	28	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	429
2005	332	69	30	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
2006	331	63	18	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	433
2007	320	74	24	27	3	n/a	n/a	0	448
2008	316	57	25	23	3	n/a	n/a	0	424
2009	303	70	30	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	424
2010	283	71	39	23	2	0	11	0	429
2011	288	78	43	22	2	1	0	0	434
2012	282	78	39	25	0	1	10	0	435
2013	280	67	33	35	1	1	19	0	436
2014	258	103	31	35	4	0	17	0	448
2015	238	106	28	32	1	0	17	0	422
2016	232	110	31	44	1	0	21	0	439
2017	225	110	37	55	2	0	29	0	458
2018	247	113	27	47	3	0	28	0	465
2019	232	123	29	47	1	0	26	0	458
2020	239	125	29	51	1	0	29	0	474
2021	219	153	32	51	2	0	34	0	491
2022	197	145	29	49	0	0	40	0	460
2023	206	147	29	68	1	0	34	0	485

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	360	17.1	21.0	14.7
1989	415	18.8	22.0	12.5
1990	420	19.5	21.5	10
1991	482	23.2	20.7	10
1992	456	22.0	20.7	12.9
1993	491	24.5	20.0	10.8
1994	473	22.5	21.0	11.2
1995	460	22.5	20.4	15.2
1996	460	22.5	20.4	15.2
1997	440	21.1	20.9	13
1998	406	20.1	20.2	15.3
1999	396	20.8	19.0	18.7
2000	435	22.4	19.4	19.6
2001	434	22.5	19.3	21.7
2002	430	26.3	16.3	25.6
2003	430	26.3	16.3	25.6
2004	429	26.7	16.1	26.6
2005	451	28.8	15.7	27.7
2006	433	28.4	15.2	26.6
2007	448	27.1	16.5	28.8
2008	424	28.0	15.1	28.1
2009	424	27.6	15.4	30
2010	429	26.8	16.0	31
2011	434	30.5	14.2	32.3
2012	435	30.1	14.4	28
2013	436	27.8	15.6	29.1
2014	448	27.5	16.2	40.4
2015	422	26.0	16.2	37.9
2016	439	27.0	16.2	46.7
2017	458	29.8	15.3	48.5
2018	465	30.4	15.2	49.9
2019	458	34.2	13.3	47.8
2020	474	32.3	14.6	49.6
2021	491	34.6	14.1	44.6
2022	460	35.6	12.8	51.5
2023	485	39.2	12.3	53.2

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	360	17.1	21.0	14.7
1989	415	18.8	22.0	12.5
1990	420	19.5	21.5	10
1991	482	23.2	20.7	10
1992	456	22.0	20.7	12.9
1993	491	24.5	20.0	10.8
1994	473	22.5	21.0	11.2
1995	460	22.5	20.4	15.2
1996	460	22.5	20.4	15.2
1997	440	21.1	20.9	13
1998	406	20.1	20.2	15.3
1999	396	20.8	19.0	18.7
2000	435	22.4	19.4	19.6
2001	434	22.5	19.3	21.7
2002	430	26.3	16.3	25.6
2003	430	26.3	16.3	25.6
2004	429	26.7	16.1	26.6
2005	451	28.8	15.7	27.7
2006	433	28.4	15.2	26.6
2007	448	27.1	16.5	28.8
2008	424	28.0	15.1	28.1
2009	424	27.6	15.4	30
2010	429	26.8	16.0	31
2011	434	30.5	14.2	32.3
2012	435	30.1	14.4	28
2013	436	27.8	15.6	29.1
2014	448	27.5	16.2	40.4
2015	422	26.0	16.2	37.9
2016	439	27.0	16.2	46.7
2017	458	29.8	15.3	48.5
2018	465	30.4	15.2	49.9
2019	458	34.2	13.3	47.8
2020	474	32.3	14.6	49.6
2021	491	34.6	14.1	44.6
2022	460	35.6	12.8	51.5
2023	485	39.2	12.3	53.2

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 Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$714 (5.4%)	$12,557 (94.6%)	$13,271

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 389^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 364^th of 565 Elementary schools	0.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	68.3	67.2	1.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	64.5	63.9	0.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	68.3	77.6	9.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	72	70.2	1.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	56.9	70.2	13.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	69.8	76	6.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	62.1	61.4	0.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	69.5	72.4	2.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	57.1	61.9	4.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	65.9	65	0.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	67.3	73	5.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	69.4	67.4	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	70.8	71.7	0.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	72.6	77	4.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	75.4	68.3	7.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	78.7	74.6	4.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	458	485	5.9%
African American	123	147	19.5%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	29	29
Hispanic	47	68	44.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	232	206	11.2%
Two or More Races	26	34	30.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	47.8%	53.2%	5.4%

Schools Near Central 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
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	501 6th St	Coralville	52241	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1100	485	39	12.3	53.2%	206 (42.5%)	147 (30.3%)	68 (14.0%)	29 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.0%)	32.8	432^nd of 557 public elementary schools	22.4%		45.5	364^th of 565 public elementary schools	35.6%	68	60.0	69.8	55.2	64.1	63.1	71.7	63.8	65.6	55.2	$13,271	$714	$12,557
Kirkwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1401 9th St	Coralville	52241	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1120	269	29	9.2	69.1%	77 (28.6%)	131 (48.7%)	39 (14.5%)	6 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	15 (5.6%)	18.4	477^th of 557 public elementary schools	14.4%		7.6	531^st of 565 public elementary schools	6.0%	54	63.0	52.9	47.8	59.5	85.2	32.4	39.1	52.4	39.1	$15,376	$1,350	$14,026
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	K-6	300 Teeters Court	Iowa City	52246	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1130	223	16	13.9	31.8%	122 (54.7%)	47 (21.1%)	18 (8.1%)	18 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	15 (6.7%)	75.9	105^th of 557 public elementary schools	81.1%		77	108^th of 565 public elementary schools	80.9%	3	70.6	82.6	93.1	84.0	79.4	82.6	89.7	72.0	89.7	$13,259	$202	$13,057
Norman Borlaug Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1000 Kennedy Parkway	Coralville	52241	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1155	417	33	12.6	38.6%	167 (40.0%)	139 (33.3%)	26 (6.2%)	62 (14.9%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (4.3%)	60.2	254^th of 557 public elementary schools	54.4%		71.7	148^th of 565 public elementary schools	73.8%	106	65.3	71.9	80.9	82.3	75.5	68.4	74.5	79.0	68.1	$12,225	$331	$11,894
Ernest Horn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	600 Koser Ave	Iowa City	52246	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1115	442	36	12.3	58.1%	177 (40.0%)	175 (39.6%)	28 (6.3%)	34 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (6.1%)	37.6	398^th of 557 public elementary schools	28.5%		38.2	411^th of 565 public elementary schools	27.3%	13	65.2	63.6	72.5	52.3	72.7	61.8	64.7	52.3	64.7	$14,000	$687	$13,313
Wickham Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	601 Oakdale Blvd	Coralville	52241	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1175	383	23	16.7	12.8%	236 (61.6%)	24 (6.3%)	16 (4.2%)	77 (20.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.8%)	92.4	6^th of 557 public elementary schools	98.9%		90.6	9^th of 565 public elementary schools	98.4%	3	93.5	97.6	89.5	92.7	93.5	92.7	93.0	90.2	86.0	$12,974	$451	$12,524
Bohumil Shimek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1400 Grissel Place	Iowa City	52245	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1160	214	17	12.2	20.1%	157 (73.4%)	19 (8.9%)	11 (5.1%)	10 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.9%)	75.1	111^th of 557 public elementary schools	80.1%		73.8	129^th of 565 public elementary schools	77.2%	18	80.0	73.7	87.9	91.3	88.0	65.0	81.8	73.9	78.8	$14,044	$230	$13,813
Horace Mann Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	521 N Dodge St	Iowa City	52245	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1145	213	17	12.5	35.2%	147 (69.0%)	26 (12.2%)	24 (11.3%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	12 (5.6%)	49.5	333^rd of 557 public elementary schools	40.2%		56.5	271^st of 565 public elementary schools	52.0%	62	69.7	67.7	67.9	81.5	69.7	51.6	71.4	77.8	67.9	$16,025	$649	$15,377
Weber Elementary	Public	K-6	3850 Rohret Road	Iowa City	52246	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1170	586	42	13.8	53.8%	235 (40.1%)	260 (44.4%)	24 (4.1%)	39 (6.7%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	23 (3.9%)	33.5	424^th of 557 public elementary schools	23.9%		44.1	373^rd of 565 public elementary schools	34.0%	51	47.0	61.4	62.2	78.3	68.2	61.4	57.3	72.3	53.7	$13,378	$562	$12,817
Longfellow Elementary School	Public	K-6	1130 Seymour Ave	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1135	385	32	12.1	57.4%	177 (46.0%)	104 (27.0%)	69 (17.9%)	5 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	28 (7.3%)	37	401^st of 557 public elementary schools	28.0%		40.4	394^th of 565 public elementary schools	30.3%	7	62.5	65.5	66.0	73.2	54.7	56.9	64.0	80.5	60.0	$13,112	$279	$12,833

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks in the bottom 22.4% of Iowa elementary schools.

What district is Central Elementary School in?

Iowa City Community School District

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Northwest Junior High School
High : West Senior High School

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 485 students attended Central Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 42% White, 30% African American, 14% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 6% Asian.

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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.