Longfellow Elementary School

Q: Is Longfellow Elementary School a good school?

Longfellow Elementary School ranks 401 st of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Longfellow Elementary School is a public elementary school in Iowa City, Iowa, serving students from kindergarten to 6th grade as part of the Iowa City Community School District. While the school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking in recent years, it stands out for its diverse student population and higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to nearby schools.

Longfellow Elementary has a more diverse student body, with 45.97% White, 27.01% African American, 17.92% Hispanic, and 9.83% other races in the 2022-2023 school year. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 57.4% in the same year. This is significantly higher than the nearby schools, which range from 20.09% to 48.21% free and reduced lunch recipients. However, Longfellow's test scores, as measured by the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), are generally lower than the district and state averages, particularly in mathematics.

When compared to nearby schools in the Iowa City Community School District, such as Herbert Hoover Elementary, Helen Lemme Elementary, and Bohumil Shimek Elementary, Longfellow Elementary appears to be underperforming in several key areas, including test scores and statewide rankings. The school's declining performance and the challenges it faces suggest that the district may need to implement targeted interventions and support programs to help improve student outcomes and close the achievement gap.

Detail:

Public K-6

1130 Seymour Ave
Iowa City, IA 52240

(319) 688-1135

District: Iowa City Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
401^st of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,112

Students who attend Longfellow Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Southeast Junior High School
High:	Iowa City High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 361

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.3%

African American:

24.9%

Hispanic:

17.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Longfellow Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Longfellow Elementary School ranks worse than 72% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 11^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 36.99. (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 Student population at Longfellow Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (49.3%), African American (24.9%), Hispanic (17.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 54% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Longfellow Elementary School is 11.4, which is the 3^rd best among 19 elementary schools in the Iowa City Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Longfellow Elementary School employs 31.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Longfellow Elementary School is $13,112. 12 elementary schools in the Iowa City Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Longfellow 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Longfellow Elementary School.

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Rank History for Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	55.88	322^nd	626	48.6%
2013	59.46	286^th	624	54.2%
2014	65.17	228^th	603	62.2%
2015	68.61	201^st	616	67.4%
2016	69.35	179^th	599	70.1%
2017	78.88	84^th	574	85.4%
2018	79.26	71^st	567	87.5%
2019	85.02	55^th	603	90.9%
2021	42.14	369^th	567	34.9%
2022	41.92	381^st	574	33.6%
2023	40.40	394^th	565	30.3%
2024	36.99	401^st	557	28.0%

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:

by a parent
Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Our kids have had a very rewarding, fun, and safe experience here. A great neighborhood school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	227	10	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	243
1989	302	11	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	323
1990	297	15	8	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	327
1991	326	16	12	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	362
1992	334	8	18	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	371
1993	317	24	14	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	369
1994	289	18	14	13	3	n/a	n/a	0	337
1995	276	19	11	22	2	n/a	n/a	0	330
1996	276	19	11	22	2	n/a	n/a	0	330
1997	283	11	11	20	2	n/a	n/a	0	327
1998	272	23	12	16	3	n/a	n/a	0	326
1999	239	20	12	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	288
2000	284	20	12	18	2	n/a	n/a	-15	321
2001	232	26	8	13	2	n/a	n/a	0	281
2002	230	26	5	19	6	n/a	n/a	0	286
2003	230	26	5	19	6	n/a	n/a	0	286
2004	232	29	8	20	4	n/a	n/a	0	293
2005	236	22	10	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	283
2006	236	23	12	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	281
2007	238	28	12	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	284
2008	254	44	13	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	318
2009	238	41	15	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	304
2010	253	31	17	9	0	0	0	0	310
2011	255	31	15	12	3	0	0	0	316
2012	267	43	13	11	1	1	8	0	344
2013	269	27	6	8	1	0	16	0	327
2014	265	28	6	4	0	0	12	0	315
2015	263	31	4	9	1	0	14	0	322
2016	279	23	7	11	1	0	13	0	334
2017	269	27	7	13	1	0	10	0	327
2018	271	28	7	13	2	0	14	0	335
2019	265	59	6	18	2	0	18	0	368
2020	248	65	9	69	2	1	13	0	407
2021	221	66	9	71	4	1	20	0	392
2022	196	77	4	64	1	1	23	0	366
2023	177	104	5	69	1	1	28	0	385
2024	178	90	4	62	1	0	26	0	361

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 Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	243	10.5	23.1	11.5
1989	323	13.5	23.9	13
1990	327	16.0	20.4	11.6
1991	362	16.5	21.9	15.7
1992	371	18.0	20.6	14.3
1993	369	17.0	21.7	13.3
1994	337	16.0	21.1	11.9
1995	330	16.5	20.0	15.2
1996	330	16.5	20.0	15.2
1997	327	18.6	17.6	14.1
1998	326	17.0	19.2	22.1
1999	288	16.5	17.5	23.6
2000	321	17.5	18.3	21.4
2001	281	14.6	19.2	21
2002	286	18.0	15.9	19.2
2003	286	18.0	15.9	19.2
2004	293	18.4	15.9	21.2
2005	283	17.6	16.1	15.5
2006	281	17.5	16.1	11
2007	284	17.7	16.0	13
2008	318	17.8	17.9	21.7
2009	304	18.9	16.1	21.1
2010	310	18.0	17.2	18.1
2011	316	19.5	16.1	20.6
2012	344	22.0	15.6	19.5
2013	327	23.2	14.0	16.5
2014	315	24.2	13.0	18.4
2015	322	21.0	15.3	20.2
2016	334	21.0	15.9	23.1
2017	327	23.8	13.7	20.5
2018	335	25.2	13.2	18.2
2019	368	26.5	13.8	27.7
2020	407	28.7	14.1	41
2021	392	29.7	13.1	39
2022	366	29.0	12.6	52.2
2023	385	31.6	12.1	57.4
2024	361	31.4	11.4	54

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 Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	243	10.5	23.1	11.5
1989	323	13.5	23.9	13
1990	327	16.0	20.4	11.6
1991	362	16.5	21.9	15.7
1992	371	18.0	20.6	14.3
1993	369	17.0	21.7	13.3
1994	337	16.0	21.1	11.9
1995	330	16.5	20.0	15.2
1996	330	16.5	20.0	15.2
1997	327	18.6	17.6	14.1
1998	326	17.0	19.2	22.1
1999	288	16.5	17.5	23.6
2000	321	17.5	18.3	21.4
2001	281	14.6	19.2	21
2002	286	18.0	15.9	19.2
2003	286	18.0	15.9	19.2
2004	293	18.4	15.9	21.2
2005	283	17.6	16.1	15.5
2006	281	17.5	16.1	11
2007	284	17.7	16.0	13
2008	318	17.8	17.9	21.7
2009	304	18.9	16.1	21.1
2010	310	18.0	17.2	18.1
2011	316	19.5	16.1	20.6
2012	344	22.0	15.6	19.5
2013	327	23.2	14.0	16.5
2014	315	24.2	13.0	18.4
2015	322	21.0	15.3	20.2
2016	334	21.0	15.9	23.1
2017	327	23.8	13.7	20.5
2018	335	25.2	13.2	18.2
2019	368	26.5	13.8	27.7
2020	407	28.7	14.1	41
2021	392	29.7	13.1	39
2022	366	29.0	12.6	52.2
2023	385	31.6	12.1	57.4
2024	361	31.4	11.4	54

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 Longfellow Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$279 (2.1%)	$12,833 (97.9%)	$13,112

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Longfellow 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 55^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 394^th of 565 Elementary schools	60.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Longfellow Elementary School)	88.7	55.9	32.8%
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 (Longfellow Elementary School)	90.6	50.8	39.8%
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 (Longfellow Elementary School)	81.1	83	1.9%
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 (Longfellow Elementary School)	83	75.5	7.5%
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 (Longfellow Elementary School)	80.9	62.5	18.4%
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 (Longfellow Elementary School)	87.2	64.6	22.6%
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 (Longfellow Elementary School)	85.4	75	10.4%
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 (Longfellow Elementary School)	87.5	64.3	23.2%
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	368	385	4.6%
African American	59	104	76.3%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	6	5	16.7%
Hispanic	18	69	283.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	265	177	33.2%
Two or More Races	18	28	55.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	27.7%	57.4%	29.7%

Schools Near Longfellow 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
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	361	31	11.4	54.0%	178 (49.3%)	90 (24.9%)	62 (17.2%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.2%)	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
Mark Twain Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1355 DeForest Avenue	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1165	241	26	9.3	70.1%	81 (33.6%)	66 (27.4%)	71 (29.5%)	5 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.2%)	23.3	462^nd of 557 public elementary schools	17.1%		21.5	474^th of 565 public elementary schools	16.1%	12	58.3	52.4	61.3	66.7	66.7	28.6	64.5	47.6	48.4	$15,834	$1,165	$14,669
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	229	17	13.6	35.8%	143 (62.4%)	42 (18.3%)	26 (11.4%)	5 (2.2%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.8%)	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
Robert Lucas Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	830 Southlawn Dr	Iowa City	52245	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1140	274	23	11.9	53.3%	128 (46.7%)	94 (34.3%)	29 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.0%)	34.5	420^th of 557 public elementary schools	24.6%		47.6	347^th of 565 public elementary schools	38.6%	73	52.6	51.7	81.3	69.8	55.3	48.3	81.3	48.8	71.9	$14,649	$1,493	$13,155
Grant Wood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1930 Lakeside Dr	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1180	391	31	12.7	72.1%	91 (23.3%)	195 (49.9%)	77 (19.7%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	19 (4.9%)	7.9	520^th of 557 public elementary schools	6.6%		6.7	533^rd of 565 public elementary schools	5.7%	13	42.5	44.9	58.0	52.8	55.0	34.7	42.0	37.7	44.0	$15,646	$1,067	$14,579
Helen Lemme Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3100 Washington St	Iowa City	52245	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1125	371	28	13.3	37.2%	237 (63.9%)	44 (11.9%)	64 (17.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.7%)	60.7	245^th of 557 public elementary schools	56.0%		60.5	243^rd of 565 public elementary schools	57.0%	2	71.1	76.1	76.7	66.7	80.0	80.4	75.0	77.8	65.0	$12,605	$204	$12,400
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	206	16	12.5	16.5%	150 (72.8%)	17 (8.3%)	14 (6.8%)	11 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.8%)	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
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	231	15	15.4	32.5%	132 (57.1%)	46 (19.9%)	21 (9.1%)	19 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	11 (4.8%)	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
Alexander Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	3571 Sycamore St.	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1095	363	29	12.6	70.5%	88 (24.2%)	176 (48.5%)	58 (16.0%)	8 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	30 (8.3%)	17.1	482^nd of 557 public elementary schools	13.5%		26.8	453^rd of 565 public elementary schools	19.8%	29	55.2	59.5	62.8	60.0	51.7	50.0	55.8	50.0	41.9	$15,246	$1,427	$13,819
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	430	36	11.8	59.5%	166 (38.6%)	179 (41.6%)	22 (5.1%)	31 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (7.0%)	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

Frequently Asked Questions about Longfellow Elementary School

How many students attend Longfellow Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 361 students attended Longfellow Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Longfellow Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Southeast Junior High School
High : Iowa City High School

Is Longfellow Elementary School a good school?

Longfellow Elementary School ranks 401^st of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Longfellow Elementary School?

Students at Longfellow Elementary School are 49% White, 25% African American, 17% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Longfellow Elementary School in?

Iowa City 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.