Horizon Elementary

Q: Is Horizon Elementary a good school?

Horizon Elementary ranks 173 rd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Horizon Elementary is a public elementary school in Johnston, Iowa, serving 647 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is part of the Johnston Community School District, which is ranked 62 out of 309 school districts in the state.

Horizon Elementary consistently performs above the state average in academic assessments, with proficiency rates ranging from 69% to 80.4% across different grade levels and subject areas, outperforming the state averages. The school has a strong statewide ranking, placing in the top third of Iowa elementary schools in recent years. Horizon Elementary also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 24.02% to 35.86%, suggesting a higher socioeconomic status of the student population compared to other schools in the area. Additionally, the school has a favorable student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.7 to 15.3 students per teacher.

When compared to nearby schools, Horizon Elementary's academic performance is generally stronger than other schools within the Johnston Community School District, such as Lawson Elementary and Timber Ridge Elementary. However, it is outperformed by the highly-ranked Henry A. Wallace Elementary, which consistently ranks among the top 25 elementary schools in Iowa.

Detail:

Public K-5

5905 N W 100th Street
Johnston, IA 50131

(515) 986-1121

District: Johnston Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
173^rd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,602

Students who attend Horizon Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Summit Middle School
High:	Johnston Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.5

Number of students: 673

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.7%

African American:

16.3%

Hispanic:

11.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Horizon Elementary ranks better than 68.9% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 4^th among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Johnston Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.04. (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 (59.7%), African American (16.3%), Hispanic (11.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Johnston Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Horizon Elementary is 14.5, which is the 2^nd best among 5 elementary schools in the Johnston Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Horizon Elementary employs 46.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Horizon Elementary is $12,602. 2 elementary schools in the Johnston Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Johnston Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Johnston Community School District 62^nd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Horizon Elementary

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	86.87	12^th	626	98.1%
2013	88.31	4^th	624	99.4%
2014	88.12	9^th	603	98.5%
2015	80.79	55^th	616	91.1%
2016	87.04	11^th	599	98.2%
2017	79.42	75^th	574	86.9%
2018	80.32	64^th	567	88.7%
2019	70.93	164^th	603	72.8%
2021	64.46	200^th	567	64.7%
2022	58.48	257^th	574	55.2%
2023	66.64	187^th	565	66.9%
2024	69.04	173^rd	557	68.9%

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 Horizon Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	518	6	18	3	0	n/a	n/a	545
2003	518	6	18	3	0	n/a	n/a	545
2004	533	13	17	5	0	n/a	n/a	568
2005	552	8	15	7	1	n/a	n/a	583
2006	559	11	32	5	0	n/a	n/a	607
2007	593	9	37	8	1	n/a	n/a	648
2008	508	11	33	16	2	n/a	n/a	570
2009	552	15	30	11	2	n/a	n/a	610
2010	575	11	51	20	2	2	20	681
2011	582	20	58	22	1	1	15	699
2012	542	16	65	43	0	0	15	681
2013	580	18	68	44	0	0	17	727
2014	547	18	69	44	1	0	22	701
2015	500	27	59	47	0	0	32	665
2016	484	38	55	48	0	0	32	657
2017	477	51	59	48	0	1	29	665
2018	475	81	53	47	2	1	25	684
2019	455	81	40	67	3	1	24	671
2020	447	87	38	64	4	1	23	664
2021	423	79	41	65	3	1	29	641
2022	411	85	51	76	4	1	29	657
2023	415	93	46	69	2	0	22	647
2024	402	110	51	79	2	0	29	673

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 Horizon Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	545	36.6	14.9	2.9
2003	545	36.6	14.9	2.9
2004	568	38.5	14.8	1.9
2005	583	40.5	14.4	1.7
2006	607	36.5	16.6	5.1
2007	648	40.9	15.8	6.9
2008	570	36.7	15.5	8.9
2009	610	39.1	15.6	11
2010	681	37.6	18.0	9.5
2011	699	38.5	18.1	13.4
2012	681	38.7	17.5	12.8
2013	727	41.0	17.6	12.8
2014	701	40.7	17.2	13.4
2015	665	38.0	17.5	15.2
2016	657	41.0	16.0	16.9
2017	665	39.2	16.9	25.6
2018	684	41.7	16.3	32.3
2019	671	39.1	17.1	29.8
2020	664	42.7	15.5	26.2
2021	641	42.2	15.1	24
2022	657	42.9	15.3	32.7
2023	647	43.8	14.7	35.9
2024	673	46.1	14.5	40.3

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 Horizon Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	545	36.6	14.9	2.9
2003	545	36.6	14.9	2.9
2004	568	38.5	14.8	1.9
2005	583	40.5	14.4	1.7
2006	607	36.5	16.6	5.1
2007	648	40.9	15.8	6.9
2008	570	36.7	15.5	8.9
2009	610	39.1	15.6	11
2010	681	37.6	18.0	9.5
2011	699	38.5	18.1	13.4
2012	681	38.7	17.5	12.8
2013	727	41.0	17.6	12.8
2014	701	40.7	17.2	13.4
2015	665	38.0	17.5	15.2
2016	657	41.0	16.0	16.9
2017	665	39.2	16.9	25.6
2018	684	41.7	16.3	32.3
2019	671	39.1	17.1	29.8
2020	664	42.7	15.5	26.2
2021	641	42.2	15.1	24
2022	657	42.9	15.3	32.7
2023	647	43.8	14.7	35.9
2024	673	46.1	14.5	40.3

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 Horizon Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$637 (5.1%)	$11,965 (94.9%)	$12,602

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Horizon Elementary

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 164^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 187^th of 565 Elementary schools	5.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Horizon Elementary)	71	74.5	3.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	76.4	81.4	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Horizon Elementary)	86	79.8	6.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	85.2	85.4	0.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Horizon Elementary)	78.7	84.8	6.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	81.3	85.7	4.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Horizon Elementary)	87.7	83.8	3.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	85.4	82.4	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Horizon Elementary)	71.3	69.6	1.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	73.7	78.1	4.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Horizon Elementary)	72.3	77.5	5.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	82.1	82.9	0.8%
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	671	647	3.6%
African American	81	93	14.8%
American Indian	3	2	33.3%
Asian	40	46	15%
Hispanic	67	69	3%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	455	415	8.8%
Two or More Races	24	22	8.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.8%	35.9%	6.1%

Schools Near Horizon Elementary

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
Horizon Elementary	Public	K-5	5905 N W 100th Street	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 986-1121	673	46	14.5	40.3%	402 (59.7%)	110 (16.3%)	79 (11.7%)	51 (7.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.3%)	69	173^rd of 557 public elementary schools	68.9%		66.6	187^th of 565 public elementary schools	66.9%	14	79.5	77.8	77.6	80.4	77.8	74.1	69.0	$12,602	$637	$11,965
Beaver Creek Elementary School	Public	K-5	8701 Lyndhurst	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 278-6228	564	37	15.1	31.6%	350 (62.1%)	95 (16.8%)	35 (6.2%)	49 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	33 (5.9%)	78.3	81^st of 557 public elementary schools	85.5%		81.3	70^th of 565 public elementary schools	87.6%	11	74.0	86.8	85.9	78.1	78.0	91.9	76.8	$12,513	$534	$11,980
Timber Ridge Elementary	Public	K-5	7370 NW 54th AVE	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 331-4379	663	46	14.4	34.4%	403 (60.8%)	62 (9.4%)	64 (9.7%)	88 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	43 (6.5%)	60.6	247^th of 557 public elementary schools	55.7%		72.5	143^rd of 565 public elementary schools	74.7%	104	63.7	72.0	74.0	78.8	78.0	75.0	70.0	$11,886	$401	$11,485
South Prairie Elementary	Public	K-4	500 S James St	Grimes	50111	Polk County	Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 986-4057	455	34	13.5	26.8%	338 (74.3%)	65 (14.3%)	26 (5.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.1%)								(n/a)								$11,303	$380	$10,924
Karen Acres Elementary School	Public	K-5	3500 74th St	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 457-5700	244	20	12.2	48.4%	128 (52.5%)	13 (5.3%)	53 (21.7%)	36 (14.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.3%)	57.8	271^st of 557 public elementary schools	51.3%		67.8	183^rd of 565 public elementary schools	67.6%	88	55.3	82.9	76.9	71.1	73.2	71.8	71.8	$13,768	$98	$13,670
Henry A Wallace Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6207 NW 62nd Ave	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 278-6977	826	51	16.3	15.3%	560 (67.8%)	74 (9.0%)	55 (6.7%)	82 (9.9%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (5.9%)	88	19^th of 557 public elementary schools	96.6%		87.6	25^th of 565 public elementary schools	95.6%	6	85.7	86.6	92.5	89.8	84.9	94.4	80.4	$13,889	$515	$13,374
Valerius Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3305 92nd St	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(515) 457-6500	577	47	12.3	41.9%	366 (63.4%)	52 (9.0%)	62 (10.7%)	68 (11.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	26 (4.5%)	61.8	228^th of 557 public elementary schools	59.1%					(n/a)	73.4	83.0	76.7	77.2	71.6	68.6	64.0
Webster Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12955 Aurora Avenue	Urbandale	50323	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 331-8600	546	36	15.3	19.8%	414 (75.8%)	33 (6.0%)	32 (5.9%)	37 (6.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	27 (4.9%)	83.1	50^th of 557 public elementary schools	91.0%					(n/a)	81.6	88.3	83.8	86.8	84.4	83.8	77.0	$15,431	$254	$15,178
Olmsted Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7110 Prairie Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 457-5100	641	48	13.3	45.4%	359 (56.0%)	88 (13.7%)	80 (12.5%)	72 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	39 (6.1%)	44.7	366^th of 557 public elementary schools	34.3%		45.2	366^th of 565 public elementary schools	35.2%		56.0	76.5	72.4	68.1	62.2	72.1	58.1
Heritage Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	500 NE Beaverbrooke Blvd	Grimes	50111	Polk County	Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 300-9627	567	28	20.1	16.0%	458 (80.8%)	42 (7.4%)	33 (5.8%)	15 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.0%)								(n/a)								$11,776	$348	$11,428

Frequently Asked Questions about Horizon Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Horizon Elementary?

Students at Horizon Elementary are 60% White, 16% African American, 12% Hispanic, 8% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Horizon Elementary attend?

Students who attend Horizon Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Summit Middle School
High : Johnston Senior High School

What district is Horizon Elementary in?

Johnston Community School District

How many students attend Horizon Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 673 students attended Horizon Elementary.

Is Horizon Elementary a good school?

Horizon Elementary ranks 173^rd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.