Novak Elementary School

Q: Is Novak Elementary School a good school?

Novak Elementary School ranks 218 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Novak Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Marion, Iowa, serving grades K-4 with a student population of 371. It is part of the Linn-Mar Community School District, which is ranked 88 out of 309 school districts in Iowa and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Novak Elementary School consistently performs above the state average in both English Language Arts and Mathematics on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) tests. For example, in 2023-2024, 70.8% of 3rd graders and 78.8% of 4th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 64.2% and 72.9%, respectively. In Mathematics, 81.9% of 3rd graders and 71.2% of 4th graders were proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 76.3% and 72.7%. However, the school's performance, while strong, is not the top in the area, as Echo Hill Elementary and Westfield Elementary consistently rank higher in the state and have higher test scores, particularly in Mathematics.

Novak Elementary School has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (26.95% in 2022-2023) compared to some of the nearby schools, such as Wilkins Elementary (41.49%) and Kenwood Leadership Academy (62.32%), suggesting a relatively higher socioeconomic status of the student population. The school has maintained a relatively consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade, indicating a stable and well-functioning school, but also highlighting the potential for improvement to reach the top-performing status of some of the other schools in the Linn-Mar Community School District.

Detail:

Public K-4

401 29th Avenue
Marion, IA 52302

(319) 447-3300

District: Linn-Mar Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
218^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,619

Students who attend Novak Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Excelsior Middle School
High:	Linn-Mar High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9

Number of students: 365

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.9%

African American:

6.8%

Two or more races:

6.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Novak Elementary School ranks better than 60.9% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 5^th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Linn-Mar Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.45. (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 (78.9%), African American (6.8%), two or more races (6.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 25.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Novak Elementary School is 11.9, which is the 2^nd best among 7 elementary schools in the Linn-Mar Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Novak Elementary School employs 30.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Novak Elementary School is $13,619, which is the 2^nd highest among 7 elementary schools in the Linn-Mar Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Linn-Mar Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Linn-Mar Community School District 88^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Novak Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	57.28	310^th	626	50.5%
2013	61.19	266^th	624	57.4%
2014	57.32	308^th	603	48.9%
2015	56.36	321^st	616	47.9%
2016	61.86	263^rd	599	56.1%
2017	50.53	350^th	574	39.0%
2018	48.97	341^st	567	39.9%
2019	62.07	247^th	603	59.0%
2021	54.75	289^th	567	49.0%
2022	61.73	232^nd	574	59.6%
2023	56.10	275^th	565	51.3%
2024	63.45	218^th	557	60.9%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Novak Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	413	3	7	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	425
1989	433	5	6	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	448
1990	465	4	8	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	482
1991	468	5	9	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	484
1992	515	4	7	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	532
1993	563	6	15	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	591
1994	513	6	17	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	541
1995	402	3	11	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	427
1996	402	3	11	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	427
1997	427	3	11	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	446
1998	471	4	9	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	491
1999	492	9	8	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	523
2000	465	8	9	7	4	n/a	n/a	-34	459
2001	440	11	9	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	472
2002	434	9	5	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	463
2003	434	9	5	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	463
2004	344	7	5	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	370
2005	343	11	5	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	369
2006	335	16	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	362
2007	341	24	8	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	380
2008	312	22	8	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	344
2009	321	23	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	355
2010	304	32	8	5	1	0	2	0	352
2011	466	39	16	15	1	0	4	0	541
2012	464	43	14	21	2	2	10	0	556
2013	461	45	13	35	0	2	17	0	573
2014	429	43	21	36	0	1	19	0	549
2015	438	45	19	36	0	0	16	0	554
2016	424	32	15	37	1	0	17	0	526
2017	462	31	22	36	1	0	16	0	568
2018	468	32	25	31	2	0	24	0	582
2019	453	35	16	21	2	0	24	0	551
2020	449	36	9	31	1	0	34	0	560
2021	320	27	8	25	1	0	24	0	405
2022	322	21	6	30	1	0	24	0	404
2023	299	16	4	27	0	0	25	0	371
2024	288	25	4	23	0	0	25	0	365

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 Novak Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	425	26.0	16.3	4.2
1989	448	28.8	15.5	5.1
1990	482	31.1	15.4	4.1
1991	484	31.1	15.5	2.7
1992	532	34.0	15.6	4.7
1993	591	37.0	16.0	4.4
1994	541	25.0	21.6	5
1995	427	21.5	19.9	8.7
1996	427	21.5	19.9	8.7
1997	446	22.5	19.8	7.6
1998	491	22.5	21.8	7.7
1999	523	21.5	24.3	10.1
2000	459	19.0	24.2	14.6
2001	472	19.0	24.8	16.5
2002	463	32.0	14.5	18.6
2003	463	32.0	14.5	18.6
2004	370	30.5	12.1	25.1
2005	369	21.7	17.0	34.4
2006	362	24.0	15.1	29.8
2007	380	27.1	14.0	27.4
2008	344	26.1	13.2	19.5
2009	355	26.1	13.6	22.8
2010	352	24.0	14.6	21.3
2011	541	28.0	19.3	27.2
2012	556	34.6	16.0	29.5
2013	573	34.6	16.5	34.9
2014	549	35.1	15.6	35.2
2015	554	37.0	14.9	21.7
2016	526	33.0	15.9	25.1
2017	568	35.4	16.0	23.4
2018	582	38.0	15.3	26.1
2019	551	36.1	15.2	24.3
2020	560	34.7	16.1	23.9
2021	405	31.6	12.7	24
2022	404	35.1	11.5	21.5
2023	371	32.0	11.5	27
2024	365	30.5	11.9	25.8

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 Novak Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	425	26.0	16.3	4.2
1989	448	28.8	15.5	5.1
1990	482	31.1	15.4	4.1
1991	484	31.1	15.5	2.7
1992	532	34.0	15.6	4.7
1993	591	37.0	16.0	4.4
1994	541	25.0	21.6	5
1995	427	21.5	19.9	8.7
1996	427	21.5	19.9	8.7
1997	446	22.5	19.8	7.6
1998	491	22.5	21.8	7.7
1999	523	21.5	24.3	10.1
2000	459	19.0	24.2	14.6
2001	472	19.0	24.8	16.5
2002	463	32.0	14.5	18.6
2003	463	32.0	14.5	18.6
2004	370	30.5	12.1	25.1
2005	369	21.7	17.0	34.4
2006	362	24.0	15.1	29.8
2007	380	27.1	14.0	27.4
2008	344	26.1	13.2	19.5
2009	355	26.1	13.6	22.8
2010	352	24.0	14.6	21.3
2011	541	28.0	19.3	27.2
2012	556	34.6	16.0	29.5
2013	573	34.6	16.5	34.9
2014	549	35.1	15.6	35.2
2015	554	37.0	14.9	21.7
2016	526	33.0	15.9	25.1
2017	568	35.4	16.0	23.4
2018	582	38.0	15.3	26.1
2019	551	36.1	15.2	24.3
2020	560	34.7	16.1	23.9
2021	405	31.6	12.7	24
2022	404	35.1	11.5	21.5
2023	371	32.0	11.5	27
2024	365	30.5	11.9	25.8

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 Novak Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$930 (6.8%)	$12,689 (93.2%)	$13,619

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Novak 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 247^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 275^th of 565 Elementary schools	7.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Novak Elementary School)	74.4	73.2	1.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Linn-Mar Community School District)	76.4	78.4	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Novak Elementary School)	75.6	71.4	4.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Linn-Mar Community School District)	77.3	80.2	2.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Novak Elementary School)	78.7	76.6	2.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Linn-Mar Community School District)	82.8	84.5	1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Novak Elementary School)	78.7	72.7	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Linn-Mar Community School District)	83	79	4%
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	551	371	32.7%
African American	35	16	54.3%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	16	4	75%
Hispanic	21	27	28.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	453	299	34%
Two or More Races	24	25	4.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	24.3%	27%	2.6%

Schools Near Novak 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)		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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Novak Elementary School	Public	K-4	401 29th Avenue	Marion	52302	Linn County	Linn-Mar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 447-3300	365	31	11.9	25.8%	288 (78.9%)	25 (6.8%)	23 (6.3%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.8%)	63.4	218^th of 557 public elementary schools	60.9%		56.1	275^th of 565 public elementary schools	51.3%	57	70.8	78.8	81.9	71.2	$13,619	$930	$12,689
Indian Creek Elementary School	Public	K-4	2900 Indian Creek Rd	Marion	52302	Linn County	Linn-Mar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 447-3270	376	26	14.4	17.3%	304 (80.9%)	14 (3.7%)	16 (4.3%)	14 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (7.4%)	77	90^th of 557 public elementary schools	83.8%		74.5	121^st of 565 public elementary schools	78.6%	31	73.2	87.8	82.9	85.4	$12,023	$439	$11,584
Wilkins Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2127 27th St	Marion	52302	Linn County	Linn-Mar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 447-3380	349	30	11.6	46.4%	274 (78.5%)	18 (5.2%)	19 (5.4%)	6 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (8.9%)	36.2	408^th of 557 public elementary schools	26.8%		50.3	325^th of 565 public elementary schools	42.5%	83	64.3	61.7	73.2	61.7	$13,799	$613	$13,186
Bowman Woods Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	151 Boyson Rd NE	Cedar Rapids	52402	Linn County	Linn-Mar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 447-3240	432	31	13.9	27.3%	311 (72.0%)	22 (5.1%)	31 (7.2%)	31 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	36 (8.3%)	66.4	187^th of 557 public elementary schools	66.4%		71.2	152^nd of 565 public elementary schools	73.1%	35	70.1	85.7	74.6	79.2	$12,115	$552	$11,563
Longfellow Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	2900 8th Ave	Marion	52302	Linn County	Marion Independent School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 377-4691	297	20	14.5	37.7%	235 (79.1%)	20 (6.7%)	17 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.4%)								(n/a)					$15,444	$630	$14,815
Francis Marion Intermediate School	Public	3-4	2301 3rd Ave	Marion	52302	Linn County	Marion Independent School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 373-4766	284	24	11.9	46.1%	225 (79.2%)	14 (4.9%)	17 (6.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	25 (8.8%)	57.7	273^rd of 557 public elementary schools	51.0%		62.9	218^th of 565 public elementary schools	61.4%	55	68.0	75.6	73.5	78.8	$14,179	$100	$14,080
Echo Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	400 Echo Hill Road	Marion	52302	Linn County	Linn-Mar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 730-3560	519	33	15.7	8.1%	416 (80.2%)	13 (2.5%)	18 (3.5%)	54 (10.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.9%)	88.5	18^th of 557 public elementary schools	96.8%		90.1	12^th of 565 public elementary schools	97.9%	6	88.7	87.9	92.8	89.0	$12,860	$361	$12,500
Starry Elementary School	Public	K-2	700 S 15th Street	Marion	52302	Linn County	Marion Independent School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 377-4698	245	20	12.3	53.9%	192 (78.4%)	20 (8.2%)	8 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.8%)								(n/a)					$13,914	$720	$13,195
Westfield Elementary School	Public	K-4	901 E Main St	Robins	52402	Linn County	Linn-Mar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 447-3350	454	33	13.7	17.6%	254 (55.9%)	23 (5.1%)	24 (5.3%)	135 (29.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.7%)	85.7	31^st of 557 public elementary schools	94.4%		85.7	34^th of 565 public elementary schools	94.0%	3	77.9	89.4	89.5	92.9	$12,897	$287	$12,610
Linn Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2301 50th St	Marion	52302	Linn County	Linn-Mar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 730-3500	399	31	13.0	43.4%	280 (70.2%)	41 (10.3%)	32 (8.0%)	11 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (8.8%)	57.2	280^th of 557 public elementary schools	49.7%		50.6	320^th of 565 public elementary schools	43.4%	40	73.4	72.6	79.7	69.9	$13,263	$642	$12,621

Frequently Asked Questions about Novak Elementary School

Is Novak Elementary School a good school?

Novak Elementary School ranks 218^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Novak Elementary School in?

Linn-Mar Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Novak Elementary School?

Students at Novak Elementary School are 79% White, 7% African American, 7% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Novak Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 365 students attended Novak Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Novak Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Excelsior Middle School
High : Linn-Mar High 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.