North Polk Central Elementary School

Q: Is North Polk Central Elementary School a good school?

North Polk Central Elementary School ranks 157 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

North Polk Central Elementary School is a public elementary school in Alleman, Iowa, serving 342 students in grades PK-5 as part of the highly-ranked North Polk Community School District.

This school has consistently performed well on academic assessments, with the majority of students scoring proficient or better in core subjects like English Language Arts, Math, and Science. North Polk Central Elementary's performance is generally higher than the state and district averages. The school maintains a low student-teacher ratio of 14-15 students per teacher and spends $12,580 per student, which is higher than some nearby schools. However, the student population is predominantly White, with only around 10% of students identifying as racial minorities, and the school has a low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a relatively affluent student body.

Compared to nearby elementary schools, Ballard East Elementary, Westwood Elementary School, and others, North Polk Central Elementary generally outperforms them on academic measures. The North Polk Community School District as a whole is highly ranked and rated, indicating a strong educational system in the area.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

311 NE 141st Ave
Alleman, IA 50007

(515) 984-3400

District: North Polk Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
157^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,580

Students who attend North Polk Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	North Polk Middle School
High:	North Polk High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.1

Number of students: 379

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.0%

Hispanic:

2.9%

African American:

2.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 10.8%

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Compare North Polk Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details North Polk Central Elementary School ranks better than 71.8% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.39. (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 (91%), Hispanic (2.9%), African American (2.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 10.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at North Polk Central Elementary School is 14.1. (See more...)

Compare North Polk Central Elementary School employs 26.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at North Polk Central Elementary School is $12,580.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

North Polk Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks North Polk Community School District 24^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for North Polk Central Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	61.68	254^th	626	59.4%
2013	58.27	297^th	624	52.4%
2014	73.73	122^nd	603	79.8%
2015	84.34	26^th	616	95.8%
2016	74.40	122^nd	599	79.6%
2017	87.03	18^th	574	96.9%
2018	83.77	43^rd	567	92.4%
2019	87.56	31^st	603	94.9%
2021	80.21	84^th	567	85.2%
2022	83.27	60^th	574	89.5%
2023	69.96	167^th	565	70.4%
2024	70.39	157^th	557	71.8%

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

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for North Polk 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	276	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
1989	282	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	283
1990	266	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	267
1991	269	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	272
1992	264	1	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	270
1993	263	1	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	268
1994	234	2	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	241
1995	244	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	244
1996	244	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	244
1997	265	6	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
1998	252	3	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	257
1999	251	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	253
2000	255	2	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	-12	247
2001	260	3	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	265
2002	248	4	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	254
2003	248	4	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	254
2004	297	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	301
2005	291	1	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	295
2006	303	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	307
2007	327	2	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	331
2008	328	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	330
2009	320	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	324
2010	327	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	329
2011	353	1	1	3	1	0	7	0	366
2012	371	1	1	6	0	0	7	0	386
2013	365	2	0	9	0	0	12	0	388
2014	341	1	1	12	0	1	12	0	368
2015	324	2	4	11	0	1	13	0	355
2016	349	1	3	12	0	2	9	0	376
2017	348	4	4	15	0	0	9	0	380
2018	361	6	2	14	0	0	10	0	393
2019	367	5	0	8	0	1	6	0	387
2020	359	4	0	10	0	0	9	0	382
2021	359	5	0	12	0	0	12	0	388
2022	378	4	1	15	0	0	10	0	408
2023	309	11	0	13	0	0	9	0	342
2024	345	10	3	11	0	0	10	0	379

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 North Polk Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	277	16.4	16.8	7.9
1989	283	16.8	16.8	5.3
1990	267	16.1	16.5	6.4
1991	272	16.8	16.1	7.4
1992	270	18.0	15.0	10
1993	268	16.3	16.4	9
1994	241	15.9	15.2	5.4
1995	244	17.1	14.3	5.3
1996	244	17.1	14.3	5.3
1997	271	17.0	15.9	5.2
1998	257	18.2	14.1	5.1
1999	253	18.5	13.7	8.7
2000	247	19.6	12.6	10
2001	265	15.0	17.7	6
2002	254	15.0	16.9	7.5
2003	254	15.0	16.9	7.5
2004	301	21.2	14.2	8
2005	295	19.6	15.1	8.8
2006	307	22.9	13.4	10.7
2007	331	22.2	14.9	10.6
2008	330	21.7	15.2	8.8
2009	324	21.5	15.1	9.3
2010	329	25.1	13.1	9.4
2011	366	25.0	14.6	13.9
2012	386	24.7	15.6	15.5
2013	388	24.8	15.6	17.5
2014	368	19.9	18.4	16.8
2015	355	22.0	16.1	18.9
2016	376	20.0	18.8	14.4
2017	380	20.5	18.4	15.8
2018	393	27.6	14.2	15.3
2019	387	27.6	13.9	16.3
2020	382	27.5	13.8	12.6
2021	388	27.5	14.0	13.4
2022	408	27.2	15.0	7.8
2023	342	23.7	14.4	10.8
2024	379	26.8	14.1	10.8

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 North Polk Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	277	16.4	16.8	7.9
1989	283	16.8	16.8	5.3
1990	267	16.1	16.5	6.4
1991	272	16.8	16.1	7.4
1992	270	18.0	15.0	10
1993	268	16.3	16.4	9
1994	241	15.9	15.2	5.4
1995	244	17.1	14.3	5.3
1996	244	17.1	14.3	5.3
1997	271	17.0	15.9	5.2
1998	257	18.2	14.1	5.1
1999	253	18.5	13.7	8.7
2000	247	19.6	12.6	10
2001	265	15.0	17.7	6
2002	254	15.0	16.9	7.5
2003	254	15.0	16.9	7.5
2004	301	21.2	14.2	8
2005	295	19.6	15.1	8.8
2006	307	22.9	13.4	10.7
2007	331	22.2	14.9	10.6
2008	330	21.7	15.2	8.8
2009	324	21.5	15.1	9.3
2010	329	25.1	13.1	9.4
2011	366	25.0	14.6	13.9
2012	386	24.7	15.6	15.5
2013	388	24.8	15.6	17.5
2014	368	19.9	18.4	16.8
2015	355	22.0	16.1	18.9
2016	376	20.0	18.8	14.4
2017	380	20.5	18.4	15.8
2018	393	27.6	14.2	15.3
2019	387	27.6	13.9	16.3
2020	382	27.5	13.8	12.6
2021	388	27.5	14.0	13.4
2022	408	27.2	15.0	7.8
2023	342	23.7	14.4	10.8
2024	379	26.8	14.1	10.8

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 North Polk Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$378 (3.0%)	$12,202 (97.0%)	$12,580

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on North Polk 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 31^st of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 167^th of 565 Elementary schools	24.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (North Polk Central Elementary School)	79.4	80.9	1.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (North Polk Community School District)	83.6	81.2	2.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (North Polk Central Elementary School)	85.3	78.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (North Polk Community School District)	84.4	87.8	3.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (North Polk Central Elementary School)	89.8	85.7	4.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (North Polk Community School District)	85.8	85	0.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (North Polk Central Elementary School)	85.7	83.7	2%
4th Grade Mathematics (North Polk Community School District)	88.7	87.8	0.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (North Polk Central Elementary School)	86.5	68.5	18%
5th Grade English Language Arts (North Polk Community School District)	86.5	79.3	7.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (North Polk Central Elementary School)	88.7	81.5	7.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (North Polk Community School District)	88.7	85.1	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	387	342	11.6%
African American	5	11	120%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	8	13	62.5%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	367	309	15.8%
Two or More Races	6	9	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	16.3%	10.8%	5.5%

Schools Near North Polk 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 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
North Polk Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	311 NE 141st Ave	Alleman	50007	Polk County	North Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 984-3400	379	27	14.1	10.8%	345 (91.0%)	10 (2.6%)	11 (2.9%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.6%)	70.4	157^th of 557 public elementary schools	71.8%		70	167^th of 565 public elementary schools	70.4%	10	65.5	88.2	73.6	84.5	94.1	75.5	64.2	$12,580	$378	$12,202
Rock Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	3800 NW Abilene Rd	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9629	733	49	14.9	17.6%	562 (76.7%)	59 (8.0%)	49 (6.7%)	28 (3.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	32 (4.4%)	75.9	104^th of 557 public elementary schools	81.3%		79.1	87^th of 565 public elementary schools	84.6%	17	79.5	84.5	81.8	89.3	72.9	84.1	68.2	$11,986	$349	$11,637
Ashland Ridge Elementary	Public	K-5	2600 NW Ash Drive	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9594	768	45	17.0	10.5%	624 (81.3%)	29 (3.8%)	43 (5.6%)	24 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (6.3%)	81.2	61^st of 557 public elementary schools	89.0%		85.1	38^th of 565 public elementary schools	93.3%	23	82.0	87.1	85.7	85.0	83.3	84.0	71.2	$11,160	$239	$10,921
Northeast Elementary	Public	K-5	1705 NE Trilein Dr	Ankeny	50021	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9620	631	40	15.7	9.2%	523 (82.9%)	21 (3.3%)	35 (5.5%)	22 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.8%)	83.7	48^th of 557 public elementary schools	91.4%		86.6	30^th of 565 public elementary schools	94.7%	18	83.6	90.5	86.4	94.8	85.7	83.1	66.9	$11,723	$246	$11,477
Big Creek Elementary	Public	3-5	340 E Vista Lake Drive	Polk City	50226	Polk County	North Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(515) 984-3400	337	23	14.4	11.3%	310 (92.0%)	3 (0.9%)	9 (2.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	81.9	59^th of 557 public elementary schools	89.4%					(n/a)	76.6	84.6	82.1	87.0	85.4	90.5	75.8
Westwood Elementary School	Public	K-5	2920 NW 9th St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9690	615	42	14.5	13.2%	502 (81.6%)	22 (3.6%)	46 (7.5%)	7 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.9%)	82.5	57^th of 557 public elementary schools	89.8%		75	117^th of 565 public elementary schools	79.3%	60	87.0	82.7	81.4	93.5	83.7	82.4	75.7	$11,911	$384	$11,527
Ballard West Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	105 E Main St	Slater	50244	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 228-3890	456	34	13.4	17.8%	410 (89.9%)	3 (0.7%)	29 (6.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.9%)								(n/a)								$13,797	$324	$13,473
Terrace Learning Center	Public	PK	310 NW School St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9670	355	16	21.8	0.8%	242 (68.2%)	35 (9.9%)	40 (11.3%)	16 (4.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.9%)								(n/a)
Northwest Elementary School	Public	K-5	1202 W First St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 965-9680	346	30	11.5	25.7%	236 (68.2%)	21 (6.1%)	51 (14.7%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.2%)	55.1	298^th of 557 public elementary schools	46.5%		58.2	257^th of 565 public elementary schools	54.5%	41	59.6	71.0	75.0	73.7	78.3	72.9	66.7	$12,743	$644	$12,099
East Elementary School	Public	K-5	710 SE 3rd St	Ankeny	50021	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 965-9660	412	31	13.3	36.9%	271 (65.8%)	31 (7.5%)	48 (11.7%)	16 (3.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (10.7%)	53.1	311^th of 557 public elementary schools	44.2%		46.2	359^th of 565 public elementary schools	36.5%	48	73.7	74.6	71.6	77.2	68.3	64.2	61.2	$11,901	$351	$11,551

Frequently Asked Questions about North Polk Central Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of North Polk Central Elementary School?

Students at North Polk Central Elementary School are 91% White, 3% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend North Polk Central Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 379 students attended North Polk Central Elementary School.

Is North Polk Central Elementary School a good school?

North Polk Central Elementary School ranks 157^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of North Polk Central Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : North Polk Middle School
High : North Polk High School

What district is North Polk Central Elementary School in?

North Polk 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.