James Elementary School

Summary:

James Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Ottumwa, Iowa, serving 229 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Ottumwa Community School District, which is ranked 288 out of 309 school districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to nearby schools, James Elementary has a more diverse student population, with 38.43% White, 15.72% African American, 26.2% Hispanic, 1.75% Asian, 0.44% Native American, 13.54% Pacific Islander, and 3.93% two or more races. However, the school's racial diversity has become less pronounced in recent years, with the percentage of White students increasing from 37.87% in 2020-2021 to 44.06% in 2021-2022. Academically, James Elementary's performance on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) is generally lower than the district and state averages, and the school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa elementary schools, with a ranking of 527 out of 557 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at James Elementary, 63.76% in the 2022-2023 school year, suggests potential socioeconomic challenges that may be impacting the school's academic performance. In comparison, nearby schools like Eisenhower Elementary and Horace Mann Elementary have significantly higher academic performance and school rankings, as well as lower free and reduced lunch rates.


Detail:

Public K-5

 1001 N Benton
       Ottumwa, IA  52501


(641) 684-5411

District: Ottumwa Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
527th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,974 Help


Students who attend James Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Evans Middle School
High:    Ottumwa High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  229

Racial breakdown:

White:
38.4%
Hispanic:
26.2%
African American:
15.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  63.8% Help


 See top rated Iowa elementary schools

 Compare James Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James Elementary School ranks worse than 94.6% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks last among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Ottumwa Community School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.01. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details James Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Ottumwa Community School District. Student population at James Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.4%), Hispanic (26.2%), African American (15.7%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 63.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Ottumwa Community School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Elementary School is 13.5, which is the 3rd best among 5 elementary schools in the Ottumwa Community School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare James Elementary School employs 16.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Elementary School is $13,974, which is the 2nd highest among 5 elementary schools in the Ottumwa Community School District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Ottumwa Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ottumwa Community School District 288th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for James Elementary School?

Rank History for James Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 4.85 610th 626 2.6%
2013 21.43 555th 624 11.1%
2014 16.20 539th 603 10.6%
2015 20.32 525th 616 14.8%
2016 13.21 542nd 599 9.5%
2017 9.74 530th 574 7.7%
2018 5.82 540th 567 4.8%
2019 36.24 434th 603 28.0%
2021 16.97 496th 567 12.5%
2022 19.49 491st 574 14.5%
2023 11.37 517th 565 8.5%
2024 7.01 527th 557 5.4%
See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

James Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Iowa Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for James Elementary School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about James Elementary School, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for James Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 236 3 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 241
1989 221 1 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 223
1990 240 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 241
1991 223 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 223
1992 224 4 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 228
1993 226 6 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 232
1994 240 5 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 245
1995 207 10 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 217
1996 207 10 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 217
1997 228 7 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 238
1998 239 18 2 5 2 n/a n/a 0 266
1999 216 10 3 9 10 n/a n/a 0 248
2000 240 16 2 7 2 n/a n/a -12 255
2001 202 13 4 10 2 n/a n/a 0 231
2002 202 18 2 69 0 n/a n/a 0 291
2003 202 18 2 69 0 n/a n/a 0 291
2004 179 17 4 50 0 n/a n/a 0 250
2005 131 13 3 65 0 n/a n/a 0 212
2006 141 13 3 88 0 n/a n/a 0 245
2007 154 16 3 83 0 n/a n/a 0 256
2008 130 12 2 90 0 n/a n/a 0 234
2009 126 20 2 85 0 n/a n/a 0 233
2010 123 17 1 75 1 0 2 0 219
2011 127 19 1 76 2 0 3 0 228
2012 123 26 1 71 0 0 4 0 225
2013 116 30 0 66 0 0 0 0 212
2014 117 38 0 55 0 0 2 0 212
2015 124 27 0 56 1 0 1 0 209
2016 118 31 0 56 2 4 2 0 213
2017 100 30 1 58 0 6 1 0 196
2018 84 37 1 56 1 3 3 0 185
2019 93 45 1 48 1 14 3 0 205
2020 84 53 1 63 1 17 5 0 224
2021 89 34 3 75 1 27 6 0 235
2022 89 28 4 58 1 10 12 0 202
2023 88 36 4 60 1 31 9 0 229

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 James Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 241 15.6 15.4 56.4
1989 223 14.4 15.4 54.3
1990 241 14.6 16.5 69.7
1991 223 14.5 15.3 56.5
1992 228 13.0 17.5 57.5
1993 232 12.0 19.3 69.8
1994 245 12.0 20.4 64.5
1995 217 13.5 16.1 73.7
1996 217 13.5 16.1 73.7
1997 238 13.5 17.6 67.6
1998 266 15.5 17.2 65
1999 248 15.5 16.0 64.9
2000 255 17.0 15.0 67
2001 231 18.0 12.8 69.3
2002 291 16.0 18.2 84.9
2003 291 16.0 18.2 84.9
2004 250 16.0 15.6 43.6
2005 212 19.9 10.7 87.7
2006 245 18.1 13.5 87.8
2007 256 20.0 12.8 86.3
2008 234 18.2 12.9 86.3
2009 233 18.7 12.5 90.1
2010 219 17.9 12.1 46.6
2011 228 17.0 13.4 72.8
2012 225 18.2 12.3 75.6
2013 212 17.2 12.2 79.7
2014 212 21.4 9.8 75.9
2015 209 19.0 11.0 62.7
2016 213 18.0 11.8 60.6
2017 196 18.2 10.7 40.8
2018 185 16.5 11.2 55.7
2019 205 14.3 14.3 76.6
2020 224 16.9 13.2 67.4
2021 235 15.9 14.7 17.4
2022 202 17.9 11.2 70.8
2023 229 16.9 13.5 63.8

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 James Elementary School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 241 15.6 15.4 56.4
1989 223 14.4 15.4 54.3
1990 241 14.6 16.5 69.7
1991 223 14.5 15.3 56.5
1992 228 13.0 17.5 57.5
1993 232 12.0 19.3 69.8
1994 245 12.0 20.4 64.5
1995 217 13.5 16.1 73.7
1996 217 13.5 16.1 73.7
1997 238 13.5 17.6 67.6
1998 266 15.5 17.2 65
1999 248 15.5 16.0 64.9
2000 255 17.0 15.0 67
2001 231 18.0 12.8 69.3
2002 291 16.0 18.2 84.9
2003 291 16.0 18.2 84.9
2004 250 16.0 15.6 43.6
2005 212 19.9 10.7 87.7
2006 245 18.1 13.5 87.8
2007 256 20.0 12.8 86.3
2008 234 18.2 12.9 86.3
2009 233 18.7 12.5 90.1
2010 219 17.9 12.1 46.6
2011 228 17.0 13.4 72.8
2012 225 18.2 12.3 75.6
2013 212 17.2 12.2 79.7
2014 212 21.4 9.8 75.9
2015 209 19.0 11.0 62.7
2016 213 18.0 11.8 60.6
2017 196 18.2 10.7 40.8
2018 185 16.5 11.2 55.7
2019 205 14.3 14.3 76.6
2020 224 16.9 13.2 67.4
2021 235 15.9 14.7 17.4
2022 202 17.9 11.2 70.8
2023 229 16.9 13.5 63.8

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 James Elementary School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,218 (8.7%) $12,755 (91.3%) $13,974

Data source: Iowa Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James 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 434th of 603 Elementary schoolsRanks 517th of 565 Elementary schools
 19.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James Elementary School)76.728.9
 47.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ottumwa Community School District)56.648.8
 7.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)65.366.3
 1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (James Elementary School)93.336.8
 56.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Ottumwa Community School District)66.462.8
 3.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)71.775.3
 3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James Elementary School)54.874.1
 19.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Ottumwa Community School District)56.562.4
 5.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)70.573.1
 2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (James Elementary School)59.544.4
 15.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Ottumwa Community School District)61.756.6
 5.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)72.572.9
 0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James Elementary School)41.951.3
 9.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Ottumwa Community School District)53.852.4
 1.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)67.368.3
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (James Elementary School)62.851.3
 11.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Ottumwa Community School District)59.952.4
 7.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)69.471.3
 1.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students205229
 11.7%
African American4536
 20%
American Indian11
Asian14
 300%
Hispanic4860
 25%
Pacific Islander1431
 121.4%
White9388
 5.4%
Two or More Races39
 200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.6%63.8%
 12.8%


Schools Near James Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about James Elementary School

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

Middle : Evans Middle School
High : Ottumwa High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 229 students attended James Elementary School.

Students at James Elementary School are 38% White, 26% Hispanic, 16% African American, 14% Pacific Islander, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

James Elementary School ranks in the bottom 5.4% of Iowa elementary schools.


Rate James Elementary School!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for James Elementary School!




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.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 47 milliseconds.