Cornell Elementary School

Summary:

Cornell Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Des Moines, Iowa, serving grades PK-4 with a student population of 527. The school is part of the Saydel Community School District, which is ranked 297 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cornell Elementary's academic performance, as measured by the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), is below the state average in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 3rd-grade ELA proficiency rate was 41.9%, compared to the state average of 64.2%, and its 4th-grade ELA proficiency rate was 67.7%, compared to the state average of 72.9%. In Mathematics, the school's 3rd-grade proficiency rate was 76.7%, slightly above the state average of 76.3%, but its 4th-grade proficiency rate was 66.7%, below the state average of 72.7%. Additionally, Cornell Elementary has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with 41.94% of students qualifying in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the state average.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Southeast Elementary, Crocker Elementary, and Prairie Trail Elementary, which are part of the Ankeny Community School District, Cornell Elementary's academic performance is generally lower, with significantly higher proficiency rates in both ELA and Mathematics, as well as higher overall school rankings.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

5817 NE 3rd St
Des Moines, IA 50313

(515) 244-8173

District: Saydel Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
419^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,990

Students who attend Cornell Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Woodside Middle School
High:	Saydel High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 560

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.8%

Hispanic:

19.1%

Two or more races:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cornell Elementary School ranks worse than 75.2% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.54. (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 (71.8%), Hispanic (19.1%), two or more races (8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 28.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cornell Elementary School is 14.8. (See more...)

Compare Cornell Elementary School employs 37.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cornell Elementary School is $12,990.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Saydel Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Saydel Community School District 297^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cornell Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2013	27.70	528^th	624	15.4%
2014	28.89	498^th	603	17.4%
2015	40.52	443^rd	616	28.1%
2016	25.58	495^th	599	17.4%
2017	24.46	479^th	574	16.6%
2018	26.09	461^st	567	18.7%
2019	21.57	511^th	603	15.3%
2021	42.64	363^rd	567	36.0%
2022	42.73	378^th	574	34.1%
2023	44.34	370^th	565	34.5%
2024	34.54	419^th	557	24.8%

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 Cornell Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	333	1	2	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	343
1989	425	1	3	5	6	n/a	n/a	0	440
1990	433	1	6	7	3	n/a	n/a	0	450
1991	442	2	7	8	7	n/a	n/a	0	466
1992	447	2	9	6	6	n/a	n/a	0	470
1993	428	3	6	11	10	n/a	n/a	0	458
1994	445	6	6	13	6	n/a	n/a	0	476
1995	368	2	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	374
1996	368	2	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	374
1997	388	5	3	6	5	n/a	n/a	0	407
1998	374	5	5	4	5	n/a	n/a	0	393
1999	386	8	3	4	4	n/a	n/a	0	405
2000	406	7	1	6	1	n/a	n/a	-38	383
2001	344	4	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	354
2002	390	0	7	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	409
2003	390	0	7	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	409
2004	425	4	8	21	4	n/a	n/a	0	462
2005	398	1	6	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	427
2006	405	3	4	28	2	n/a	n/a	0	442
2007	378	5	3	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	414
2008	383	15	5	31	1	n/a	n/a	0	435
2009	325	9	3	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	365
2010	388	10	2	40	2	0	4	0	446
2011	346	6	4	40	4	0	4	0	404
2012	356	8	4	39	3	1	6	0	417
2013	422	15	4	51	1	1	8	0	502
2014	426	5	7	63	7	1	8	0	517
2015	414	8	5	63	1	1	12	0	504
2016	401	5	4	69	6	3	20	0	508
2017	399	13	3	86	7	4	20	0	532
2018	417	9	5	67	10	3	20	0	531
2019	403	8	5	80	8	2	20	0	526
2020	413	5	4	94	2	0	36	0	554
2021	369	2	3	83	2	0	36	0	495
2022	386	6	3	108	1	0	40	0	544
2023	386	4	1	96	0	0	40	0	527
2024	402	3	3	107	0	0	45	0	560

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 Cornell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	343	20.8	16.4	16
1989	440	25.7	17.1	16.1
1990	450	25.5	17.6	16.9
1991	466	32.2	14.4	17.8
1992	470	27.0	17.4	24.9
1993	458	26.8	17.1	26.4
1994	476	27.5	17.3	29.6
1995	374	27.2	13.8	20.6
1996	374	27.2	13.8	20.6
1997	407	26.5	15.4	22.1
1998	393	22.1	17.8	20.6
1999	405	26.0	15.6	27.7
2000	383	27.4	14.0	25.9
2001	354	24.6	14.4	36.7
2002	409	28.9	14.2	40.3
2003	409	28.9	14.2	40.3
2004	462	29.2	15.8	42.4
2005	427	30.1	14.2	40.7
2006	442	28.5	15.5	43.4
2007	414	32.4	12.8	44.7
2008	435	27.5	15.8	50.6
2009	365	29.0	12.6	47.4
2010	446	29.4	15.1	46.2
2011	404	27.0	14.9	52.2
2012	417	24.9	16.6	50.1
2013	502	31.5	15.8	56.6
2014	517	32.6	15.8	61.5
2015	504	33.0	15.2	43.7
2016	508	34.0	14.9	31.5
2017	532	33.3	15.9	21.4
2018	531	35.5	14.9	44.1
2019	526	36.7	14.3	53
2020	554	39.9	13.8	52.3
2021	495	40.3	12.2	55.6
2022	544	41.1	13.2	49.1
2023	527	38.9	13.5	41.9
2024	560	37.7	14.8	28.2

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 Cornell Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	343	20.8	16.4	16
1989	440	25.7	17.1	16.1
1990	450	25.5	17.6	16.9
1991	466	32.2	14.4	17.8
1992	470	27.0	17.4	24.9
1993	458	26.8	17.1	26.4
1994	476	27.5	17.3	29.6
1995	374	27.2	13.8	20.6
1996	374	27.2	13.8	20.6
1997	407	26.5	15.4	22.1
1998	393	22.1	17.8	20.6
1999	405	26.0	15.6	27.7
2000	383	27.4	14.0	25.9
2001	354	24.6	14.4	36.7
2002	409	28.9	14.2	40.3
2003	409	28.9	14.2	40.3
2004	462	29.2	15.8	42.4
2005	427	30.1	14.2	40.7
2006	442	28.5	15.5	43.4
2007	414	32.4	12.8	44.7
2008	435	27.5	15.8	50.6
2009	365	29.0	12.6	47.4
2010	446	29.4	15.1	46.2
2011	404	27.0	14.9	52.2
2012	417	24.9	16.6	50.1
2013	502	31.5	15.8	56.6
2014	517	32.6	15.8	61.5
2015	504	33.0	15.2	43.7
2016	508	34.0	14.9	31.5
2017	532	33.3	15.9	21.4
2018	531	35.5	14.9	44.1
2019	526	36.7	14.3	53
2020	554	39.9	13.8	52.3
2021	495	40.3	12.2	55.6
2022	544	41.1	13.2	49.1
2023	527	38.9	13.5	41.9
2024	560	37.7	14.8	28.2

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 Cornell Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$832 (6.4%)	$12,159 (93.6%)	$12,990

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cornell 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 511^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 370^th of 565 Elementary schools	19.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cornell Elementary School)	54.8	61.8	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Saydel Community School District)	54.8	61.8	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cornell Elementary School)	61.9	67.4	5.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Saydel Community School District)	61.9	67.4	5.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cornell Elementary School)	57.1	70.3	13.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Saydel Community School District)	57.1	70.3	13.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cornell Elementary School)	57.1	77	19.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Saydel Community School District)	57.1	77	19.9%
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	526	527	0.2%
African American	8	4	50%
American Indian	8	0	100%
Asian	5	1	80%
Hispanic	80	96	20%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	403	386	4.2%
Two or More Races	20	40	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53%	41.9%	11.1%

Schools Near Cornell 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
Cornell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	5817 NE 3rd St	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Saydel Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 244-8173	560	38	14.8	28.2%	402 (71.8%)	3 (0.5%)	107 (19.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (8.0%)	34.5	419^th of 557 public elementary schools	24.8%		44.3	370^th of 565 public elementary schools	34.5%	49	41.9	67.7		76.7	66.7			$12,990	$832	$12,159
Madison Elementary School	Public	K-5	806 E Hoffman St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8420	247	22	11.4	80.6%	56 (22.7%)	10 (4.0%)	126 (51.0%)	32 (13.0%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (8.5%)	4.9	538^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.4%		2.7	555^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.8%	17	40.0	50.0	31.6	53.3	52.6	31.6	26.3	$18,238	$1,698	$16,540
Oak Park	Public	K-5	3928 6th Avenue	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8428	309	27	11.4	80.6%	83 (26.9%)	87 (28.2%)	93 (30.1%)	21 (6.8%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (7.1%)	2.7	546^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.0%		4.3	546^th of 565 public elementary schools	3.4%		38.9	50.9	36.0	41.7	30.2	29.4	25.5	$16,793	$1,701	$15,092
Crocker Elementary School	Public	K-5	2910 SW Applewood St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9710	514	38	13.5	17.1%	398 (77.4%)	20 (3.9%)	39 (7.6%)	15 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (8.2%)	75.5	108^th of 557 public elementary schools	80.6%		84.8	40^th of 565 public elementary schools	92.9%	68	76.2	84.4	77.9	86.1	79.2	80.5	71.4	$12,111	$254	$11,857
Cattell Elementary School	Public	K-5	3101 E 12th St	Des Moines	50316	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8403	308	29	10.5	78.9%	80 (26.0%)	67 (21.8%)	105 (34.1%)	26 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	27 (8.8%)	29.4	443^rd of 557 public elementary schools	20.5%		19.5	483^rd of 565 public elementary schools	14.5%	40	50.0	56.5	74.4	50.0	51.6	79.1	53.5	$16,110	$1,920	$14,190
Findley Elementary School	Public	K-5	3025 Oxford Street	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8407	284	25	11.4	80.6%	77 (27.1%)	57 (20.1%)	77 (27.1%)	46 (16.2%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	24 (8.5%)	10.2	513^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.9%		11	520^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.0%	7	41.5	43.2	49.0	43.9	43.2	57.1	46.9	$16,683	$1,316	$15,366
Heritage Elementary	Public	K-5	301 SW Prairie Trail Pky	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9645	599	43	13.9	25.4%	422 (70.5%)	33 (5.5%)	82 (13.7%)	31 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.2%)	62.6	224^th of 557 public elementary schools	59.8%		74.8	118^th of 565 public elementary schools	79.1%	106	69.0	79.2	75.6	81.6	80.2	74.4	55.6
Prairie Trail Elementary	Public	K-5	1850 SW College Ave	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9605	542	36	15.0	6.8%	440 (81.2%)	16 (3.0%)	37 (6.8%)	17 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.9%)	91.2	8^th of 557 public elementary schools	98.6%		88.7	18^th of 565 public elementary schools	96.8%	10	89.7	91.3	88.5	97.4	94.2	89.7	78.2	$11,662	$230	$11,432
Samuelson Elementary School	Public	K-5	3929 Bel-Aire Rd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8441	384	34	11.4	72.9%	81 (21.1%)	97 (25.3%)	56 (14.6%)	124 (32.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	22 (5.7%)	13.8	493^rd of 557 public elementary schools	11.5%		14.2	510^th of 565 public elementary schools	9.7%	17	46.4	52.9	51.7	60.7	52.9	60.0	36.7	$15,980	$1,376	$14,603
Woodlawn Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	4000 Lower Beaver Rd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8213	215	11	19.1	79.1%	64 (29.8%)	46 (21.4%)	34 (15.8%)	51 (23.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	17 (7.9%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Cornell Elementary School

How many students attend Cornell Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 560 students attended Cornell Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Cornell Elementary School?

Students at Cornell Elementary School are 72% White, 19% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

Is Cornell Elementary School a good school?

Cornell Elementary School ranks in the bottom 24.8% of Iowa elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Cornell Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Woodside Middle School
High : Saydel High School

What district is Cornell Elementary School in?

Saydel 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.