Clay Elementary

Summary:

Clay Elementary is a public elementary school in Altoona, Iowa, serving 657 students in grades PK-5. It is part of the Southeast Polk Community School District, which is ranked 112 out of 309 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Clay Elementary generally performs well, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to the state average. For example, in 2023-2024, 82% of 5th-grade students at Clay Elementary were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 69% statewide. The school also has a relatively diverse student population, with 70.47% White, 10.35% African American, 10.5% Hispanic, and 6.54% two or more races. Additionally, Clay Elementary has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (30.14%) compared to some nearby schools like Altoona Elementary (49.64%) and Willowbrook Elementary (50.47%).

While Clay Elementary performs well overall, the nearby schools with higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, such as Altoona Elementary, Willowbrook Elementary, and schools in the Des Moines Independent Community School District, tend to have lower test scores. This suggests potential equity issues that may need to be addressed. Additionally, the relatively lower spending per student at Clay Elementary compared to some of the higher-performing nearby schools, such as Delaware Elementary and Centennial Elementary, suggests that factors other than just funding, such as teaching quality, curriculum, and school leadership, may play a significant role in student outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 3200 First Avenue S.
       Altoona, IA  50009


(515) 967-4198

District: Southeast Polk Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
242nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,723 Help


Students who attend Clay Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Southeast Polk Junior High
    Spring Creek - 6th Grade
High:    Southeast Polk High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.5 Help
Number of students:  657

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.5%
Hispanic:
10.5%
African American:
10.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  30.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Clay Elementary ranks better than 56.6% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 7th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Southeast Polk Community School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.05. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Clay Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Southeast Polk Community School District. Racial makeup is: White (70.5%), Hispanic (10.5%), African American (10.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 30.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Clay Elementary is 17.5, which is the highest among 8 elementary schools in the Southeast Polk Community School District! (See more...)
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Compare Clay Elementary employs 37.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Clay Elementary is $12,723, which is the lowest among 8 elementary schools in the Southeast Polk Community School District!
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Southeast Polk Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Southeast Polk Community School District 112th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Clay Elementary.

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Rank History for Clay Elementary

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 59.11 285th 626 54.5%
2013 71.68 133rd 624 78.7%
2014 74.72 108th 603 82.1%
2015 69.46 191st 616 69.0%
2016 67.52 209th 599 65.1%
2017 68.33 198th 574 65.5%
2018 68.25 178th 567 68.6%
2019 67.50 196th 603 67.5%
2021 71.16 147th 567 74.1%
2022 74.69 120th 574 79.1%
2023 61.20 231st 565 59.1%
2024 61.05 242nd 557 56.6%
See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

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

Clay Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Clay Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2008 282 18 7 10 2 n/a n/a 0 319
2009 344 16 10 13 1 n/a n/a 0 384
2010 346 10 6 14 1 0 11 0 388
2011 374 4 5 18 1 0 11 0 413
2012 400 4 6 22 0 0 15 0 447
2013 415 3 4 18 0 0 12 0 452
2014 442 3 6 16 0 0 10 0 477
2015 492 31 9 20 1 1 20 0 574
2016 521 28 11 29 0 0 31 0 620
2017 500 31 10 37 0 0 31 0 609
2018 506 40 14 46 2 0 36 0 644
2019 485 36 16 47 1 0 42 0 627
2020 468 53 11 48 1 0 41 0 622
2021 457 46 8 49 1 0 43 0 604
2022 475 52 13 56 1 0 47 0 644
2023 463 68 12 69 2 0 43 0 657

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 Clay Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 319 24.1 13.2 21
2009 384 26.6 14.4 22.4
2010 388 26.9 14.4 23.2
2011 413 24.2 17.0 20.8
2012 447 25.6 17.4 18.8
2013 452 26.5 17.0 17.3
2014 477 26.2 18.1 17.2
2015 574 32.0 17.9 16.2
2016 620 37.0 16.7 16.6
2017 609 35.4 17.1 18.4
2018 644 36.2 17.7 25.2
2019 627 38.7 16.1 23.9
2020 622 39.0 15.9 27.2
2021 604 38.5 15.6 24.2
2022 644 38.5 16.7 25.2
2023 657 37.5 17.5 30.1

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 Clay Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 319 24.1 13.2 21
2009 384 26.6 14.4 22.4
2010 388 26.9 14.4 23.2
2011 413 24.2 17.0 20.8
2012 447 25.6 17.4 18.8
2013 452 26.5 17.0 17.3
2014 477 26.2 18.1 17.2
2015 574 32.0 17.9 16.2
2016 620 37.0 16.7 16.6
2017 609 35.4 17.1 18.4
2018 644 36.2 17.7 25.2
2019 627 38.7 16.1 23.9
2020 622 39.0 15.9 27.2
2021 604 38.5 15.6 24.2
2022 644 38.5 16.7 25.2
2023 657 37.5 17.5 30.1

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 Clay Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $186 (1.5%) $12,537 (98.5%) $12,723

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Clay 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 196th of 603 Elementary schoolsRanks 231st of 565 Elementary schools
 8.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Clay Elementary)78.468.5
 9.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Polk Community School District)76.673.5
 3.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)65.366.3
 1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Clay Elementary)81.477.5
 3.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Southeast Polk Community School District)8281.9
 0.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)71.775.3
 3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Elementary)7177.6
 6.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Polk Community School District)80.478.6
 1.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)70.573.1
 2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Clay Elementary)74.282.7
 8.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Southeast Polk Community School District)85.184.8
 0.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)72.572.9
 0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Elementary)74.867.7
 7.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Polk Community School District)81.375.8
 5.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)67.368.3
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Clay Elementary)77.878.8
 1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Southeast Polk Community School District)84.885.1
 0.3%
   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 Students627657
 4.8%
African American3668
 88.9%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian1612
 25%
Hispanic4769
 46.8%
Pacific Islander00
White485463
 4.5%
Two or More Races4243
 2.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients23.9%30.1%
 6.2%


Schools Near Clay Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Clay Elementary

Students who attend Clay Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Southeast Polk Junior High
Middle : Spring Creek - 6th Grade
High : Southeast Polk High School

Clay Elementary ranks 242nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 657 students attended Clay Elementary.

Students at Clay Elementary are 70% White, 11% Hispanic, 10% African American, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.


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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.





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