Lincoln Elementary School

Q: Is Lincoln Elementary School a good school?

Lincoln Elementary School ranks 324 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Lincoln Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 3-5 in the Spencer Community School District in Spencer, Iowa. The school has 467 students and a student-teacher ratio of 14.3. While Lincoln Elementary has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past few years, dropping from 166th out of 567 Iowa elementary schools in 2017-2018 to 324th out of 557 in 2023-2024, the school is currently rated 2 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Lincoln Elementary's test scores in English Language Arts and Mathematics are generally on par with the Spencer Community School District average, but lag behind the state average. For example, in 2023-2024, 56.9% of 3rd graders at Lincoln Elementary were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 64.2% statewide. In Mathematics, 75.6% of 3rd graders were proficient or better, compared to 76.3% statewide. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 50.11% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the nearby Fairview Park Elementary and Johnson Elementary schools.

Interestingly, the more distant Spirit Lake Elementary School and Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary School have significantly higher test scores and statewide rankings, despite serving student populations with similar racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Additionally, Lincoln Elementary's spending per student of $12,820 in 2018-2019 is higher than the state average, but it is not clear how this translates to student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 3-5

615 4th Ave. SW
Spencer, IA 51301

(712) 262-3752

District: Spencer Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
324^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,820

Students who attend Lincoln Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Spencer Middle School
High:	Spencer High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 467

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.2%

Hispanic:

7.5%

Two or more races:

3.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Lincoln Elementary School ranks worse than 58.2% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.44. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Lincoln Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Spencer Community School District. Racial makeup is: White (87.2%), Hispanic (7.5%), two or more races (3.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lincoln Elementary School is 14.3, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Spencer Community School District! (See more...)

Compare Lincoln Elementary School employs 32.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lincoln Elementary School is $12,820, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Spencer Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Spencer Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Spencer Community School District 130^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Lincoln Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2015	69.09	197^th	616	68.0%
2016	62.23	260^th	599	56.6%
2017	65.19	223^rd	574	61.1%
2018	69.67	166^th	567	70.7%
2019	65.77	208^th	603	65.5%
2021	66.45	179^th	567	68.4%
2022	59.87	245^th	574	57.3%
2023	53.28	305^th	565	46.0%
2024	50.44	324^th	557	41.8%

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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Enrollment information for Lincoln Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	220	5	2	30	1	0	1	259
2014	247	5	0	33	0	0	4	289
2015	268	4	1	27	0	0	7	307
2016	269	3	1	29	2	0	0	304
2017	261	3	4	27	1	0	1	297
2018	262	4	4	16	0	0	1	287
2019	268	4	3	27	1	0	2	305
2020	236	6	5	19	1	0	6	273
2021	222	2	2	18	1	0	8	253
2022	390	3	0	26	1	1	11	432
2023	407	6	4	35	0	0	15	467

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 Lincoln Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	259	11.0	23.5	52.5
2014	289	2.0	144.5	48.4
2015	307	4.0	76.7	47.6
2016	304	10.0	30.4	48.7
2017	297	20.0	14.8	46.5
2018	287	21.1	13.5	44.9
2019	305	21.0	14.4	50.2
2020	273	20.9	13.0	47.3
2021	253	21.1	11.9	44.3
2022	432	29.7	14.5	45.1
2023	467	32.4	14.3	50.1

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 Lincoln Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	259	11.0	23.5	52.5
2014	289	2.0	144.5	48.4
2015	307	4.0	76.7	47.6
2016	304	10.0	30.4	48.7
2017	297	20.0	14.8	46.5
2018	287	21.1	13.5	44.9
2019	305	21.0	14.4	50.2
2020	273	20.9	13.0	47.3
2021	253	21.1	11.9	44.3
2022	432	29.7	14.5	45.1
2023	467	32.4	14.3	50.1

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 Lincoln Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$475 (3.7%)	$12,345 (96.3%)	$12,820

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lincoln 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 208^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 305^th of 565 Elementary schools	19.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lincoln Elementary School)	78.6	76.2	2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer Community School District)	78.6	76.2	2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lincoln Elementary School)	79.9	74.1	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Spencer Community School District)	79.9	74.1	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lincoln Elementary School)	72.5	71.5	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer Community School District)	72.5	71.5	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lincoln Elementary School)	73.2	69.6	3.6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Spencer Community School District)	73.2	69.6	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	305	467	53.1%
African American	4	6	50%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	3	4	33.3%
Hispanic	27	35	29.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	268	407	51.9%
Two or More Races	2	15	650%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.2%	50.1%	0.1%

Schools Near Lincoln 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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	3-5	615 4th Ave. SW	Spencer	51301	Clay County	Spencer Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 262-3752	467	32	14.3	50.1%	407 (87.2%)	6 (1.3%)	35 (7.5%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.2%)	50.4	324^th of 557 public elementary schools	41.8%		53.3	305^th of 565 public elementary schools	46.0%	19	56.9	71.1	75.4		75.6	68.3	72.5		62.7	$12,820	$475	$12,345
Johnson Elementary	Public	PK-K	724 West 9th Street	Spencer	51301	Clay County	Spencer Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 262-2710	229	22	10.6	50.2%	191 (83.4%)	4 (1.7%)	26 (11.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.5%)								(n/a)										$13,320	$574	$12,747
Fairview Park Elementary	Public	1-2	1508 5th Ave. East	Spencer	51301	Clay County	Spencer Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 262-4842	308	24	12.8	48.7%	257 (83.4%)	1 (0.3%)	32 (10.4%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.2%)								(n/a)										$14,305	$896	$13,408
Clay Central-Everly Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	401 Church St	Royal	51357	Clay County	Clay Central-Everly Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 933-2241	72	10	7.1	68.1%	68 (94.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$19,042	$975	$18,066
Ruthven-Ayrshire Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1505 Washington St	Ruthven	51358	Palo Alto County	Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 837-5211	87	8	10.8	58.6%	77 (88.5%)	3 (3.4%)	7 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13.6	495^th of 557 public elementary schools	11.1%		28.1	449^th of 565 public elementary schools	20.5%	46		60.0		50.0		60.0		30.0		$16,696	$876	$15,821
Okoboji Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	705 N Ave	Milford	51351	Dickinson County	Okoboji Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 338-2458	533	38	14.1	39.8%	466 (87.4%)	7 (1.3%)	37 (6.9%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.4%)	70.2	159^th of 557 public elementary schools	71.5%		64.8	203^rd of 565 public elementary schools	64.1%	44	76.3	71.3			89.7	79.3				$13,036	$648	$12,387
Graettinger-Terril Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	101 S. Schooley St.	Terril	51364	Dickinson County	Graettinger-Terril Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 859-3286	147	13	11.6	58.5%	140 (95.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)								(n/a)										$16,449	$451	$15,999
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	400 3rd St NW	Hartley	51346	O'Brien County	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 928-2020	270	23	11.8	51.5%	219 (81.1%)	7 (2.6%)	39 (14.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	78.1	82^nd of 557 public elementary schools	85.3%		56.5	272^nd of 565 public elementary schools	51.9%	190	82.9	81.3			87.8	81.3				$32,082	$769	$31,314
Sioux Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4440 U.S. Hwy 71	Sioux Rapids	50585	Buena Vista County	Sioux Central Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 283-2571	241	22	11.1	26.1%	197 (81.7%)	1 (0.4%)	32 (13.3%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	7 (2.9%)	58.6	266^th of 557 public elementary schools	52.2%		61.5	227^th of 565 public elementary schools	59.8%	39	95.0	68.6	76.9		90.0	68.6	76.9		53.8	$12,124	$630	$11,494
Spirit Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	709 28th Street	Spirit Lake	51360	Dickinson County	Spirit Lake Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 336-2822	537	37	14.6	28.5%	479 (89.2%)	11 (2.0%)	20 (3.7%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.5%)	82.1	58^th of 557 public elementary schools	89.6%		77.5	106^th of 565 public elementary schools	81.2%	48	83.9	93.1			90.7	77.2				$11,763	$432	$11,331

Frequently Asked Questions about Lincoln Elementary School

How many students attend Lincoln Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 467 students attended Lincoln Elementary School.

What district is Lincoln Elementary School in?

Spencer Community School District

Is Lincoln Elementary School a good school?

Lincoln Elementary School ranks 324^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Lincoln Elementary School?

Students at Lincoln Elementary School are 87% White, 7% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Lincoln Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Spencer Middle School
High : Spencer 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.