Karen Acres Elementary School

Q: Is Karen Acres Elementary School a good school?

Karen Acres Elementary School ranks 271 st of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Karen Acres Elementary School is a public elementary school in Urbandale, Iowa, serving 272 students from kindergarten to 5th grade as part of the Urbandale Community School District.

Karen Acres Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with 55.88% White, 20.59% Hispanic, and 14.71% Asian students. The school has consistently performed well on academic assessments, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 82.9% of 4th-grade students at Karen Acres were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 82.2% for the district and 72.9% for the state. However, the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has increased significantly, from 19.59% in 2020-2021 to 50.74% in 2022-2023, indicating an increase in the number of students from lower-income families attending the school.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Olmsted Elementary School, Karen Acres Elementary stands out in terms of its racial diversity and academic performance. While Olmsted Elementary has a lower percentage of minority students, its academic performance is generally lower than Karen Acres. Horizon Elementary, which is part of the Johnston Community School District, has higher academic performance in some areas but a less diverse student population.

Detail:

Public K-5

3500 74th St
Urbandale, IA 50322-2446

(515) 457-5700

District: Urbandale Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
271^st of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,768

Students who attend Karen Acres Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Urbandale Middle School
High:	Urbandale High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 272

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.9%

Hispanic:

20.6%

Asian:

14.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Karen Acres Elementary School ranks better than 51.3% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.75. (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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Karen Acres Elementary School is $13,768.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Urbandale Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Urbandale Community School District 175^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Karen Acres Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	57.76	300^th	626	52.1%
2013	62.81	248^th	624	60.3%
2014	70.56	158^th	603	73.8%
2015	69.19	195^th	616	68.3%
2016	69.94	175^th	599	70.8%
2017	70.98	161^st	574	72.0%
2018	64.50	224^th	567	60.5%
2019	68.53	182^nd	603	69.8%
2021	54.25	296^th	567	47.8%
2022	64.11	215^th	574	62.5%
2023	67.79	183^rd	565	67.6%
2024	57.75	271^st	557	51.3%

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 Karen Acres Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	443	4	10	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	457
1989	399	4	8	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	411
1990	407	3	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	416
1991	426	4	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	436
1992	330	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	330
1993	330	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	330
1994	291	1	11	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	307
1995	267	2	3	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	278
1996	267	2	3	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	278
1997	249	4	4	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	263
1998	237	6	3	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	250
1999	239	6	2	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	251
2000	250	8	2	4	1	n/a	n/a	-18	247
2001	239	6	3	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	253
2002	218	11	9	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	242
2003	218	11	9	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	242
2004	207	7	12	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	236
2005	205	10	13	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	235
2006	196	12	10	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	231
2007	156	15	4	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	187
2008	187	15	5	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	229
2009	165	16	8	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	211
2010	153	15	9	30	0	1	4	0	212
2011	166	15	9	32	0	1	5	0	228
2012	199	14	8	44	0	0	10	0	275
2013	199	17	5	50	0	0	11	0	282
2014	196	11	7	58	0	0	11	0	283
2015	203	10	5	74	0	0	13	0	305
2016	206	5	8	67	0	0	14	0	300
2017	201	5	18	66	0	0	13	0	303
2018	199	7	20	65	0	0	11	0	302
2019	197	7	31	62	0	0	14	0	311
2020	207	10	33	64	0	0	12	0	326
2021	176	13	37	54	0	0	11	0	291
2022	153	13	28	52	1	0	11	0	258
2023	152	11	40	56	1	0	12	0	272

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 Karen Acres Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	457	17.3	26.4	0.2
1989	411	21.5	19.1	0.2
1990	416	21.6	19.2	1.7
1991	436	22.5	19.3	1.6
1992	330	14.0	23.5	1.8
1993	330	13.0	25.4	2.1
1994	307	17.5	17.5	4.2
1995	278	16.0	17.4	1.1
1996	278	16.0	17.4	1.1
1997	263	15.0	17.5	3.8
1998	250	14.5	17.2	3.2
1999	251	15.0	16.7	6
2000	247	14.5	17.0	4.5
2001	253	13.5	18.7	8.3
2002	242	14.5	16.7	9.5
2003	242	14.5	16.7	9.5
2004	236	15.0	15.7	11.9
2005	235	16.0	14.7	11.1
2006	231	15.7	14.7	13.4
2007	187	13.5	13.9	19.8
2008	229	18.6	12.3	20.1
2009	211	15.0	14.1	22.3
2010	212	13.7	15.3	25.9
2011	228	16.0	14.2	28.1
2012	275	20.5	13.4	30.2
2013	282	19.5	14.4	36.2
2014	283	21.0	13.4	36.4
2015	305	23.0	13.2	37
2016	300	22.0	13.6	33
2017	303	21.4	14.1	35
2018	302	23.4	12.8	38.1
2019	311	23.8	13.0	40.2
2020	326	25.7	12.6	42.6
2021	291	23.8	12.1	19.6
2022	258	20.4	12.6	39.5
2023	272	20.1	13.5	50.7

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 Karen Acres Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	457	17.3	26.4	0.2
1989	411	21.5	19.1	0.2
1990	416	21.6	19.2	1.7
1991	436	22.5	19.3	1.6
1992	330	14.0	23.5	1.8
1993	330	13.0	25.4	2.1
1994	307	17.5	17.5	4.2
1995	278	16.0	17.4	1.1
1996	278	16.0	17.4	1.1
1997	263	15.0	17.5	3.8
1998	250	14.5	17.2	3.2
1999	251	15.0	16.7	6
2000	247	14.5	17.0	4.5
2001	253	13.5	18.7	8.3
2002	242	14.5	16.7	9.5
2003	242	14.5	16.7	9.5
2004	236	15.0	15.7	11.9
2005	235	16.0	14.7	11.1
2006	231	15.7	14.7	13.4
2007	187	13.5	13.9	19.8
2008	229	18.6	12.3	20.1
2009	211	15.0	14.1	22.3
2010	212	13.7	15.3	25.9
2011	228	16.0	14.2	28.1
2012	275	20.5	13.4	30.2
2013	282	19.5	14.4	36.2
2014	283	21.0	13.4	36.4
2015	305	23.0	13.2	37
2016	300	22.0	13.6	33
2017	303	21.4	14.1	35
2018	302	23.4	12.8	38.1
2019	311	23.8	13.0	40.2
2020	326	25.7	12.6	42.6
2021	291	23.8	12.1	19.6
2022	258	20.4	12.6	39.5
2023	272	20.1	13.5	50.7

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 Karen Acres Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$98 (0.7%)	$13,670 (99.3%)	$13,768

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Karen Acres 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 182^nd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 183^rd of 565 Elementary schools	2.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Karen Acres Elementary School)	75.7	73.8	1.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Community School District)	71.5	72.5	1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Karen Acres Elementary School)	83.8	83.3	0.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Community School District)	77.1	79.1	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Karen Acres Elementary School)	63.4	78	14.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Community School District)	74.5	74.6	0.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Karen Acres Elementary School)	80.5	82.9	2.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Community School District)	77.7	77	0.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Karen Acres Elementary School)	71.4	68.8	2.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Urbandale Community School District)	77.4	71	6.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Karen Acres Elementary School)	89.8	75	14.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Urbandale Community School District)	82.9	73.6	9.3%
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	311	272	12.5%
African American	7	11	57.1%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	31	40	29%
Hispanic	62	56	9.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	197	152	22.8%
Two or More Races	14	12	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	40.2%	50.7%	10.5%

Schools Near Karen Acres 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 English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Karen Acres Elementary School	Public	K-5	3500 74th St	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 457-5700	272	20	13.5	50.7%	152 (55.9%)	11 (4.0%)	56 (20.6%)	40 (14.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.4%)	57.8	271^st of 557 public elementary schools	51.3%		67.8	183^rd of 565 public elementary schools	67.6%	88	55.3	82.9	76.9				71.1	73.2	71.8				71.8		$13,768	$98	$13,670
Olmsted Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7110 Prairie Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 457-5100	662	46	14.3	46.7%	384 (58.0%)	86 (13.0%)	86 (13.0%)	60 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	44 (6.6%)	44.7	366^th of 557 public elementary schools	34.3%		45.2	366^th of 565 public elementary schools	35.2%		56.0	76.5	72.4				68.1	62.2	72.1				58.1
Valerius Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3305 92nd St	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(515) 457-6500	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	61.8	228^th of 557 public elementary schools	59.1%					(n/a)	73.4	83.0	76.7				77.2	71.6	68.6				64.0
Crestview School of Inquiry	Public	PK, KG-6	8355 Franklin Avenue	Clive	50325	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 633-5700	574	46	12.4	58.2%	135 (23.5%)	64 (11.1%)	258 (44.9%)	93 (16.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.2%)	17.7	481^st of 557 public elementary schools	13.6%		28.4	448^th of 565 public elementary schools	20.7%	33	31.4	45.9	58.7	59.4			47.1	54.1	68.3	60.9			49.2		$14,822	$670	$14,152
Timber Ridge Elementary	Public	K-5	7370 NW 54th AVE	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 331-4379	662	47	14.2	33.2%	420 (63.4%)	53 (8.0%)	55 (8.3%)	93 (14.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.2%)	60.6	247^th of 557 public elementary schools	55.7%		72.5	143^rd of 565 public elementary schools	74.7%	104	63.7	72.0	74.0				78.8	78.0	75.0				70.0		$11,886	$401	$11,485
Clive Learning Academy	Public	PK, KG-6	1600 73rd Street	Des Moines	50324	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 633-5800	528	41	12.8	43.9%	236 (44.7%)	89 (16.9%)	116 (22.0%)	43 (8.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (8.1%)	50.2	327^th of 557 public elementary schools	41.3%		47.8	345^th of 565 public elementary schools	38.9%	18	54.5	75.8	72.6	74.6			70.9	80.3	72.6	65.7			61.3		$14,178	$481	$13,696
Cowles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	6401 College Ave	Des Moines	50324	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7818	391	22	17.8	16.9%	305 (78.0%)	6 (1.5%)	25 (6.4%)	13 (3.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.7%)	61	243^rd of 557 public elementary schools	56.4%		57.7	259^th of 565 public elementary schools	54.2%	16	72.2	93.9	79.4	75.8	97.0	81.5	75.0	78.8	64.7	69.7	84.8	82.1	64.7	78.6	$14,566	$624	$13,942
Moore Elementary School	Public	K-5	3725 52nd St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8426	296	25	11.7	72.0%	119 (40.2%)	63 (21.3%)	51 (17.2%)	31 (10.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.5%)	10.4	510^th of 557 public elementary schools	8.4%		12.2	515^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.8%	5	38.8	66.7	38.9				55.1	49.1	30.6				22.2		$16,099	$1,236	$14,863
Hillis Elementary School	Public	K-5	2401 56th St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8412	305	24	12.6	79.3%	104 (34.1%)	55 (18.0%)	75 (24.6%)	40 (13.1%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	26 (8.5%)	17.8	479^th of 557 public elementary schools	14.0%		13.4	513^th of 565 public elementary schools	9.2%	34	44.7	50.0	55.0				60.4	45.2	65.9				51.2		$16,776	$1,702	$15,074
Horizon Elementary	Public	K-5	5905 N W 100th Street	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 986-1121	647	44	14.7	35.9%	415 (64.1%)	93 (14.4%)	69 (10.7%)	46 (7.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.4%)	69	173^rd of 557 public elementary schools	68.9%		66.6	187^th of 565 public elementary schools	66.9%	14	79.5	77.8	77.6				80.4	77.8	74.1				69.0		$12,602	$637	$11,965

Frequently Asked Questions about Karen Acres Elementary School

What district is Karen Acres Elementary School in?

Urbandale Community School District

What schools do graduates of Karen Acres Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Karen Acres Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Urbandale Middle School
High : Urbandale High School

How many students attend Karen Acres Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 272 students attended Karen Acres Elementary School.

Is Karen Acres Elementary School a good school?

Karen Acres Elementary School ranks 271^st of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Karen Acres Elementary School?

Students at Karen Acres Elementary School are 56% White, 21% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 4% African American.

Rate Karen Acres Elementary 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.