Prairie City Elementary School

Q: Is Prairie City Elementary School a good school?

Prairie City Elementary School ranks 192 nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Prairie City Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 320 students in grades PK-5 in Prairie City, Iowa, which is part of the PCM Community School District. The school consistently outperforms the district and the state of Iowa in academic proficiency, with 69.6% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 59.3% for the district and 64.2% for the state.

Prairie City Elementary School has a strong statewide ranking, consistently placing in the top 25% of Iowa elementary schools, and has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 13.3 to 14.5 students per teacher. Additionally, the school has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (25.31%) compared to nearby Monroe Elementary School (34.95%) and the state average.

When compared to other nearby schools, Prairie City Elementary School stands out as a high-performing institution, with significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics than Monroe Elementary School, which is in the same district. While the school's performance is already impressive, there may still be room for improvement in specific areas to further enhance student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

309 East Plainsmen Road
Prairie City, IA 50228

(515) 994-8222

District: PCM Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
192^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,507

Students who attend Prairie City Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	PCM Middle School
High:	PCM High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 312

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.1%

Hispanic:

4.8%

Two or more races:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 27.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Prairie City Elementary School ranks better than 65.5% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.82. (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 (90.1%), Hispanic (4.8%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 27.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Prairie City Elementary School is 12.9. (See more...)

Compare Prairie City Elementary School employs 24 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Prairie City Elementary School is $14,507.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

PCM Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks PCM Community School District 124^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Prairie City Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	79.76	59^th	626	90.6%
2013	74.49	97^th	624	84.5%
2014	67.40	203^rd	603	66.3%
2015	57.35	306^th	616	50.3%
2016	59.14	291^st	599	51.4%
2017	62.50	246^th	574	57.1%
2018	67.65	185^th	567	67.4%
2019	54.61	302^nd	603	49.9%
2021	72.40	140^th	567	75.3%
2022	74.69	119^th	574	79.3%
2023	78.96	90^th	565	84.1%
2024	65.82	192^nd	557	65.5%

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 Prairie City Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	194	0	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	199
1993	184	0	10	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	197
1994	179	0	7	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	190
1995	183	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	184
1996	183	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	184
1997	178	0	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	181
1998	183	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	183
1999	183	1	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	188
2000	233	0	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	-18	218
2001	214	1	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	219
2002	201	0	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	205
2003	201	0	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	205
2004	197	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	200
2005	205	0	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	209
2006	193	2	4	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	202
2007	212	1	5	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	221
2008	206	3	6	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	221
2009	206	2	5	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	220
2010	220	0	3	6	0	0	7	0	236
2011	266	0	3	13	0	0	11	0	293
2012	270	0	2	11	0	0	8	0	291
2013	287	0	1	11	0	0	7	0	306
2014	274	0	1	12	0	0	3	0	290
2015	282	1	0	13	0	0	2	0	298
2016	290	0	0	13	0	0	4	0	307
2017	253	0	0	14	0	0	3	0	270
2018	241	0	1	11	0	0	3	0	256
2019	238	0	1	15	0	0	4	0	258
2020	237	0	1	14	2	0	4	0	258
2021	219	0	1	10	2	0	8	0	240
2022	225	0	2	8	2	0	6	0	243
2023	294	0	2	11	2	0	11	0	320
2024	281	0	5	15	4	0	7	0	312

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 Prairie City Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	199	17.0	11.7	12.6
1993	197	11.0	17.9	13.2
1994	190	14.4	13.2	8.9
1995	184	11.0	16.7	7.1
1996	184	11.0	16.7	7.1
1997	181	12.3	14.7	8.3
1998	183	13.4	13.7	6
1999	188	14.5	13.0	13.8
2000	218	15.1	14.4	8.1
2001	219	17.0	12.9	11
2002	205	19.0	10.8	13.2
2003	205	19.0	10.8	13.2
2004	200	16.4	12.2	17.5
2005	209	18.0	11.6	13.4
2006	202	17.8	11.3	19.8
2007	221	18.0	12.3	18.1
2008	221	17.3	12.8	20.4
2009	220	16.5	13.3	21.8
2010	236	17.5	13.4	25
2011	293	17.0	17.2	24.9
2012	291	19.0	15.3	26.1
2013	306	17.6	17.2	21.6
2014	290	19.7	14.6	20.3
2015	298	21.0	14.1	26.2
2016	307	20.0	15.3	24.1
2017	270	20.4	13.2	25.2
2018	256	16.9	15.1	24.2
2019	258	17.9	14.3	18.6
2020	258	17.9	14.3	22.9
2021	240	17.9	13.3	19.6
2022	243	17.9	13.5	17.3
2023	320	21.9	14.5	25.3
2024	312	24.0	12.9	27.9

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 Prairie City Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	199	17.0	11.7	12.6
1993	197	11.0	17.9	13.2
1994	190	14.4	13.2	8.9
1995	184	11.0	16.7	7.1
1996	184	11.0	16.7	7.1
1997	181	12.3	14.7	8.3
1998	183	13.4	13.7	6
1999	188	14.5	13.0	13.8
2000	218	15.1	14.4	8.1
2001	219	17.0	12.9	11
2002	205	19.0	10.8	13.2
2003	205	19.0	10.8	13.2
2004	200	16.4	12.2	17.5
2005	209	18.0	11.6	13.4
2006	202	17.8	11.3	19.8
2007	221	18.0	12.3	18.1
2008	221	17.3	12.8	20.4
2009	220	16.5	13.3	21.8
2010	236	17.5	13.4	25
2011	293	17.0	17.2	24.9
2012	291	19.0	15.3	26.1
2013	306	17.6	17.2	21.6
2014	290	19.7	14.6	20.3
2015	298	21.0	14.1	26.2
2016	307	20.0	15.3	24.1
2017	270	20.4	13.2	25.2
2018	256	16.9	15.1	24.2
2019	258	17.9	14.3	18.6
2020	258	17.9	14.3	22.9
2021	240	17.9	13.3	19.6
2022	243	17.9	13.5	17.3
2023	320	21.9	14.5	25.3
2024	312	24.0	12.9	27.9

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 Prairie City Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$597 (4.1%)	$13,910 (95.9%)	$14,507

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Prairie City 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 302^nd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 90^th of 565 Elementary schools	34.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Prairie City Elementary School)	66.7	75.7	9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (PCM Community School District)	69.3	59.2	10.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Prairie City Elementary School)	84.6	83.8	0.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (PCM Community School District)	82.7	77.5	5.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie City Elementary School)	70.8	91.9	21.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (PCM Community School District)	68.6	91.9	23.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Prairie City Elementary School)	68.8	93.2	24.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (PCM Community School District)	65.1	93.2	28.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie City Elementary School)	74.4	73.1	1.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (PCM Community School District)	75.3	73.1	2.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Prairie City Elementary School)	62.8	79.1	16.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (PCM Community School District)	65.9	79.1	13.2%
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	258	320	24%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	2
Asian	1	2	100%
Hispanic	15	11	26.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	238	294	23.5%
Two or More Races	4	11	175%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	18.6%	25.3%	6.7%

Schools Near Prairie City 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
Prairie City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	309 East Plainsmen Road	Prairie City	50228	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 994-8222	312	24	12.9	27.9%	281 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	5 (1.6%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	65.8	192^nd of 557 public elementary schools	65.5%		79	90^th of 565 public elementary schools	84.1%	102	69.6	74.7	72.2		73.2	81.3	78.5		76.9	$14,507	$597	$13,910
Colfax-Mingo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	20 West Broadway	Colfax	50054	Jasper County	Colfax-Mingo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 674-3465	402	33	12.2	43.0%	357 (88.8%)	2 (0.5%)	26 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.5%)	49.2	336^th of 557 public elementary schools	39.7%		62.1	224^th of 565 public elementary schools	60.4%	112	56.5	78.4	59.2	90.9	71.7	81.1	57.1	86.4	44.9	$10,304	$451	$9,854
Runnells Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6575 SE 116th Street	Runnells	50237	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 966-2068	276	16	17.0	33.7%	233 (84.4%)	10 (3.6%)	19 (6.9%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.6%)	89	16^th of 557 public elementary schools	97.1%		88.1	21^st of 565 public elementary schools	96.3%	5	83.9	89.5	86.0		90.3	100.0	88.4		78.6	$14,164	$100	$14,065
Monroe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	400 N Jasper	Monroe	50170	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 994-8222	192	17	11.3	31.8%	183 (95.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)								(n/a)	42.9				57.1					$13,431	$534	$12,897
Mitchellville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	308 Elm Ave NW	Mitchellville	50169	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 967-4274	244	19	12.9	36.9%	215 (88.1%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.5%)	2 (0.8%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.0%)	86.9	27^th of 557 public elementary schools	95.2%		91.9	5^th of 565 public elementary schools	99.1%	22	81.3	97.2	84.8		90.6	100.0	84.8		69.7	$16,832	$385	$16,447
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	112 Thomas Jefferson Dr	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-2498	315	23	13.5	53.3%	252 (80.0%)	8 (2.5%)	28 (8.9%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	22 (7.0%)	56.3	284^th of 557 public elementary schools	49.0%		55.8	279^th of 565 public elementary schools	50.6%	5	63.8	77.3			78.7	72.7				$15,022	$900	$14,122
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School	Public	K-4	801 S 8th Ave West	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-7311	258	19	13.8	54.7%	222 (86.0%)	4 (1.6%)	11 (4.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.8%)	61.1	237^th of 557 public elementary schools	57.5%		71.2	153^rd of 565 public elementary schools	72.9%	84	65.0	73.2			80.0	82.1				$14,588	$415	$14,173
Centennial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	910 7th Ave SE	Altoona	50009	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 967-2109	409	32	12.6	37.4%	314 (76.8%)	18 (4.4%)	38 (9.3%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.1%)	77.2	86^th of 557 public elementary schools	84.6%		78.6	96^th of 565 public elementary schools	83.0%	10	77.4	81.3	73.8		85.5	85.9	90.2		70.5	$15,221	$767	$14,454
Clay Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3200 First Avenue S.	Altoona	50009	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 967-4198	670	40	16.6	33.6%	442 (66.0%)	70 (10.4%)	91 (13.6%)	17 (2.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (7.2%)	61	242^nd of 557 public elementary schools	56.6%		61.2	231^st of 565 public elementary schools	59.1%	11	64.3	68.4	82.0		76.5	76.8	76.0		69.0	$12,723	$186	$12,537
Emerson Hough Elementary School	Public	K-4	700 N 4th Ave East	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-3982	205	18	11.0	68.8%	141 (68.8%)	14 (6.8%)	27 (13.2%)	3 (1.5%)	3 (1.5%)	2 (1.0%)	15 (7.3%)	45.7	357^th of 557 public elementary schools	35.9%		20.3	480^th of 565 public elementary schools	15.0%	123	57.8	73.7			73.3	72.2				$16,675	$1,246	$15,429

Frequently Asked Questions about Prairie City Elementary School

Is Prairie City Elementary School a good school?

Prairie City Elementary School ranks 192^nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Prairie City Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Prairie City Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : PCM Middle School
High : PCM High School

What is the racial makeup of Prairie City Elementary School?

Students at Prairie City Elementary School are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Prairie City Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 312 students attended Prairie City Elementary School.

What district is Prairie City Elementary School in?

PCM 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.