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North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center

Q: Is North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center a good school?

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center ranks 251 st of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

251^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools

Better than 56% of Iowa elementary schools

Summary

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center is a public elementary school serving 231 students in grades PK-5 in the North Iowa Community School District in Buffalo Center, Iowa. The school has consistently strong test scores, outperforming the state average in most subject areas and grade levels, with 77.4% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts and 80.6% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 67.9% and 75.8%, respectively.

However, the school has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 23.4% in 2022-2023, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has increased from 34.36% in 2021-2022 to 48.48% in 2023-2024, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students. Despite these challenges, the school spends more per student than the state average, which could contribute to its strong academic performance.

When compared to nearby schools, North Kossuth Elementary School located 18.3 miles away, has even stronger test scores, with 88.9% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts and 100% proficient or better in Mathematics in 2024-2025. However, North Kossuth also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6%. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, suggesting that its performance may be influenced by factors beyond just test scores, such as changes in student population or teaching staff.

227

Students ?

16.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,778

Per pupil spending ?

39.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

111 3rd Ave NW
Buffalo Center, IA 50424

(641) 562-2525

District: North Iowa Community School District

Students who attend North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center usually attend:

Middle:	North Iowa Middle School
High:	North Iowa High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.9%

Hispanic:

12.8%

Two or more races:

1.3%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 82nd percentile in 2017 → 56th in 2025

Strengths

✓Above the Iowa median (56th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 82nd-percentile peak (2017) to 56th (2025)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school76%

District avg76%

Iowa avg71%

251^st of 576

Iowa public elementary schools ?

Top 44%▲ up 20 pts since 2015

From bottom 37% (2015) to top 44% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

129^th of 313North Iowa Community School District among Iowa districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Iowa percentile	Rating
2025	61.3	251 of 576	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.3	197 of 557	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	74.7	119 of 565	78.9%	★★★★☆
2022	67.4	195 of 574	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.8	241 of 567	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	56.0	286 of 603	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	75.2	117 of 567	79.4%	★★★★☆
2017	76.9	101 of 574	82.4%	★★★★☆
2016	70.7	167 of 599	72.1%	★★★★☆
2015	49.9	391 of 616	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	82.8	45 of 603	92.5%	★★★★★
2013	70.6	145 of 624	76.8%	★★★★☆
2012	55.2	331 of 626	47.1%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

Science84%+20 vs state

Mathematics78%+4 vs state

English Language Arts71%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISASP English Language Arts (2025)			ISASP Mathematics (2025)			ISASP Science (2025)	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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center	Public	PK, KG-5	111 3rd Ave NW	Buffalo Center	50424	Winnebago County	North Iowa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 562-2525	227	14	16.6	39.2%	195 (85.9%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	61.3	251^st of 576 public elementary schools	56.4%		65.3	197^th of 557 public elementary schools	64.6%	54	77.4	62.9	73.7	80.6	71.4	81.6	84.2	$12,778	$1,027	$11,751
Forest City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1405 W I St	Forest City	50436	Winnebago County	Forest City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 585-2670	448	38	11.8	35.9%	355 (79.2%)	2 (0.4%)	54 (12.1%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.9%)	79.1	82^nd of 576 public elementary schools	85.8%		61.5	234^th of 557 public elementary schools	58.0%	152	87.5	82.5		95.3	81.3			$10,950	$494	$10,456
North Kossuth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	203 5th Street North	Swea City	50590	Kossuth County	North Kossuth Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 272-4361	131	10	13.6	54.2%	111 (84.7%)	4 (3.1%)	9 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.3%)	94.4	2^nd of 576 public elementary schools	99.7%		84	45^th of 557 public elementary schools	91.9%	43	88.9	93.3	94.7	100.0	100.0	94.7	94.7	$14,003	$493	$13,510

Frequently Asked Questions about North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center

What is the racial makeup of North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center?

Students at North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center are 86% White, 13% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center attend?

Students who attend North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center usually go on to attend:

Middle : North Iowa Middle School
High : North Iowa High School

What district is North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center in?

North Iowa Community School District

How many students attend North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 227 students attended North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center.

Is North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center a good school?

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center ranks 251^st of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center!

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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.