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Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-4

434^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools

Better than 25% of Iowa elementary schools

Summary

Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 517 students in grades PK-5 in Clarion, Iowa, which is part of the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District. The school has consistently underperformed the state average in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across grades 3-5, with only 54.5% of 3rd graders proficient in ELA compared to the state average of 67.9%, and 69.6% of 4th graders proficient in Math compared to the state average of 74.3%. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 7.4% in 2021-2022 to 21.6% in 2023-2024, which may be impacting student learning and achievement.

Compared to nearby elementary schools, such as Pleasant View Elementary and Sunset Heights Elementary, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School generally underperforms in terms of test scores and state rankings. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 49.03% to 53.83% over the past three years, suggesting a relatively high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. The school's per-student spending of $13,085 in 2018-2019 is slightly lower than some of the nearby schools, which may contribute to the school's relatively lower performance.

Overall, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School faces several challenges, including underperformance on standardized tests, high chronic absenteeism, and a relatively high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. These factors may be interconnected and require a comprehensive approach to address the school's needs. Comparing the school to its nearby counterparts suggests that the issues may be regional in nature, and district-level interventions may be necessary to improve student outcomes across the area.

469

Students ?

13.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,085

Per pupil spending ?

56.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

319 3rd Ave NE
Clarion, IA 50525-1113

(515) 532-2873

District: Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District

Students who attend Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle School
High:	Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.1%

Hispanic:

46.1%

Two or more races:

2.6%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 28th percentile in 2015 → 25th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Iowa average (67% vs 73% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (25th percentile)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school67%

District avg67%

Iowa avg73%

434^th of 576

Iowa public elementary schools ?

Bottom 25%▼ down 4 pts since 2015

From bottom 28% (2015) to bottom 25% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

244^th of 313Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 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	35.2	434 of 576	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	44.1	370 of 557	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	52.6	309 of 565	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.8	414 of 574	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	36.9	406 of 567	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.9	424 of 603	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	47.6	352 of 567	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	37.5	427 of 574	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	51.6	357 of 599	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2015	40.9	442 of 616	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	48.8	383 of 603	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	65.3	214 of 624	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	64.4	228 of 626	63.6%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics72%-3 vs state

English Language Arts62%-10 vs state

★

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Schools Near Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School

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 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
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	319 3rd Ave NE	Clarion	50525	Wright County	Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 532-2873	469	36	13.1	56.9%	235 (50.1%)	3 (0.6%)	216 (46.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.6%)	35.2	434^th of 576 public elementary schools	24.7%		44.1	370^th of 557 public elementary schools	33.6%	64	54.5	69.6			74.2	69.6				$13,085	$750	$12,335
Richard O. Jacobson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1004 Seventh Street NE	Belmond	50421	Wright County	Belmond-Klemme Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 444-4300	362	28	12.9	57.7%	197 (54.4%)	9 (2.5%)	149 (41.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	15.5	503^rd of 576 public elementary schools	12.7%		13.1	497^th of 557 public elementary schools	10.8%	6	48.8	59.5	62.7	30.0	61.0	64.3	60.8	42.5	39.2	$13,171	$879	$12,290
Eagle Grove Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	425 North Fort	Eagle Grove	50533	Wright County	Eagle Grove Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 448-3126	435	39	11.0	59.8%	218 (50.1%)	7 (1.6%)	197 (45.3%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.3%)	23.6	482^nd of 576 public elementary schools	16.3%		33.4	425^th of 557 public elementary schools	23.7%	57	54.5	58.5			65.2	69.2				$12,163	$848	$11,316
Northeast Hamilton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	606 Illinois St	Blairsburg	50034	Hamilton County	Webster City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 325-6234	208	14	14.4	60.6%	115 (55.3%)	2 (1.0%)	76 (36.5%)	9 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.9%)	32.7	447^th of 576 public elementary schools	22.4%		28.6	447^th of 557 public elementary schools	19.7%		57.1	61.9	36.8	76.5	75.0	85.7	57.9	70.6	35.0
CAL Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1441 Gull Ave	Latimer	50452	Franklin County	CAL Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 579-6085	180	15	12.0	47.2%	98 (54.4%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (42.8%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.2%)	79	85^th of 576 public elementary schools	85.2%		53.4	305^th of 557 public elementary schools	45.2%	220	83.3	87.5		78.9	95.8	87.5		78.9		$19,567	$939	$18,628
Sunset Heights Elementary School	Public	2-4	1101 Boone St	Webster City	50595	Hamilton County	Webster City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 832-9245	311	22	14.1	48.6%	208 (66.9%)	2 (0.6%)	82 (26.4%)	7 (2.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	54	300^th of 576 public elementary schools	47.9%		50.5	323^rd of 557 public elementary schools	42.0%	23	72.3	74.7			77.2	73.7				$13,832	$828	$13,004
Pleasant View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	1901 Willson Ave	Webster City	50595	Hamilton County	Webster City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 832-9241	210	18	11.9	51.0%	134 (63.8%)	2 (1.0%)	63 (30.0%)	8 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)								(n/a)										$15,578	$1,293	$14,285

Frequently Asked Questions about Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School

How many students attend Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 469 students attended Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School.

Is Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School a good school?

Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School ranks in the bottom 24.7% of Iowa elementary schools.

What district is Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School in?

Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District

What schools do graduates of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Middle School
High : Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School

What is the racial makeup of Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School?

Students at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Elementary School are 50% White, 46% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

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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.