Creston Elementary School

Creston Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 420 students in grades 1-5 in the Creston Community School District in Creston, Iowa. While the school has been consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa elementary schools by SchoolDigger, with a 2-star rating out of 5 in recent years, there are several key insights that provide a more nuanced understanding of the school's performance.

One notable factor is Creston Elementary's high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 17.5% to 23.4% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school's test scores on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) are generally below the state averages, particularly in mathematics, with a projected 5th-grade math proficiency rate of 68.1% in 2024-2025, compared to the state average of 71.5%. Creston Elementary also has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 53.85% to 59.05% in recent years, suggesting a higher proportion of students from low-income families. Interestingly, the school's spending per student, at $12,712 in 2018-2019, is higher than the state average, which may indicate a need for additional resources to support student learning.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Diagonal Elementary and Nodaway Valley Elementary, Creston Elementary's performance is generally lower, with higher test scores and better SchoolDigger rankings. Additionally, Creston Elementary's ranking and test scores have declined over the past several years, suggesting a need for improvement in the school's educational programs and support systems. While the high rates of chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch eligibility may be contributing factors, addressing these underlying issues could be crucial for improving student outcomes at Creston Elementary School.