Summary
Cunningham School is an elementary school located in Waterloo, Iowa, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 401 students. The school is part of the Waterloo Community School District, which is ranked 287 out of 313 districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Cunningham School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa elementary schools over the past decade, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.
Cunningham School stands out for its high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 21.6% to 42.4% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by ISASP test scores, is significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 33.9% of 3rd graders, 42.4% of 4th graders, and 32.8% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 58.1%, 61.9%, and 59.7% for the district, respectively. Additionally, Cunningham School has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 89.63% to 91.65% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages.
When comparing Cunningham School to other nearby schools within the Waterloo Community School District, such as Poyner Elementary and Kingsley Elementary, it is clear that Cunningham School is an outlier in terms of academic performance and other key metrics. These socioeconomic and attendance-related challenges at Cunningham School may be contributing factors to the school's poor academic performance, and targeted interventions and support could potentially help to improve the school's performance and provide a better educational experience for its students.
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