Schools in Bussey, IA

The city of Bussey, Iowa is home to two schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Twin Cedars Elementary School and Twin Cedars Junior-Senior High School, both part of the Twin Cedars Community School District. While the schools have some standout academic achievements, they also face challenges with low statewide rankings and high chronic absenteeism rates.

Twin Cedars Elementary School stands out for its relatively high test scores, particularly in 3rd and 4th grade English Language Arts and 3rd grade Mathematics, as well as strong 5th grade Science proficiency. However, the school has a low statewide ranking and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Similarly, Twin Cedars Junior-Senior High School performs well in 8th and 9th grade English Language Arts, 8th grade Mathematics and Science, but also has a low statewide ranking and a 1-star rating.

Both schools face challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates of 21.6% and relatively high free/reduced lunch rates, indicating a significant level of economic disadvantage among the student populations. The spending per student also varies, with the high school spending $15,106 per student compared to the elementary school's $12,458 per student. Understanding the reasons behind these differences and addressing attendance and economic factors could be key focus areas for the district to improve student outcomes.