Best Public Schools in Salem, IA

Summary:

The city of Salem, Iowa is home to a single standout elementary school, Salem Elementary School, which is part of the Mount Pleasant Community School District. Despite the district's overall ranking of 190 out of 313 in Iowa, Salem Elementary has consistently been one of the top-performing elementary schools in the state, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Salem Elementary School's academic performance is exceptional, with 100% of 4th and 5th graders proficient or better in math, far exceeding the district and state averages. The school's test scores across multiple subjects and grade levels are significantly higher than the surrounding area, and its chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6% is lower than the state average, indicating strong student engagement. With a student-teacher ratio of 12.5 to 1, the school may have access to more resources and smaller class sizes, which could contribute to its success.

While the school's high free/reduced lunch rate of 40.22% suggests that a significant portion of the student population comes from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, Salem Elementary has been able to maintain its exceptional academic performance. This indicates that the school is providing equitable opportunities and effective teaching and learning practices that are being consistently maintained over time, making it a standout educational institution in the region.

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
Salem Elementary School	Public	K-5	412 E. Jackson St.	Salem	52649	Henry County	Mount Pleasant Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 258-7799	86	7	11.9	36.0%	81 (94.2%)	2 (2.3%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.3%)	82.7	50^th of 576 public elementary schools	91.3%		93.7	3^rd of 557 public elementary schools	99.5%	47	66.7	100.0	85.7	88.9	90.0	100.0	92.9	$13,189	$487	$12,702

Cities Near Salem

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Mount Pleasant	7.53 mi	6	335^th
Farmington	10.32 mi	2	376^th
New London	12.4 mi	2	363^rd
Danville	16.04 mi	2	165^th
Donnellson	20.03 mi	3	122^nd

See the top IA Iowa cities

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.