Ar-We-Va Elementary Community School

Ar-We-Va Elementary Community School is a public elementary school located in Westside, Iowa, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 134 students. The school is part of the Ar-We-Va Community School District, which is ranked 21 out of 313 districts in Iowa and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ar-We-Va Elementary consistently outperforms the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across various grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2024-2025, the school had 71.4% of 3rd graders, 82.4% of 4th graders, and 78.3% of 5th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 67.9%, 76%, and 69.8%, respectively. Similarly, in mathematics, the school had 90.5% of 3rd graders, 76.5% of 4th graders, and 82.6% of 5th graders proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 75.8%, 74.3%, and 71.5%. When compared to the nearby schools, such as Glidden-Ralston Elementary, Schleswig Elementary, and Odebolt Elementary-Odebolt, Ar-We-Va Elementary stands out in terms of its academic performance.

Ar-We-Va Elementary's spending per student for the 2018-2019 school year was $16,023, which is higher than the spending per student at the nearby schools. This higher spending may contribute to the school's strong academic performance. Additionally, the school has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14 to 16.6 students per teacher over the past few years, which is generally considered a positive indicator for student learning and engagement. However, the school's fluctuating chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 4.8% to 23.4% over the past few years, is an area that could be further investigated and addressed to ensure continued student success.