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North Elementary School

Q: Is North Elementary School a good school?

North Elementary School ranks 266 th of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 3-6

266^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools

Better than 54% of Iowa elementary schools

Summary

North Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Leon, Iowa, serving grades 3-6 with a total enrollment of 176 students. It is part of the Central Decatur Community School District, which is ranked 184 out of 313 school districts in Iowa and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

North Elementary School has generally performed better than the state average in both English Language Arts and Mathematics across different grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 84.3% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in ELA and Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 69.8% and 71.5%, respectively. This trend of above-average test scores has been consistent over the past few years. However, the school has had relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 21.6% to 28.8% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, North Elementary School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 54.97% to 72.16% in recent years, suggesting a relatively high proportion of students from low-income families.

When compared to the nearby South Elementary School (within the same district), North Elementary School has generally performed better on test scores, particularly in Mathematics. However, North Elementary School has higher chronic absenteeism rates and a higher student-teacher ratio. Compared to schools in other districts, such as Clarke Community Elementary School and Mormon Trail Elementary School, North Elementary School generally outperforms them on test scores, especially in ELA and Science, but these schools have lower chronic absenteeism rates and lower free and reduced lunch rates.

168

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,942

Per pupil spending ?

65.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1203 NE Poplar Street
Leon, IA 50144

(641) 446-4452

District: Central Decatur Community School District

Students who attend North Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Central Decatur Middle School/High School High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.3%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Hispanic:

3.6%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare North Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 13th percentile in 2015 → 54th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 41 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the Iowa median (54th percentile)

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school76%

District avg76%

Iowa avg72%

266^th of 576

Iowa public elementary schools ?

Top 46%▲ up 41 pts since 2015

From bottom 13% (2015) to top 46% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

184^th of 313Central Decatur Community School District among Iowa districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Iowa percentile	Rating
2025	59.4	266 of 576	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.9	291 of 557	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	63.3	215 of 565	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.0	264 of 574	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	57.8	258 of 567	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.9	423 of 603	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.7	381 of 567	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	44.5	390 of 574	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2016	32.7	470 of 599	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	18.5	534 of 616	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	46.2	407 of 603	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	52.9	346 of 624	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	39.6	457 of 626	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

Science84%+20 vs state

Mathematics78%+4 vs state

English Language Arts72%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near North Elementary School

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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
North Elementary School	Public	3-6	1203 NE Poplar Street	Leon	50144	Decatur County	Central Decatur Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 446-4452	168	15	11.2	65.5%	155 (92.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (4.2%)	59.4	266^th of 576 public elementary schools	53.8%		55.9	291^st of 557 public elementary schools	47.8%	25	53.1	75.0	84.3	69.6	71.9	86.1	84.3	67.4	84.3	$12,942	$1,411	$11,532
South Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	201 SE 6th St	Leon	50144	Decatur County	Central Decatur Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 446-6521	173	17	10.2	71.1%	156 (90.2%)	1 (0.6%)	7 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.2%)								(n/a)										$13,515	$1,614	$11,902
Lamoni Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	202 N Walnut St	Lamoni	50140	Decatur County	Lamoni Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 784-3422	191	11	17.7	57.6%	161 (84.3%)	1 (0.5%)	14 (7.3%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (6.8%)	29.9	460^th of 576 public elementary schools	20.1%		37.8	397^th of 557 public elementary schools	28.7%	63	56.3	35.3	59.3		81.3	41.2	70.4		48.1	$13,667	$1,629	$12,038
Mormon Trail Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	403 S Front St	Humeston	50123	Wayne County	Mormon Trail Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 877-2521	132	14	9.6	63.6%	130 (98.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	26.7	467^th of 576 public elementary schools	18.9%		24	459^th of 557 public elementary schools	17.6%	8	46.2	72.7	50.0	84.6	76.9	54.5	56.3	53.8	50.0	$14,641	$1,026	$13,616
Clarke Community Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	231 S Kossuth St	Osceola	50213	Clarke County	Clarke Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 342-6320	652	55	11.8	60.1%	332 (50.9%)	4 (0.6%)	281 (43.1%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.0%)	17 (2.6%)	13	513^th of 576 public elementary schools	10.9%		11.3	505^th of 557 public elementary schools	9.3%	8	48.7	60.4	54.5		53.9	57.1	50.6		49.4	$12,335	$680	$11,656

Frequently Asked Questions about North Elementary School

How many students attend North Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 168 students attended North Elementary School.

Is North Elementary School a good school?

North Elementary School ranks 266^th of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of North Elementary School?

Students at North Elementary School are 92% White, 4% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What district is North Elementary School in?

Central Decatur Community School District

What schools do graduates of North Elementary School attend?

Students who attend North Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Central Decatur Middle School/High School High School

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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.