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Central Lee Elementary School

Q: Is Central Lee Elementary School a good school?

Central Lee Elementary School ranks 124 th of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-4

124^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools

Better than 78% of Iowa elementary schools

Summary

Central Lee Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Donnellson, Iowa, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 672 students. The school is part of the Central Lee Community School District, which is ranked 86 out of 313 districts in Iowa and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central Lee Elementary School has consistently performed above the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores for both English Language Arts and Mathematics. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school's 3rd and 4th-grade students scored 73.1% and 84.4% proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 67.9% and 76%, respectively. Similarly, in Mathematics, the school's 3rd and 4th-grade students scored 84.6% and 89% proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 75.8% and 74.3%. However, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 7.9% in 2021-2022 to 23.4% in 2022-2023, which is an area of concern that the school and district should address.

When compared to the nearby schools, such as Salem Elementary, Van Buren County Community School District Harmony Center, and George Washington Elementary School, Central Lee Elementary School generally outperforms them in academic achievement. However, the school's lower spending per student of $9,302 in the 2018-2019 school year, compared to the nearby schools, and its higher student-teacher ratio of 17.3 in 2023-2024, suggest that the district may be able to allocate resources more effectively to support student learning and address areas of concern, such as chronic absenteeism.

564

Students ?

18.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,302

Per pupil spending ?

29.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2642 Highway 218
Donnellson, IA 52625

(319) 835-9510

District: Central Lee Community School District

Students who attend Central Lee Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Central Lee Middle School
High:	Central Lee High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.7%

African American:

2.3%

Hispanic:

2.1%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Central Lee Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 44th percentile in 2015 → 78th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Iowa average (83% vs 73% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 22% of Iowa elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 34 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school83%

District avg83%

Iowa avg73%

124^th of 576

Iowa public elementary schools ?

Top 22%▲ up 34 pts since 2015

From bottom 44% (2015) to top 22% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

86^th of 313Central Lee 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	74.5	124 of 576	78.5%	★★★★☆
2024	48.3	347 of 557	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.3	382 of 565	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.1	423 of 574	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	60.3	235 of 567	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	61.9	249 of 603	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	49.6	337 of 567	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	56.9	297 of 574	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2016	70.7	166 of 599	72.3%	★★★★☆
2015	54.3	345 of 616	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	64.5	234 of 603	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	56.1	322 of 624	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2012	62.5	244 of 626	61.0%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

Mathematics87%+12 vs state

English Language Arts79%+7 vs state

★

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Schools Near Central Lee 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
Central Lee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2642 Highway 218	Donnellson	52625	Lee County	Central Lee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 835-9510	564	31	18.2	29.8%	534 (94.7%)	13 (2.3%)	12 (2.1%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	74.5	124^th of 576 public elementary schools	78.5%		48.3	347^th of 557 public elementary schools	37.7%	223	73.1	84.4			84.6	89.0				$9,302	$340	$8,962
Fort Madison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	502 48th Street	Fort Madison	52627	Lee County	Fort Madison Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(319) 372-7252	932	70	13.2	62.1%	719 (77.1%)	25 (2.7%)	96 (10.3%)	6 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (8.9%)								(n/a)
Hawthorne Elementary School	Public	2-5	2940 Decatur St	Keokuk	52632	Lee County	Keokuk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 524-3503	454	37	12.1	62.6%	365 (80.4%)	24 (5.3%)	17 (3.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (9.9%)	39	406^th of 576 public elementary schools	29.5%		49.5	334^th of 557 public elementary schools	40.0%	72	66.3	73.5	57.4		72.3	59.3	76.4		58.5	$14,201	$649	$13,552
George Washington Elementary School	Public	K-1	116 N 8th	Keokuk	52632	Lee County	Keokuk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 524-1953	222	23	9.8	66.7%	169 (76.1%)	6 (2.7%)	13 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (15.3%)								(n/a)										$17,020	$2,141	$14,879
Van Buren County Community School District Harmony Center	Public	PK, KG-6	33727 Rte J40	Farmington	52626	Van Buren County	Van Buren County Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 592-3600	175	14	12.9	58.3%	163 (93.1%)	2 (1.1%)	5 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.9%)	32.7	449^th of 576 public elementary schools	22.0%		20.9	467^th of 557 public elementary schools	16.2%	18	58.3	85.0	48.1	50.0	91.7	80.0	48.1	50.0	44.4
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Lee Elementary School

What district is Central Lee Elementary School in?

Central Lee Community School District

What schools do graduates of Central Lee Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Central Lee Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Central Lee Middle School
High : Central Lee High School

What is the racial makeup of Central Lee Elementary School?

Students at Central Lee Elementary School are 95% White, 2% African American, 2% Hispanic.

How many students attend Central Lee Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 564 students attended Central Lee Elementary School.

Is Central Lee Elementary School a good school?

Central Lee Elementary School ranks 124^th of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Central Lee Elementary 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.