Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

West Elementary School

Q: Is West Elementary School a good school?

West Elementary School ranks 350 th of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 3-6

350^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 576 Iowa Elementary Schools

Better than 39% of Iowa elementary schools

Summary

West Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades 3-6 in Independence, Iowa, with 371 students. It is part of the Independence Community School District, which is ranked 250 out of 313 school districts in the state.

Academically, West Elementary School generally performs above the state average in both English Language Arts and Mathematics across grades 3-6. For example, in 2024-2025, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 60.2% to 79.1% in ELA and 62.3% to 78.4% in Math, compared to the state averages of 67.9% to 76% in ELA and 71.5% to 75.8% in Math. However, the school has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 10.9% in 2020-2021 to 21.6% in 2023-2024, which is significantly higher than the state average and the nearby Early Childhood Center (20.51%) and East Elementary School (21.6%).

Compared to the rural elementary schools in the Wapsie Valley district, West Elementary School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.8 to 13.1 over the past few years, which is better than the nearby East Elementary School (12.6) and the rural schools (8.9 to 15.5). However, the school's statewide ranking has declined over the past decade, from 136th in 2014-2015 to 350th in 2024-2025, suggesting that it may be facing challenges that are impacting its overall performance compared to other elementary schools in Iowa.

360

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,958

Per pupil spending ?

39.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1301 1st St W
Independence, IA 50644

(319) 334-7430

District: Independence Community School District

Students who attend West Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Independence Junior Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.9%

Two or more races:

5.6%

Hispanic:

5.0%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare West Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 78th percentile in 2015 → 39th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 39 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school71%

District avg71%

Iowa avg72%

350^th of 576

Iowa public elementary schools ?

Bottom 39%▼ down 39 pts since 2015

From top 22% (2015) to bottom 39% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

250^th of 313Independence 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	47.4	350 of 576	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	56.2	285 of 557	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	54.4	290 of 565	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	55.3	288 of 574	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.7	214 of 567	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	60.0	262 of 603	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.1	171 of 567	69.8%	★★★★☆
2017	71.3	157 of 574	72.6%	★★★★☆
2016	72.8	140 of 599	76.6%	★★★★☆
2015	74.2	136 of 616	77.9%	★★★★☆
2014	69.0	179 of 603	70.3%	★★★★☆
2013	72.8	118 of 624	81.1%	★★★★☆
2012	67.7	176 of 626	71.9%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts72%~ state avg

Mathematics71%-3 vs state

Science65%~ state avg

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate West Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate West Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near West Elementary School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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
West Elementary School	Public	3-6	1301 1st St W	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 334-7430	360	32	11.2	39.4%	320 (88.9%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.6%)	47.4	350^th of 576 public elementary schools	39.2%		56.2	285^th of 557 public elementary schools	48.8%	65	60.2	72.6	77.0	79.1	68.7	62.3	78.4	75.6	64.9	$12,958	$330	$12,628
East Elementary School	Public	K-2	1103 First Street West	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 334-7425	265	22	12.2	40.0%	241 (90.9%)	3 (1.1%)	6 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.7%)								(n/a)										$13,327	$339	$12,988
Perry #1 Elementary School	Public	K-8	1726 Fairbank Amish Blvd	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 827-1700	29	2	14.7	10.3%	29 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$7,564	$118	$7,446
Jesup Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	531 Prospect	Jesup	50648	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 827-1700	412	26	16.0	25.7%	395 (95.9%)	9 (2.2%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	82.9	48^th of 576 public elementary schools	91.7%		63.9	210^th of 557 public elementary schools	62.3%	162	87.9	84.5			92.4	84.5				$12,637	$311	$12,326
Prairie Grove Elementary School	Public	K-8	1501 150th St	Hazleton	50641	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 827-1700	23	2	11.5	13.0%	23 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$8,123	$118	$8,005
East Buchanan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	414 5th St North	Winthrop	50682	Buchanan County	East Buchanan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 935-3660	303	22	13.8	31.0%	290 (95.7%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (2.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	66	209^th of 576 public elementary schools	63.7%		62.4	227^th of 557 public elementary schools	59.2%	18	79.4	77.3	69.7	82.9	88.6	65.9	90.9	82.9	72.7	$12,938	$606	$12,332
Triumph Elementary School	Public	K-8	1348 145th St	Fairbank	50641	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 827-1700	42	2	21.2	7.1%	42 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$7,346	$118	$7,228
Rural Elementary School #2	Public	K-8	1198 Fairbank Amish Blvd	Fairbank	50629	Buchanan County	Wapsie Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 635-2071	24	2	13.3	12.5%	24 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$8,228	$108	$8,121
Rural Elementary School #1	Public	K-8	1099 Amish Blvd	Fairbank	50629	Buchanan County	Wapsie Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 635-2071	29	2	14.3	10.3%	29 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$9,040	$108	$8,933
Rural Elementary School #4	Public	K-8	1153 Denison Ave	Fairbank	50629	Buchanan County	Wapsie Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 635-2071	17	2	8.4	17.6%	17 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)										$6,792	$108	$6,685

Frequently Asked Questions about West Elementary School

What schools do graduates of West Elementary School attend?

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

High : Independence Junior Senior High School

What district is West Elementary School in?

Independence Community School District

What is the racial makeup of West Elementary School?

Students at West Elementary School are 89% White, 6% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

How many students attend West Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 360 students attended West Elementary School.

Is West Elementary School a good school?

West Elementary School ranks 350^th of 576 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate West Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

IAIowa Elementary School Rankings

IAIowa District Rankings

Schools in Independence, IA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for West Elementary School!

Latest Iowa data All new data »

2024–25 graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 ISASP test scoresAug 20, 2025

2023–24 graduation ratesApr 1, 2025

2017–18 through 2023–24 attendance dataNov 15, 2024

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.