West Fork Elementary at Rockwell

West Fork Elementary at Rockwell is a public elementary school serving 389 students in grades PK-5 in Rockwell, Iowa, which is part of the West Fork Community School District. The school consistently outperforms the state average on standardized tests, with 83.9% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts compared to the state average of 67.9% in 2024-2025. However, the school has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.7% in 2022-2023 to 21.6% in 2023-2024, which is significantly higher than the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, CAL Elementary School has higher test scores in some areas but also higher chronic absenteeism rates, while South Side Elementary School has lower test scores and higher free/reduced lunch rates. West Fork Elementary's spending per student, at $13,507 in 2018-2019, is slightly higher than the state average, which could contribute to its stronger academic performance. The school's relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.5 to 16.6 over the past few years, may also be a factor in its academic success.

Despite its overall strong performance, West Fork Elementary's statewide ranking has fluctuated significantly, ranging from 164 out of 567 Iowa elementary schools in 2017-2018 to 375 out of 574 in 2021-2022. This volatility suggests the school may be facing some challenges in maintaining consistent academic performance. Additionally, the school has a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 34.95% to 40.72% over the past few years, which may require targeted interventions and support to ensure all students have the resources they need to succeed.