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Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 51002

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the Iowa Department of Education any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the Iowa Department of Education any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

School

256

Students

Top rankedAlta Elementary School137^th of 576 Iowa elementary schools

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Summary:

The 51002 zip code in Iowa is home to a single outstanding elementary school, Alta Elementary School, which serves students from the Alta-Aurelia Community School District. This school has consistently demonstrated exceptional academic performance, earning high test scores and statewide recognition for its excellence.

Alta Elementary School stands out for its strong academic results, with a large percentage of students proficient or better in both English Language Arts and Mathematics on the ISASP assessments. In the 2024-2025 school year, 76.7% of 3rd graders and 92.5% of 4th graders were proficient or better in ELA, outperforming both the district and state averages. In Mathematics, 83.7% of 3rd graders and 77.5% of 4th graders were proficient or better, again exceeding the district and state scores. The school's statewide ranking is also impressive, placing 137th out of 576 Iowa elementary schools in 2024-2025 and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

In addition to its academic excellence, Alta Elementary School stands out for its relatively low student-teacher ratio of 14.2 for the 2023-2024 school year, which can contribute to more personalized attention and support for students. While the school serves a diverse population, with 38.58% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, it has maintained its high level of performance. However, the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6% in 2023-2024 is an area that may require additional focus to ensure all students have the opportunity to fully benefit from the school's exceptional educational environment.

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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)		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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Alta Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1009 Main St	Alta	51002	Buena Vista County	Alta-Aurelia Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 200-1400	256	17	15.3	40.6%	165 (64.5%)	8 (3.1%)	55 (21.5%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (7.4%)	6 (2.3%)	73.3	137^th of 576 public elementary schools	76.2%		86.2	29^th of 557 public elementary schools	94.8%	108	76.7	92.5	83.7	77.5	$13,449	$572	$12,877

Cities Near Zip Code 51002

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Alta	0.55 mi	2	185^th
Storm Lake	4.05 mi	6	409^th
Aurelia	6.94 mi	2	195^th
Schaller	12.11 mi	1	39^th
Galva	12.69 mi	1	256^th

See the top IA Iowa cities

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.