Longfellow Elementary School

Q: Is Longfellow Elementary School a good school?

Longfellow Elementary School ranks 278 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Longfellow Elementary School is a public elementary school in Belle Plaine, Iowa, serving 286 students in grades PK-6. The school is part of the Belle Plaine Community School District, which is ranked 224 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Longfellow Elementary has shown mixed performance on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) tests. While the school performs above the state average in some grade levels and subjects, it also lags behind in others. For example, in 2023-2024, 94.7% of 6th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 74.5%. However, only 50% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 76.3%. The school has also seen a steady increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 36.96% in 2020-2021 to 44.06% in 2022-2023, suggesting a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

When compared to nearby schools, Longfellow Elementary's performance is mixed. While it outperforms some schools, such as South Tama County Elementary, in certain subject areas and grade levels, it lags behind others, like Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Elementary, which consistently ranks higher in the state. Additionally, Longfellow Elementary has a higher student-teacher ratio of 14.6, compared to nearby schools like Dysart-Geneseo Elementary (12.1) and Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Elementary (12.2).

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

707 7th St
Belle Plaine, IA 52208

(319) 444-3002

District: Belle Plaine Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
278^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,593

Students who attend Longfellow Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.3

Number of students: 287

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.8%

Hispanic:

6.3%

Two or more races:

5.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48.8%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Longfellow Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Longfellow Elementary School ranks better than 50.1% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.42. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (86.8%), Hispanic (6.3%), two or more races (5.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 48.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Longfellow Elementary School is 17.3. (See more...)

Compare Longfellow Elementary School employs 16.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Longfellow Elementary School is $13,593.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Longfellow Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Belle Plaine Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Plaine Community School District 224^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	38.64	470^th	626	24.9%
2013	27.71	527^th	624	15.5%
2014	29.42	494^th	603	18.1%
2015	44.80	425^th	616	31.0%
2016	50.27	370^th	599	38.2%
2017	58.80	280^th	574	51.2%
2018	61.10	250^th	567	55.9%
2019	67.71	194^th	603	67.8%
2021	66.03	181^st	567	68.1%
2022	57.99	263^rd	574	54.2%
2023	60.93	236^th	565	58.2%
2024	57.42	278^th	557	50.1%

See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	110	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	110
1989	114	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	114
1990	126	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	126
1991	114	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	115
1992	120	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	121
1993	120	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	120
1994	107	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	109
1995	137	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	137
1996	137	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	137
1997	131	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	131
1998	133	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	133
1999	121	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	121
2000	102	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	104
2001	109	1	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	113
2002	81	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	84
2003	81	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	84
2004	72	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	75
2005	80	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	83
2006	78	4	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	83
2007	87	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	88
2008	100	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	101
2009	88	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	91
2010	104	2	0	1	0	0	0	107
2011	319	8	3	5	0	0	0	335
2012	340	12	1	12	0	0	0	365
2013	330	16	2	10	0	0	0	358
2014	316	14	2	6	0	0	1	339
2015	306	14	2	2	1	0	0	325
2016	284	4	3	0	1	0	1	293
2017	277	6	3	1	1	0	6	294
2018	271	3	3	5	1	0	10	293
2019	250	2	2	4	1	0	9	268
2020	262	2	2	7	1	0	11	285
2021	254	1	1	8	0	0	12	276
2022	262	0	1	11	0	0	18	292
2023	258	0	2	13	0	0	13	286
2024	249	2	2	18	0	0	16	287

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	110	6.0	18.3	13.6
1989	114	0.6	190.0	21.1
1990	126	6.0	21.0	18.3
1991	115	6.0	19.1	13
1992	121	7.0	17.2	15.7
1993	120	5.5	21.8	19.2
1994	109	5.5	19.8	18.3
1995	137	7.5	18.3	14.6
1996	137	7.5	18.3	14.6
1997	131	7.5	17.5	19.1
1998	133	10.0	13.3	22.6
1999	121	10.0	12.1	25.6
2000	104	9.0	11.6	16.3
2001	113	9.0	12.6	20.4
2002	84	8.1	10.4	25
2003	84	8.1	10.4	25
2004	75	6.7	11.2	32
2005	83	7.0	11.9	26.5
2006	83	8.3	10.0	33.7
2007	88	7.0	12.6	27.3
2008	101	7.6	13.3	28.7
2009	91	7.7	11.8	36.3
2010	107	7.7	13.9	46.7
2011	335	23.0	14.5	38.2
2012	365	22.7	16.0	41.9
2013	358	22.2	16.0	43.9
2014	339	23.2	14.5	44.8
2015	325	24.0	13.5	42.8
2016	293	22.0	13.3	37.9
2017	294	21.2	13.8	35.7
2018	293	20.8	14.0	33.8
2019	268	21.6	12.4	38.8
2020	285	21.5	13.2	42.5
2021	276	20.4	13.5	37
2022	292	19.4	15.0	39.7
2023	286	19.5	14.6	44.1
2024	287	16.5	17.3	48.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Longfellow Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	110	6.0	18.3	13.6
1989	114	0.6	190.0	21.1
1990	126	6.0	21.0	18.3
1991	115	6.0	19.1	13
1992	121	7.0	17.2	15.7
1993	120	5.5	21.8	19.2
1994	109	5.5	19.8	18.3
1995	137	7.5	18.3	14.6
1996	137	7.5	18.3	14.6
1997	131	7.5	17.5	19.1
1998	133	10.0	13.3	22.6
1999	121	10.0	12.1	25.6
2000	104	9.0	11.6	16.3
2001	113	9.0	12.6	20.4
2002	84	8.1	10.4	25
2003	84	8.1	10.4	25
2004	75	6.7	11.2	32
2005	83	7.0	11.9	26.5
2006	83	8.3	10.0	33.7
2007	88	7.0	12.6	27.3
2008	101	7.6	13.3	28.7
2009	91	7.7	11.8	36.3
2010	107	7.7	13.9	46.7
2011	335	23.0	14.5	38.2
2012	365	22.7	16.0	41.9
2013	358	22.2	16.0	43.9
2014	339	23.2	14.5	44.8
2015	325	24.0	13.5	42.8
2016	293	22.0	13.3	37.9
2017	294	21.2	13.8	35.7
2018	293	20.8	14.0	33.8
2019	268	21.6	12.4	38.8
2020	285	21.5	13.2	42.5
2021	276	20.4	13.5	37
2022	292	19.4	15.0	39.7
2023	286	19.5	14.6	44.1
2024	287	16.5	17.3	48.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Longfellow Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$495 (3.6%)	$13,099 (96.4%)	$13,593

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Longfellow Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 194^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 236^th of 565 Elementary schools	9.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Longfellow Elementary School)	71	60.7	10.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	71	60.7	10.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Longfellow Elementary School)	58.1	67.9	9.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	58.1	67.9	9.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Longfellow Elementary School)	83.9	73.5	10.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	83.9	73.5	10.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Longfellow Elementary School)	83.9	73.5	10.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	83.9	73.5	10.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Longfellow Elementary School)	80	89.5	9.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	80	89.5	9.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Longfellow Elementary School)	76	86.8	10.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	76	86.8	10.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Longfellow Elementary School)	84.4	70.7	13.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	84.4	70.7	13.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Longfellow Elementary School)	78.1	73.2	4.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	78.1	73.2	4.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	268	286	6.7%
African American	2	0	100%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	4	13	225%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	250	258	3.2%
Two or More Races	9	13	44.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	38.8%	44.1%	5.2%

Schools Near Longfellow Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)				ISASP Mathematics (2024)				ISASP Science (2024)	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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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
Longfellow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	707 7th St	Belle Plaine	52208	Benton County	Belle Plaine Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 444-3002	287	17	17.3	48.8%	249 (86.8%)	2 (0.7%)	18 (6.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.6%)	57.4	278^th of 557 public elementary schools	50.1%		60.9	236^th of 565 public elementary schools	58.2%	42	41.7	69.0	87.5	94.7	50.0	69.0	78.1	89.5	71.9	$13,593	$495	$13,099
Keystone Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	280 4th St	Keystone	52249	Benton County	Benton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 442-3221	173	12	14.5	35.3%	151 (87.3%)	1 (0.6%)	13 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.6%)								(n/a)	82.8				96.6					$13,632	$554	$13,078
H-L-V Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	402 5th St.	Victor	52347	Iowa County	H-L-V Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 647-2161	160	15	10.9	36.9%	153 (95.6%)	2 (1.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.5%)	49.2	337^th of 557 public elementary schools	39.5%		57	268^th of 565 public elementary schools	52.6%	69	58.8	78.9	60.7	87.0	82.4	78.9	57.1	78.3	50.0	$11,337	$527	$10,811
Iowa Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	151 E May	Marengo	52301	Iowa County	Iowa Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 642-3812	324	19	16.8	45.7%	296 (91.4%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.8%)	60.6	246^th of 557 public elementary schools	55.8%		68.6	178^th of 565 public elementary schools	68.5%	68	52.8	93.9	87.9	63.6	77.8	75.8	78.8	75.0	84.8	$11,465	$822	$10,643
Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1090 Jackson Street	Brooklyn	52211	Poweshiek County	Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 522-9268	311	24	12.8	34.4%	286 (92.0%)	3 (1.0%)	18 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	61.5	233^rd of 557 public elementary schools	58.2%		72.5	144^th of 565 public elementary schools	74.5%	89	63.9	90.2	71.0	88.4	72.2	74.5	67.7	83.7	51.6	$12,000	$294	$11,706
South Tama County Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1611 Country Club Dr	Tama	52339	Tama County	South Tama County	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 484-3999	543	39	13.9	61.9%	250 (46.0%)	3 (0.6%)	206 (37.9%)	4 (0.7%)	48 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.9%)	51.6	319^th of 557 public elementary schools	42.7%		41.3	388^th of 565 public elementary schools	31.3%	69	58.1	77.3			68.8	83.0				$13,013	$1,096	$11,916
Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	411 Lincoln	Dysart	52224	Tama County	Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 476-7110	217	17	12.7	30.9%	194 (89.4%)	1 (0.5%)	11 (5.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)								(n/a)										$13,331	$373	$12,958

Frequently Asked Questions about Longfellow Elementary School

How many students attend Longfellow Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 287 students attended Longfellow Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Longfellow Elementary School?

Students at Longfellow Elementary School are 87% White, 6% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Longfellow Elementary School in?

Belle Plaine Community School District

What schools do graduates of Longfellow Elementary School attend?

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

High : Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Is Longfellow Elementary School a good school?

Longfellow Elementary School ranks 278^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.