Lawson Elementary School

Q: Is Lawson Elementary School a good school?

Lawson Elementary School ranks 170 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Lawson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Johnston Community School District, serving 607 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school consistently outperforms state and district averages in standardized test scores, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Lawson Elementary is ranked 170 out of 557 Iowa elementary schools and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, with a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.

Compared to nearby schools, Lawson Elementary's academic performance is generally higher, with the exception of Henry A. Wallace Elementary School, which outperforms Lawson in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency. Lawson also serves a more affluent student population, with a lower percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients (31.96%) compared to some nearby schools like Hillis Elementary (79.34%) and Samuelson Elementary (78.88%) in the Des Moines Independent Community School District.

Lawson Elementary's spending per student ($12,603 in 2018-2019) is slightly higher than the state average but lower than some nearby schools, such as Hillis Elementary ($16,776) and Samuelson Elementary ($15,980). Overall, Lawson Elementary stands out as a high-performing school within the Johnston Community School District, with consistently strong academic results and a relatively low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients.

Detail:

Public K-5

5450 NW 62nd Ave
Johnston, IA 50131

(515) 278-0478

District: Johnston Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
170^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,603

Students who attend Lawson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Summit Middle School
High:	Johnston Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 595

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.4%

Asian:

12.4%

African American:

8.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Lawson Elementary School ranks better than 69.5% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 3^rd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Johnston Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.16. (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 (65.4%), Asian (12.4%), African American (8.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lawson Elementary School is 14.6. 2 elementary schools in the Johnston Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Lawson Elementary School employs 40.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lawson Elementary School is $12,603, which is the 2^nd highest among 5 elementary schools in the Johnston Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Johnston Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Johnston Community School District 62^nd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Lawson Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	82.74	31^st	626	95.0%
2013	74.95	93^rd	624	85.1%
2014	82.71	46^th	603	92.4%
2015	77.74	87^th	616	85.9%
2016	80.37	59^th	599	90.2%
2017	84.51	32^nd	574	94.4%
2018	79.33	69^th	567	87.8%
2019	82.21	79^th	603	86.9%
2021	69.91	157^th	567	72.3%
2022	67.16	199^th	574	65.3%
2023	65.84	194^th	565	65.7%
2024	69.16	170^th	557	69.5%

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 Lawson Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1999	511	20	15	10	3	n/a	n/a	0	559
2000	571	23	10	10	2	n/a	n/a	-41	575
2001	528	19	9	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	562
2002	419	25	6	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	464
2003	419	25	6	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	464
2004	412	36	8	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	463
2005	417	33	9	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	469
2006	408	24	10	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	453
2007	447	35	12	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	506
2008	411	42	16	19	3	n/a	n/a	0	491
2009	399	46	18	18	2	n/a	n/a	0	483
2010	404	28	19	21	0	2	27	0	501
2011	396	22	18	25	0	2	26	0	489
2012	373	31	22	27	0	0	24	0	477
2013	473	33	33	45	1	0	28	0	613
2014	495	36	30	51	0	0	40	0	652
2015	434	32	33	48	0	0	27	0	574
2016	470	28	40	45	0	0	37	0	620
2017	455	31	50	50	0	0	37	0	623
2018	470	43	54	47	1	0	34	0	649
2019	432	30	53	40	0	0	35	0	590
2020	449	29	54	57	0	0	39	0	628
2021	397	37	63	42	0	0	45	0	584
2022	412	40	68	44	1	0	38	0	603
2023	399	46	76	45	1	0	40	0	607
2024	389	49	74	45	2	0	36	0	595

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 Lawson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	559	40.1	13.9	14.7
2000	575	45.8	12.6	10.7
2001	562	46.8	12.0	14.9
2002	464	35.5	13.1	9.5
2003	464	35.5	13.1	9.5
2004	463	35.5	13.0	9.1
2005	469	38.2	12.3	14.1
2006	453	35.2	12.9	12.8
2007	506	38.0	13.3	15
2008	491	33.8	14.5	17.1
2009	483	34.3	14.1	19.5
2010	501	32.9	15.1	22.2
2011	489	35.4	13.8	21.7
2012	477	34.8	13.6	21.4
2013	613	39.1	15.6	21.4
2014	652	40.8	15.9	24.2
2015	574	41.0	14.0	22.5
2016	620	39.0	15.8	27.3
2017	623	39.5	15.7	28.4
2018	649	43.1	15.0	30.7
2019	590	41.2	14.3	32.2
2020	628	40.9	15.3	24.7
2021	584	44.2	13.1	24.1
2022	603	43.4	13.8	31.8
2023	607	40.3	15.0	32
2024	595	40.5	14.6	37.5

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 Lawson Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	559	40.1	13.9	14.7
2000	575	45.8	12.6	10.7
2001	562	46.8	12.0	14.9
2002	464	35.5	13.1	9.5
2003	464	35.5	13.1	9.5
2004	463	35.5	13.0	9.1
2005	469	38.2	12.3	14.1
2006	453	35.2	12.9	12.8
2007	506	38.0	13.3	15
2008	491	33.8	14.5	17.1
2009	483	34.3	14.1	19.5
2010	501	32.9	15.1	22.2
2011	489	35.4	13.8	21.7
2012	477	34.8	13.6	21.4
2013	613	39.1	15.6	21.4
2014	652	40.8	15.9	24.2
2015	574	41.0	14.0	22.5
2016	620	39.0	15.8	27.3
2017	623	39.5	15.7	28.4
2018	649	43.1	15.0	30.7
2019	590	41.2	14.3	32.2
2020	628	40.9	15.3	24.7
2021	584	44.2	13.1	24.1
2022	603	43.4	13.8	31.8
2023	607	40.3	15.0	32
2024	595	40.5	14.6	37.5

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 Lawson Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$730 (5.8%)	$11,873 (94.2%)	$12,603

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lawson 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 79^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 194^th of 565 Elementary schools	21.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lawson Elementary School)	83	81	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	76.4	81.4	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lawson Elementary School)	90.9	83.8	7.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	85.2	85.4	0.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson Elementary School)	79.4	75.6	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	81.3	85.7	4.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lawson Elementary School)	86.3	68.6	17.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	85.4	82.4	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lawson Elementary School)	80.2	73.7	6.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Johnston Community School District)	73.7	78.1	4.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lawson Elementary School)	82.7	80	2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Johnston Community School District)	82.1	82.9	0.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	590	607	2.9%
African American	30	46	53.3%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	53	76	43.4%
Hispanic	40	45	12.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	432	399	7.6%
Two or More Races	35	40	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	32.2%	32%	0.2%

Schools Near Lawson 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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lawson Elementary School	Public	K-5	5450 NW 62nd Ave	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 278-0478	595	41	14.6	37.5%	389 (65.4%)	49 (8.2%)	45 (7.6%)	74 (12.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.1%)	69.2	170^th of 557 public elementary schools	69.5%		65.8	194^th of 565 public elementary schools	65.7%	24	85.1	76.2	75.6	89.7	77.2	77.8	60.0	$12,603	$730	$11,873
Henry A Wallace Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6207 NW 62nd Ave	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 278-6977	826	51	16.3	15.3%	560 (67.8%)	74 (9.0%)	55 (6.7%)	82 (9.9%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (5.9%)	88	19^th of 557 public elementary schools	96.6%		87.6	25^th of 565 public elementary schools	95.6%	6	85.7	86.6	92.5	89.8	84.9	94.4	80.4	$13,889	$515	$13,374
Timber Ridge Elementary	Public	K-5	7370 NW 54th AVE	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 331-4379	663	46	14.4	34.4%	403 (60.8%)	62 (9.4%)	64 (9.7%)	88 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	43 (6.5%)	60.6	247^th of 557 public elementary schools	55.7%		72.5	143^rd of 565 public elementary schools	74.7%	104	63.7	72.0	74.0	78.8	78.0	75.0	70.0	$11,886	$401	$11,485
Beaver Creek Elementary School	Public	K-5	8701 Lyndhurst	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 278-6228	564	37	15.1	31.6%	350 (62.1%)	95 (16.8%)	35 (6.2%)	49 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	33 (5.9%)	78.3	81^st of 557 public elementary schools	85.5%		81.3	70^th of 565 public elementary schools	87.6%	11	74.0	86.8	85.9	78.1	78.0	91.9	76.8	$12,513	$534	$11,980
Samuelson Elementary School	Public	K-5	3929 Bel-Aire Rd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8441	384	34	11.4	72.9%	81 (21.1%)	97 (25.3%)	56 (14.6%)	124 (32.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	22 (5.7%)	13.8	493^rd of 557 public elementary schools	11.5%		14.2	510^th of 565 public elementary schools	9.7%	17	46.4	52.9	51.7	60.7	52.9	60.0	36.7	$15,980	$1,376	$14,603
Olmsted Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7110 Prairie Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 457-5100	641	48	13.3	45.4%	359 (56.0%)	88 (13.7%)	80 (12.5%)	72 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	39 (6.1%)	44.7	366^th of 557 public elementary schools	34.3%		45.2	366^th of 565 public elementary schools	35.2%		56.0	76.5	72.4	68.1	62.2	72.1	58.1
Moore Elementary School	Public	K-5	3725 52nd St	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8426	298	24	12.5	63.8%	101 (33.9%)	66 (22.1%)	64 (21.5%)	33 (11.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (11.1%)	10.4	510^th of 557 public elementary schools	8.4%		12.2	515^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.8%	5	38.8	66.7	38.9	55.1	49.1	30.6	22.2	$16,099	$1,236	$14,863
Woodlawn Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	4000 Lower Beaver Rd	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8213	215	11	19.1	79.1%	64 (29.8%)	46 (21.4%)	34 (15.8%)	51 (23.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	17 (7.9%)								(n/a)
Horizon Elementary	Public	K-5	5905 N W 100th Street	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 986-1121	673	46	14.5	40.3%	402 (59.7%)	110 (16.3%)	79 (11.7%)	51 (7.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.3%)	69	173^rd of 557 public elementary schools	68.9%		66.6	187^th of 565 public elementary schools	66.9%	14	79.5	77.8	77.6	80.4	77.8	74.1	69.0	$12,602	$637	$11,965
Karen Acres Elementary School	Public	K-5	3500 74th St	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 457-5700	244	20	12.2	48.4%	128 (52.5%)	13 (5.3%)	53 (21.7%)	36 (14.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.3%)	57.8	271^st of 557 public elementary schools	51.3%		67.8	183^rd of 565 public elementary schools	67.6%	88	55.3	82.9	76.9	71.1	73.2	71.8	71.8	$13,768	$98	$13,670

Frequently Asked Questions about Lawson Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Lawson Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Summit Middle School
High : Johnston Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Lawson Elementary School?

Students at Lawson Elementary School are 65% White, 12% Asian, 8% African American, 8% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

How many students attend Lawson Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 595 students attended Lawson Elementary School.

Is Lawson Elementary School a good school?

Lawson Elementary School ranks 170^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Lawson Elementary School in?

Johnston Community School District

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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.