Laurens-Marathon Elementary School

Summary:

Laurens-Marathon Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in the Laurens-Marathon Community School District in Laurens, Iowa, with a student population of 140 as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Despite its small size, Laurens-Marathon Elementary faces significant challenges. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa elementary schools, with a statewide ranking of 509 out of 557 schools in the 2023-2024 school year. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 51.43% to 60% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Laurens-Marathon Elementary's test scores on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) are also consistently below the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with 3rd grade proficiency rates of just 38.1% in both English Language Arts and Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 64.2% and 76.3%, respectively.

When compared to nearby elementary schools, such as West Elementary in Emmetsburg and Newell-Fonda Elementary, Laurens-Marathon Elementary generally underperforms, with higher test scores, lower free/reduced lunch rates, and better statewide rankings at these other schools. The inconsistent performance across grade levels and subject areas at Laurens-Marathon Elementary suggests the need for targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

300 W Garfield
Laurens, IA 50554

(712) 841-5000

District: Laurens-Marathon Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
509^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,283

Student/teacher ratio: 9.6

Number of students: 145

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.4%

Hispanic:

17.9%

Pacific Islander:

9.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 41.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Laurens-Marathon Elementary School ranks worse than 91.4% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.74. (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 (63.4%), Hispanic (17.9%), Pacific Islander (9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 41.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Laurens-Marathon Elementary School is 9.6. (See more...)

Compare Laurens-Marathon Elementary School employs 15.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Laurens-Marathon Elementary School is $20,283.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Laurens-Marathon Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Laurens-Marathon Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurens-Marathon Community School District 306^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Laurens-Marathon Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	39.61	458^th	626	26.8%
2013	18.05	564^th	624	9.6%
2014	41.71	440^th	603	27.0%
2015	50.29	387^th	616	37.2%
2016	22.28	508^th	599	15.2%
2017	10.52	525^th	574	8.5%
2018	27.37	458^th	567	19.2%
2019	37.10	422^nd	603	30.0%
2021	53.73	301^st	567	46.9%
2022	45.37	359^th	574	37.5%
2023	54.73	285^th	565	49.6%
2024	10.74	509^th	557	8.6%

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 Laurens-Marathon Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	251	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	251
1989	263	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	263
1990	267	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	269
1991	269	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
1992	253	0	5	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	261
1993	258	0	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	264
1994	223	3	5	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	235
1995	247	0	7	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	259
1996	247	0	7	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	259
1997	240	0	5	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	253
1998	224	0	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	235
1999	223	0	2	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	233
2000	223	0	1	6	1	n/a	n/a	-9	222
2001	189	0	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	194
2002	169	0	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	176
2003	169	0	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	176
2004	166	1	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	175
2005	166	2	2	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	177
2006	127	3	2	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	139
2007	145	4	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	154
2008	150	3	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	159
2009	154	2	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	160
2010	148	3	1	4	1	0	0	0	157
2011	134	3	1	5	0	0	0	0	143
2012	131	12	0	7	0	0	0	0	150
2013	124	9	0	7	0	0	0	0	140
2014	128	8	0	15	0	0	0	0	151
2015	124	6	1	18	0	0	0	0	149
2016	125	7	1	15	0	0	2	0	150
2017	103	8	1	17	0	0	2	0	131
2018	100	5	0	16	0	0	1	0	122
2019	84	1	0	18	0	0	3	0	106
2020	86	4	0	23	0	0	2	0	115
2021	91	6	1	25	0	0	2	0	125
2022	98	7	1	21	0	0	2	0	129
2023	99	8	2	26	0	1	4	0	140
2024	92	5	1	26	2	13	6	0	145

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 Laurens-Marathon Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	251	13.6	18.4	n/a
1989	263	13.6	19.3	9.5
1990	269	13.9	19.3	0
1991	271	13.9	19.4	15.9
1992	261	16.0	16.3	14.9
1993	264	16.2	16.3	17.8
1994	235	15.6	15.1	13.2
1995	259	16.2	16.0	19.7
1996	259	16.2	16.0	19.7
1997	253	17.2	14.7	19
1998	235	17.3	13.6	19.6
1999	233	18.3	12.7	24.9
2000	222	17.1	13.0	28.6
2001	194	17.3	11.2	31.4
2002	176	16.5	10.7	36.4
2003	176	16.5	10.7	36.4
2004	175	16.6	10.5	37.7
2005	177	15.5	11.4	29.9
2006	139	14.9	9.3	41.7
2007	154	13.9	11.1	35.1
2008	159	13.3	12.0	42.1
2009	160	13.8	11.6	42.5
2010	157	13.2	11.8	54.1
2011	143	9.0	15.8	54.5
2012	150	9.0	16.6	56
2013	140	11.2	12.4	61.4
2014	151	10.1	14.8	66.9
2015	149	11.0	13.5	69.1
2016	150	11.0	13.6	68
2017	131	11.6	11.2	71
2018	122	10.3	11.8	57.4
2019	106	10.9	9.6	48.1
2020	115	7.6	15.1	42.6
2021	125	12.0	10.4	60
2022	129	12.0	10.7	55.8
2023	140	12.9	10.8	51.4
2024	145	15.1	9.6	41.4

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 Laurens-Marathon Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	251	13.6	18.4	n/a
1989	263	13.6	19.3	9.5
1990	269	13.9	19.3	0
1991	271	13.9	19.4	15.9
1992	261	16.0	16.3	14.9
1993	264	16.2	16.3	17.8
1994	235	15.6	15.1	13.2
1995	259	16.2	16.0	19.7
1996	259	16.2	16.0	19.7
1997	253	17.2	14.7	19
1998	235	17.3	13.6	19.6
1999	233	18.3	12.7	24.9
2000	222	17.1	13.0	28.6
2001	194	17.3	11.2	31.4
2002	176	16.5	10.7	36.4
2003	176	16.5	10.7	36.4
2004	175	16.6	10.5	37.7
2005	177	15.5	11.4	29.9
2006	139	14.9	9.3	41.7
2007	154	13.9	11.1	35.1
2008	159	13.3	12.0	42.1
2009	160	13.8	11.6	42.5
2010	157	13.2	11.8	54.1
2011	143	9.0	15.8	54.5
2012	150	9.0	16.6	56
2013	140	11.2	12.4	61.4
2014	151	10.1	14.8	66.9
2015	149	11.0	13.5	69.1
2016	150	11.0	13.6	68
2017	131	11.6	11.2	71
2018	122	10.3	11.8	57.4
2019	106	10.9	9.6	48.1
2020	115	7.6	15.1	42.6
2021	125	12.0	10.4	60
2022	129	12.0	10.7	55.8
2023	140	12.9	10.8	51.4
2024	145	15.1	9.6	41.4

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 Laurens-Marathon Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,719 (8.5%)	$18,563 (91.5%)	$20,283

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Laurens-Marathon 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 422^nd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 285^th of 565 Elementary schools	19.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens-Marathon Elementary School)	57.9	35.7	22.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens-Marathon Community School District)	57.9	35.7	22.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Laurens-Marathon Elementary School)	63.2	28.6	34.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Laurens-Marathon Community School District)	63.2	28.6	34.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens-Marathon Elementary School)	81.3	76.9	4.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens-Marathon Community School District)	81.3	76.9	4.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Laurens-Marathon Elementary School)	56.3	84.6	28.3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Laurens-Marathon Community School District)	56.3	84.6	28.3%
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	106	140	32.1%
African American	1	8	700%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	18	26	44.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	84	99	17.9%
Two or More Races	3	4	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48.1%	51.4%	3.3%

Schools Near Laurens-Marathon 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
Laurens-Marathon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	300 W Garfield	Laurens	50554	Pocahontas County	Laurens-Marathon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 841-5000	145	15	9.6	41.4%	92 (63.4%)	5 (3.4%)	26 (17.9%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.4%)	13 (9.0%)	6 (4.1%)	10.7	509^th of 557 public elementary schools	8.6%		54.7	285^th of 565 public elementary schools	49.6%	224	38.1	72.7	33.3	66.7	38.1	63.6	26.7	46.7	20.0	$20,283	$1,719	$18,563
Albert City-Truesdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	300 Orchard	Albert City	50510	Buena Vista County	Albert City-Truesdale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 843-5416	104	11	9.8	45.2%	80 (76.9%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (22.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	64.5	203^rd of 557 public elementary schools	63.6%		47.6	346^th of 565 public elementary schools	38.8%	143	83.3	90.0	87.5	72.7	83.3	70.0	68.8	54.5	75.0	$21,016	$963	$20,052
Pocahontas Area Elementary School	Public	K-6	208 1st Ave SW	Pocahontas	50574	Pocahontas County	Pocahontas Area Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 335-4642	274	19	14.3	58.0%	231 (84.3%)	2 (0.7%)	23 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	17 (6.2%)	57.5	276^th of 557 public elementary schools	50.4%		63.3	216^th of 565 public elementary schools	61.8%	60	56.7	67.6	75.6	86.0	86.7	62.2	68.3	82.0	63.4	$16,192	$791	$15,400
Sioux Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4440 U.S. Hwy 71	Sioux Rapids	50585	Buena Vista County	Sioux Central Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 283-2571	234	22	10.5	20.5%	190 (81.2%)	2 (0.9%)	32 (13.7%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	5 (2.1%)	58.6	266^th of 557 public elementary schools	52.2%		61.5	227^th of 565 public elementary schools	59.8%	39	95.0	68.6	76.9		90.0	68.6	76.9		53.8	$12,124	$630	$11,494
Newell-Fonda Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	205 Clark St	Newell	50568	Buena Vista County	Newell-Fonda Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 272-3324	287	17	16.4	49.5%	208 (72.5%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (17.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (7.7%)	6 (2.1%)	46.2	353^rd of 557 public elementary schools	36.6%		58.8	255^th of 565 public elementary schools	54.9%	98	68.6	65.9	63.6		91.4	68.3	61.4		56.8	$12,429	$641	$11,789
Ruthven-Ayrshire Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1505 Washington St	Ruthven	51358	Palo Alto County	Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 837-5211	88	7	12.5	52.3%	81 (92.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.7%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	13.6	495^th of 557 public elementary schools	11.1%		28.1	449^th of 565 public elementary schools	20.5%	46		60.0		50.0		60.0		30.0		$16,696	$876	$15,821
West Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	602 Call St	Emmetsburg	50536	Palo Alto County	Emmetsburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 852-4485	285	5	56.6	44.6%	265 (93.0%)	2 (0.7%)	13 (4.6%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	66.1	190^th of 557 public elementary schools	65.9%		55.9	278^th of 565 public elementary schools	50.8%	88	75.0	77.5			78.7	77.5				$12,570	$823	$11,748

Frequently Asked Questions about Laurens-Marathon Elementary School

What district is Laurens-Marathon Elementary School in?

Laurens-Marathon Community School District

Is Laurens-Marathon Elementary School a good school?

Laurens-Marathon Elementary School ranks in the bottom 8.6% of Iowa elementary schools.

How many students attend Laurens-Marathon Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 145 students attended Laurens-Marathon Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Laurens-Marathon Elementary School?

Students at Laurens-Marathon Elementary School are 63% White, 18% Hispanic, 9% Pacific Islander, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American, 1% American Indian.

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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.