Martensdale Elementary School

Q: Is Martensdale Elementary School a good school?

Martensdale Elementary School ranks 64 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Martensdale Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 305 students in grades PK-6 in the Martensdale-St Marys Community School District in Martensdale, Iowa. The school has consistently been ranked among the top elementary schools in the state, with a current ranking of 64 out of 557 Iowa elementary schools and a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Martensdale Elementary School stands out for its exceptional academic performance, consistently outperforming the state average in proficiency across all grade levels and subject areas. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) ranged from 76.3% to 86%, compared to the state average of 64.2% to 74.5%. Similarly, in Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 82.5% to 88.4%, compared to the state average of 71.1% to 76.3%. The school's 5th-grade Science proficiency rate of 74.4% also exceeds the state average of 59.6%. This consistent academic excellence suggests that the school has effective teaching practices, a strong curriculum, and a supportive learning environment that enables students to thrive.

While Martensdale Elementary School's academic performance is impressive, the school's student population is relatively homogeneous, with 92.79% of students identifying as white in the 2022-2023 school year. This is significantly higher than the racial diversity of nearby schools, such as Studebaker Elementary (33.27% white) and Morris Elementary (36.49% white) in the Des Moines Independent Community School District. Additionally, Martensdale Elementary School has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 17.38% in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the nearby schools, such as Studebaker Elementary (88.15%) and Morris Elementary (87.61%), which have much higher rates of economically disadvantaged students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

390 Burlington
Martensdale, IA 50160

(641) 764-2621

District: Martensdale-St Marys Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
64^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,243

Students who attend Martensdale Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Martensdale-St Marys Junior-Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 316

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.8%

Hispanic:

4.1%

Two or more races:

2.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Martensdale Elementary School ranks better than 88.5% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.97. (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 (91.8%), Hispanic (4.1%), two or more races (2.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 20.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Martensdale Elementary School is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Martensdale Elementary School employs 22 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Martensdale Elementary School is $12,243.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Martensdale-St Marys Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Martensdale-St Marys Community School District 77^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Martensdale Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	57.56	304^th	626	51.4%
2013	67.81	179^th	624	71.3%
2014	63.52	245^th	603	59.4%
2015	54.65	336^th	616	45.5%
2016	51.89	354^th	599	40.9%
2017	60.47	264^th	574	54.0%
2018	63.89	229^th	567	59.6%
2019	78.29	104^th	603	82.8%
2021	77.73	103^rd	567	81.8%
2022	74.88	118^th	574	79.4%
2023	78.97	89^th	565	84.2%
2024	80.97	64^th	557	88.5%

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 Martensdale Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	280	1	5	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	287
1989	281	1	5	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	288
1990	288	2	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	296
1991	250	2	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	259
1992	275	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	276
1993	253	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	254
1994	278	1	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	282
1995	289	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	294
1996	289	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	294
1997	274	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
1998	273	2	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	278
1999	269	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
2000	284	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	-19	266
2001	245	3	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	252
2002	224	3	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	229
2003	224	3	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	229
2004	234	3	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	238
2005	210	1	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	214
2006	244	1	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	248
2007	271	1	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	275
2008	295	4	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	308
2009	296	1	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
2010	270	1	0	17	0	0	4	0	292
2011	267	1	0	12	0	0	3	0	283
2012	281	1	1	14	0	0	4	0	301
2013	282	1	2	13	0	0	5	0	303
2014	288	1	2	12	0	0	4	0	307
2015	295	2	0	11	0	0	5	0	313
2016	284	3	0	11	0	0	4	0	302
2017	273	2	2	11	0	0	2	0	290
2018	289	2	2	8	0	0	4	0	305
2019	287	2	1	9	0	0	2	0	301
2020	303	2	1	9	1	0	2	0	318
2021	287	3	0	7	1	0	3	0	301
2022	304	2	0	10	1	0	5	0	322
2023	283	1	0	11	3	0	7	0	305
2024	290	1	0	13	3	0	9	0	316

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 Martensdale Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	287	14.0	20.5	n/a
1989	288	14.0	20.5	8
1990	296	16.2	18.2	0
1991	259	16.2	15.9	6.2
1992	276	14.0	19.7	10.9
1993	254	15.0	16.9	7.1
1994	282	16.2	17.4	7.8
1995	294	16.0	18.4	9.5
1996	294	16.0	18.4	9.5
1997	277	16.0	17.3	9
1998	278	16.0	17.4	9
1999	271	16.0	16.9	12.5
2000	266	16.0	16.6	10.5
2001	252	15.0	16.8	16.7
2002	229	16.0	14.3	21.8
2003	229	16.0	14.3	21.8
2004	238	16.0	14.9	20.6
2005	214	16.0	13.4	19.6
2006	248	16.5	15.0	18.1
2007	275	15.0	18.3	18.2
2008	308	21.4	14.4	16.9
2009	305	21.4	14.3	16.1
2010	292	21.3	13.6	20.9
2011	283	18.0	15.7	22.6
2012	301	19.9	15.0	22.6
2013	303	20.3	14.8	25.1
2014	307	21.7	14.0	24.4
2015	313	23.0	13.6	22.7
2016	302	22.0	13.7	24.8
2017	290	21.7	13.3	16.9
2018	305	18.5	16.4	22.6
2019	301	18.4	16.3	22.9
2020	318	20.4	15.5	25.5
2021	301	21.2	14.1	23.3
2022	322	20.3	15.8	19.9
2023	305	19.3	15.8	17.4
2024	316	22.0	14.3	20.6

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 Martensdale Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	287	14.0	20.5	n/a
1989	288	14.0	20.5	8
1990	296	16.2	18.2	0
1991	259	16.2	15.9	6.2
1992	276	14.0	19.7	10.9
1993	254	15.0	16.9	7.1
1994	282	16.2	17.4	7.8
1995	294	16.0	18.4	9.5
1996	294	16.0	18.4	9.5
1997	277	16.0	17.3	9
1998	278	16.0	17.4	9
1999	271	16.0	16.9	12.5
2000	266	16.0	16.6	10.5
2001	252	15.0	16.8	16.7
2002	229	16.0	14.3	21.8
2003	229	16.0	14.3	21.8
2004	238	16.0	14.9	20.6
2005	214	16.0	13.4	19.6
2006	248	16.5	15.0	18.1
2007	275	15.0	18.3	18.2
2008	308	21.4	14.4	16.9
2009	305	21.4	14.3	16.1
2010	292	21.3	13.6	20.9
2011	283	18.0	15.7	22.6
2012	301	19.9	15.0	22.6
2013	303	20.3	14.8	25.1
2014	307	21.7	14.0	24.4
2015	313	23.0	13.6	22.7
2016	302	22.0	13.7	24.8
2017	290	21.7	13.3	16.9
2018	305	18.5	16.4	22.6
2019	301	18.4	16.3	22.9
2020	318	20.4	15.5	25.5
2021	301	21.2	14.1	23.3
2022	322	20.3	15.8	19.9
2023	305	19.3	15.8	17.4
2024	316	22.0	14.3	20.6

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 Martensdale Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$549 (4.5%)	$11,694 (95.5%)	$12,243

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Martensdale 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 104^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 89^th of 565 Elementary schools	1.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale Elementary School)	68.9	71.8	2.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	68.9	71.8	2.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Martensdale Elementary School)	80	74.4	5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	80	74.4	5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale Elementary School)	88.5	81	7.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	88.5	81	7.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Martensdale Elementary School)	84.6	83.3	1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	84.6	83.3	1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale Elementary School)	82.9	85.7	2.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	82.9	85.7	2.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Martensdale Elementary School)	80	90.5	10.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	80	90.5	10.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale Elementary School)	86.7	100	13.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	86.7	100	13.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Martensdale Elementary School)	90	93.3	3.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Martensdale-St Marys Community School District)	90	93.3	3.3%
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	301	305	1.3%
African American	2	1	50%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	9	11	22.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	287	283	1.4%
Two or More Races	2	7	250%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.9%	17.4%	5.5%

Schools Near Martensdale 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
Martensdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	390 Burlington	Martensdale	50160	Warren County	Martensdale-St Marys Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 764-2621	316	22	14.3	20.6%	290 (91.8%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	81	64^th of 557 public elementary schools	88.5%		79	89^th of 565 public elementary schools	84.2%	25	76.3	85.0	83.7	86.0	86.8	82.5	88.4	86.0	74.4	$12,243	$549	$11,694
Orchard Hills Elementary	Public	2-3	1130 W North Avenue	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 981-1855	526	36	14.7	24.0%	439 (83.5%)	11 (2.1%)	41 (7.8%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (5.5%)								(n/a)	74.7				84.7
Oviatt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-1	1130 North Avenue	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 981-1005	579	39	14.9	17.8%	491 (84.8%)	14 (2.4%)	39 (6.7%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.0%)								(n/a)										$14,180	$322	$13,858
Wilder Elementary School	Public	K-5	2303 W. Euclid	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 961-9540	471	37	12.6	38.6%	418 (88.7%)	5 (1.1%)	22 (4.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.1%)	42	382^nd of 557 public elementary schools	31.4%		55.2	282^nd of 565 public elementary schools	50.1%	100	53.8	64.6	63.2		80.0	73.8	71.1		51.3	$13,704	$809	$12,895
Whittier Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1306 W Salem	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 961-9570	397	22	17.7	29.7%	352 (88.7%)	4 (1.0%)	20 (5.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.0%)	53.4	307^th of 557 public elementary schools	44.9%		59.8	249^th of 565 public elementary schools	55.9%	58	69.2	75.6	70.9		82.1	73.2	70.9		50.9	$12,658	$258	$12,401
Irving Elementary School	Public	K-5	500 W Clinton	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 961-9560	392	26	15.3	16.8%	368 (93.9%)	2 (0.5%)	11 (2.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.6%)	84.9	36^th of 557 public elementary schools	93.5%		84.5	43^rd of 565 public elementary schools	92.4%	7	78.8	88.7	87.8		89.4	95.8	86.5		68.9	$10,971	$101	$10,870
Lakewood Elementary School	Public	4-5	9210 Happy Hollow Dr	Norwalk	50211	Warren County	Norwalk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 981-1850	558	36	15.6	18.5%	494 (88.5%)	10 (1.8%)	28 (5.0%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.8%)	76.9	93^rd of 557 public elementary schools	83.3%		72.6	140^th of 565 public elementary schools	75.2%	47		79.6	80.8			81.8	84.6		73.5	$13,305	$405	$12,900
Emerson Elementary School	Public	K-5	1109 E Euclid	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 961-9550	415	32	12.9	40.5%	350 (84.3%)	7 (1.7%)	35 (8.4%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (4.1%)	64.1	207^th of 557 public elementary schools	62.8%		53.3	303^rd of 565 public elementary schools	46.4%	96	66.2	83.1	66.7		79.4	81.5	81.5		64.2	$12,431	$403	$12,028
Studebaker Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 E County Line Rd	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8436	553	39	14.3	80.3%	179 (32.4%)	88 (15.9%)	226 (40.9%)	21 (3.8%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.5%)	4	543^rd of 557 public elementary schools	2.5%		4.7	543^rd of 565 public elementary schools	3.9%		34.4	50.0	36.2		53.3	38.6	44.9		26.1	$15,051	$1,299	$13,752
Morris Elementary School	Public	K-5	1401 Geil Avenue	Des Moines	50315	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8421	498	37	13.5	81.5%	179 (35.9%)	73 (14.7%)	201 (40.4%)	13 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.4%)	9.4	516^th of 557 public elementary schools	7.4%		7.7	530^th of 565 public elementary schools	6.2%	14	35.4	50.0	52.5		35.4	55.4	55.9		37.3	$16,468	$1,455	$15,012

Frequently Asked Questions about Martensdale Elementary School

How many students attend Martensdale Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 316 students attended Martensdale Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Martensdale Elementary School attend?

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

High : Martensdale-St Marys Junior-Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Martensdale Elementary School?

Students at Martensdale Elementary School are 92% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Is Martensdale Elementary School a good school?

Martensdale Elementary School ranks 64^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Martensdale Elementary School in?

Martensdale-St Marys 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.