Central Elementary School

Q: Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks 124 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Nevada, Iowa, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 608 students. The school is part of the Nevada Community School District, which is ranked 120 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Central Elementary School has consistently performed well on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) tests, with a high percentage of students proficient or better in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, 64.2% of 3rd graders and 79.5% of 4th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 64.2% and 72.9%, respectively. In Mathematics, 89.9% of 3rd graders and 89.7% of 4th graders were proficient or better, significantly higher than the state averages of 76.3% and 72.7%. The school has maintained a strong statewide ranking, placing in the top 25% of Iowa elementary schools in recent years, and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When comparing Central Elementary School to nearby schools, a few key differences emerge. Gilbert Intermediate School and Gilbert Elementary School consistently outperform Central Elementary School on ISASP tests, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in both ELA and Mathematics. In contrast, schools in the Ames Community School District generally have lower academic performance compared to Central Elementary School, but serve a more diverse student population. Overall, Central Elementary School stands out as a high-performing institution within the region, with consistently strong academic results and statewide recognition.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

925 H Ave
Nevada, IA 50201

(515) 382-2383

District: Nevada Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
124^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,518

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Nevada Middle School
High:	Nevada High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.1

Number of students: 646

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.4%

Hispanic:

10.8%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 36.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks better than 77.7% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.12. (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 (84.4%), Hispanic (10.8%), two or more races (4.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 36.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 14.1. (See more...)

Compare Central Elementary School employs 45.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $11,518.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Nevada Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Nevada Community School District 120^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	68.75	163^rd	626	74.0%
2013	68.69	169^th	624	72.9%
2014	71.98	138^th	603	77.1%
2015	71.33	162^nd	616	73.7%
2016	62.66	257^th	599	57.1%
2017	70.02	178^th	574	69.0%
2018	70.31	158^th	567	72.1%
2019	58.50	273^rd	603	54.7%
2021	70.56	151^st	567	73.4%
2022	83.17	61^st	574	89.4%
2023	87.00	28^th	565	95.0%
2024	73.12	124^th	557	77.7%

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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Enrollment information for Central Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	614	4	10	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	633
1989	651	5	7	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	668
1990	617	3	9	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	631
1991	609	4	8	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	626
1992	615	2	6	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	629
1993	601	4	4	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	617
1994	598	3	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	606
1995	599	3	8	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	616
1996	599	3	8	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	616
1997	598	2	5	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	608
1998	613	9	7	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	635
1999	602	9	10	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	630
2000	645	7	6	7	8	n/a	n/a	-60	613
2001	584	3	6	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	599
2002	516	4	8	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	538
2003	516	4	8	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	538
2004	494	10	9	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	525
2005	505	11	9	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	542
2006	505	14	6	30	1	n/a	n/a	0	556
2007	556	12	10	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	603
2008	646	14	8	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	693
2009	662	8	8	33	1	n/a	n/a	0	712
2010	625	9	11	43	0	0	5	0	693
2011	610	14	9	39	2	0	18	0	692
2012	612	14	7	46	2	0	27	0	708
2013	601	13	11	55	1	0	32	0	713
2014	610	19	9	64	1	0	32	0	735
2015	611	16	9	62	1	0	33	0	732
2016	620	12	8	55	1	0	30	0	726
2017	585	14	6	73	0	0	27	0	705
2018	572	5	4	61	1	2	31	0	676
2019	558	8	2	67	1	1	36	0	673
2020	554	4	2	75	1	0	28	0	664
2021	522	3	2	70	1	0	25	0	623
2022	522	2	4	66	1	0	31	0	626
2023	508	3	2	63	0	0	31	1	608
2024	545	3	1	70	0	0	27	0	646

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	633	32.4	19.5	16.3
1989	668	32.4	20.6	6.4
1990	631	32.9	19.1	0
1991	626	32.9	19.0	9.9
1992	629	34.0	18.5	10
1993	617	36.3	17.0	12.6
1994	606	35.2	17.2	10.7
1995	616	36.2	17.0	11.5
1996	616	36.2	17.0	11.5
1997	608	38.2	15.9	11.7
1998	635	40.2	15.8	15.7
1999	630	43.2	14.6	22.5
2000	613	45.6	13.4	21.2
2001	599	40.1	14.9	20.4
2002	538	44.2	12.2	27.1
2003	538	44.2	12.2	27.1
2004	525	41.9	12.5	28.4
2005	542	41.9	12.9	30.8
2006	556	39.5	14.1	35.4
2007	603	38.4	15.7	34
2008	693	43.5	15.9	32.8
2009	712	45.0	15.8	30.6
2010	693	43.0	16.1	32.2
2011	692	42.5	16.2	38.3
2012	708	43.0	16.4	40.3
2013	713	44.0	16.2	37.6
2014	735	46.5	15.8	36.1
2015	732	52.0	14.0	36.5
2016	726	54.0	13.4	33.2
2017	705	50.3	14.0	33.9
2018	676	47.3	14.2	30.9
2019	673	45.7	14.6	34.5
2020	664	43.8	15.1	33.3
2021	623	43.8	14.2	34.2
2022	626	46.8	13.3	31.3
2023	608	45.7	13.2	27.6
2024	646	45.7	14.1	36.5

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	633	32.4	19.5	16.3
1989	668	32.4	20.6	6.4
1990	631	32.9	19.1	0
1991	626	32.9	19.0	9.9
1992	629	34.0	18.5	10
1993	617	36.3	17.0	12.6
1994	606	35.2	17.2	10.7
1995	616	36.2	17.0	11.5
1996	616	36.2	17.0	11.5
1997	608	38.2	15.9	11.7
1998	635	40.2	15.8	15.7
1999	630	43.2	14.6	22.5
2000	613	45.6	13.4	21.2
2001	599	40.1	14.9	20.4
2002	538	44.2	12.2	27.1
2003	538	44.2	12.2	27.1
2004	525	41.9	12.5	28.4
2005	542	41.9	12.9	30.8
2006	556	39.5	14.1	35.4
2007	603	38.4	15.7	34
2008	693	43.5	15.9	32.8
2009	712	45.0	15.8	30.6
2010	693	43.0	16.1	32.2
2011	692	42.5	16.2	38.3
2012	708	43.0	16.4	40.3
2013	713	44.0	16.2	37.6
2014	735	46.5	15.8	36.1
2015	732	52.0	14.0	36.5
2016	726	54.0	13.4	33.2
2017	705	50.3	14.0	33.9
2018	676	47.3	14.2	30.9
2019	673	45.7	14.6	34.5
2020	664	43.8	15.1	33.3
2021	623	43.8	14.2	34.2
2022	626	46.8	13.3	31.3
2023	608	45.7	13.2	27.6
2024	646	45.7	14.1	36.5

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 Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,130 (9.8%)	$10,388 (90.2%)	$11,518

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 273^rd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 28^th of 565 Elementary schools	40.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	61.8	83.9	22.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Nevada Community School District)	61.8	83.9	22.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	72.7	88.4	15.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Nevada Community School District)	72.7	88.4	15.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	78.1	89.2	11.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Nevada Community School District)	78.1	89.2	11.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Central Elementary School)	81.3	94	12.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Nevada Community School District)	81.3	94	12.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	673	608	9.7%
African American	8	3	62.5%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	67	63	6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	558	508	9%
Two or More Races	36	31	13.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.5%	27.6%	6.8%

Schools Near Central 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
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	925 H Ave	Nevada	50201	Story County	Nevada Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 382-2383	646	46	14.1	36.5%	545 (84.4%)	3 (0.5%)	70 (10.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.2%)	73.1	124^th of 557 public elementary schools	77.7%		87	28^th of 565 public elementary schools	95.0%	96	64.2	79.5		89.9	89.7			$11,518	$1,130	$10,388
Mitchell Elementary School	Public	K-5	3521 Jewel Dr	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 239-3775	296	24	12.3	50.7%	166 (56.1%)	48 (16.2%)	47 (15.9%)	9 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (8.8%)	66.2	189^th of 557 public elementary schools	66.1%		78.5	99^th of 565 public elementary schools	82.5%	90	60.0	81.6	83.3	57.5	83.7	81.3	77.1	$12,211	$780	$11,433
Meeker Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 20th Street	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 239-3770	365	31	11.6	38.6%	269 (73.7%)	22 (6.0%)	35 (9.6%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (8.5%)	63.8	216^th of 557 public elementary schools	61.2%		50.5	322^nd of 565 public elementary schools	43.0%	106	73.3	69.0	79.3	75.6	69.0	77.6	82.8	$13,221	$1,032	$12,190
Northwood Pre-School	Public	PK-K	3012 Duff Avenue	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 268-2470	249	11	22.7	37.8%	135 (54.2%)	29 (11.6%)	34 (13.7%)	25 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.4%)								(n/a)								$19,833	$304	$19,530
Fellows Elementary School	Public	K-5	1235 20th St.	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 239-3765	518	39	13.3	25.1%	315 (60.8%)	29 (5.6%)	60 (11.6%)	76 (14.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.8%)	76.5	97^th of 557 public elementary schools	82.6%		79.8	80^th of 565 public elementary schools	85.8%	17	54.8	87.8	91.0	75.3	84.1	91.0	89.9	$12,124	$816	$11,308
Ballard East Elementary	Public	3-5	505 W 4th St	Cambridge	50046	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 220-4306	431	34	12.6	18.3%	395 (91.6%)	5 (1.2%)	20 (4.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.3%)	71.6	146^th of 557 public elementary schools	73.8%		78.9	92^nd of 565 public elementary schools	83.7%	54	62.0	81.7	76.7	85.4	85.2	83.3	69.3	$12,521	$249	$12,272
Collins-Maxwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	416 Fourth Avenue	Collins	50055	Story County	Collins-Maxwell Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 385-2446	189	18	10.6	47.6%	173 (91.5%)	2 (1.1%)	12 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	72.5	130^th of 557 public elementary schools	76.7%		61.3	229^th of 565 public elementary schools	59.5%	99	65.5	90.9	75.0	82.8	100.0	79.2	58.3	$14,450	$518	$13,932
Gilbert Intermediate School	Public	3-5	103 Mathews Dr	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 232-3748	358	21	16.7	10.1%	304 (84.9%)	7 (2.0%)	16 (4.5%)	19 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.4%)	92.8	4^th of 557 public elementary schools	99.3%		91	7^th of 565 public elementary schools	98.8%	3	90.6	92.7	87.8	94.9	95.5	91.9	87.8	$11,603	$317	$11,285
Gilbert Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	109 Rothmoor	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 232-3744	408	24	16.7	11.5%	340 (83.3%)	6 (1.5%)	23 (5.6%)	17 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.4%)								(n/a)								$12,378	$377	$12,000
Sawyer Elementary School	Public	K-5	4316 Ontario St	Ames	50014	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 239-3790	375	31	12.2	35.2%	256 (68.3%)	30 (8.0%)	40 (10.7%)	19 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (8.0%)	52.9	313^th of 557 public elementary schools	43.8%		42.7	379^th of 565 public elementary schools	32.9%	66	43.5	71.7	76.9	68.1	73.3	72.3	73.8	$11,702	$347	$11,356

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks 124^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Nevada Middle School
High : Nevada High School

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 646 students attended Central Elementary School.

What district is Central Elementary School in?

Nevada Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 84% White, 11% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

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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.