Emerson Hough Elementary School

Q: Is Emerson Hough Elementary School a good school?

Emerson Hough Elementary School ranks 357 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Emerson Hough Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades K-4 in Newton, Iowa, which is part of the Newton Community School District. The school has faced several challenges, including consistently underperforming the district and state in academic proficiency, higher rates of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, and a lower overall school ranking compared to other schools in the area.

Emerson Hough Elementary has a student-teacher ratio of 10.9, which is lower than the other schools in the Newton district, but this has not translated to higher academic performance. In 2023-2024, the school's 3rd grade English Language Arts proficiency was 57.8%, compared to the district's 63.7% and the state's 64.2%. Additionally, the school has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranked 357 out of 557 Iowa elementary schools, placing it in the bottom half of the state.

When comparing Emerson Hough to nearby schools in districts such as Grinnell-Newburg, East Marshall, and PCM, the school's performance is generally lower. For example, the 3rd grade ELA proficiency at nearby schools ranged from 64.2% to 68.1%, while Emerson Hough's was 57.8%. Despite higher per-student spending and a lower student-teacher ratio, the school has not been able to translate these resources into improved student outcomes.

Detail:

Public K-4

700 N 4th Ave East
Newton, IA 50208

(641) 792-3982

District: Newton Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
357^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,675

Students who attend Emerson Hough Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Berg Middle School
High:	Newton Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.0

Number of students: 205

Racial breakdown:

White:

68.8%

Hispanic:

13.2%

Two or more races:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.8%

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Compare Emerson Hough Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Emerson Hough Elementary School ranks worse than 64.1% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks last among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Newton Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.75. (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 Emerson Hough Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Newton Community School District. Racial makeup is: White (68.8%), Hispanic (13.2%), two or more races (7.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Newton Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Emerson Hough Elementary School is 11, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Newton Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Emerson Hough Elementary School employs 18.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Emerson Hough Elementary School is $16,675, which is the highest among 4 elementary schools in the Newton Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Newton Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Newton Community School District 240^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Emerson Hough Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2019	45.01	374^th	603	38.0%
2021	28.30	452^nd	567	20.3%
2022	16.04	507^th	574	11.7%
2023	20.28	480^th	565	15.0%
2024	45.75	357^th	557	35.9%

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 Emerson Hough Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2017	212	11	0	16	1	1	14	255
2018	214	12	0	15	1	1	14	257
2019	211	11	0	12	1	2	15	252
2020	191	20	1	11	1	1	15	240
2021	180	17	4	20	1	2	9	233
2022	159	21	3	26	1	2	11	223
2023	150	16	4	30	4	2	18	224
2024	141	14	3	27	3	2	15	205

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 Emerson Hough Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	255	24.0	10.6	73.7
2018	257	22.3	11.5	73.9
2019	252	22.2	11.3	81
2020	240	21.1	11.3	71.3
2021	233	21.3	10.9	63.5
2022	223	20.4	10.9	65.5
2023	224	20.5	10.9	69.2
2024	205	18.4	11.0	68.8

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 Emerson Hough Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	255	24.0	10.6	73.7
2018	257	22.3	11.5	73.9
2019	252	22.2	11.3	81
2020	240	21.1	11.3	71.3
2021	233	21.3	10.9	63.5
2022	223	20.4	10.9	65.5
2023	224	20.5	10.9	69.2
2024	205	18.4	11.0	68.8

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 Emerson Hough Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,246 (7.5%)	$15,429 (92.5%)	$16,675

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Emerson Hough 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 374^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 480^th of 565 Elementary schools	22.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Hough Elementary School)	64.7	63.2	1.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	80.8	70.2	10.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Emerson Hough Elementary School)	79.4	59	20.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	81.3	79.4	1.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Emerson Hough Elementary School)	66	50	16%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	76.1	67	9.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Emerson Hough Elementary School)	64	59.3	4.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	76.6	72.2	4.4%
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	252	224	11.1%
African American	11	16	45.5%
American Indian	1	4	300%
Asian	0	4
Hispanic	12	30	150%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	211	150	28.9%
Two or More Races	15	18	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	81%	69.2%	11.8%

Schools Near Emerson Hough 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
Emerson Hough Elementary School	Public	K-4	700 N 4th Ave East	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-3982	205	18	11.0	68.8%	141 (68.8%)	14 (6.8%)	27 (13.2%)	3 (1.5%)	3 (1.5%)	2 (1.0%)	15 (7.3%)	45.7	357^th of 557 public elementary schools	35.9%		20.3	480^th of 565 public elementary schools	15.0%	123	57.8	73.7			73.3	72.2				$16,675	$1,246	$15,429
Woodrow Wilson Elementary School	Public	K-4	801 S 8th Ave West	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-7311	258	19	13.8	54.7%	222 (86.0%)	4 (1.6%)	11 (4.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.8%)	61.1	237^th of 557 public elementary schools	57.5%		71.2	153^rd of 565 public elementary schools	72.9%	84	65.0	73.2			80.0	82.1				$14,588	$415	$14,173
Aurora Heights Elementary School	Public	K-4	310 E 23rd St S	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-7324	260	24	10.7	57.7%	225 (86.5%)	6 (2.3%)	15 (5.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.6%)	63.8	215^th of 557 public elementary schools	61.4%		62.3	222^nd of 565 public elementary schools	60.7%	7	68.1	68.1			89.4	80.9				$14,745	$749	$13,996
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	112 Thomas Jefferson Dr	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-2498	315	23	13.5	53.3%	252 (80.0%)	8 (2.5%)	28 (8.9%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	22 (7.0%)	56.3	284^th of 557 public elementary schools	49.0%		55.8	279^th of 565 public elementary schools	50.6%	5	63.8	77.3			78.7	72.7				$15,022	$900	$14,122
Baxter Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	202 E State	Baxter	50028	Jasper County	Baxter Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 227-3102	226	16	14.3	28.3%	216 (95.6%)	2 (0.9%)	6 (2.7%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58.3	268^th of 557 public elementary schools	51.9%		53	306^th of 565 public elementary schools	45.8%	38	73.5	78.6	63.9		91.2	82.1	72.2		47.2	$16,144	$695	$15,449
Colfax-Mingo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	20 West Broadway	Colfax	50054	Jasper County	Colfax-Mingo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 674-3465	402	33	12.2	43.0%	357 (88.8%)	2 (0.5%)	26 (6.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.5%)	49.2	336^th of 557 public elementary schools	39.7%		62.1	224^th of 565 public elementary schools	60.4%	112	56.5	78.4	59.2	90.9	71.7	81.1	57.1	86.4	44.9	$10,304	$451	$9,854
Prairie City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	309 East Plainsmen Road	Prairie City	50228	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 994-8222	312	24	12.9	27.9%	281 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.8%)	5 (1.6%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	65.8	192^nd of 557 public elementary schools	65.5%		79	90^th of 565 public elementary schools	84.1%	102	69.6	74.7	72.2		73.2	81.3	78.5		76.9	$14,507	$597	$13,910
Monroe Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	400 N Jasper	Monroe	50170	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 994-8222	192	17	11.3	31.8%	183 (95.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)								(n/a)	42.9				57.1					$13,431	$534	$12,897
Lynnville-Sully Elementary School	Public	K-5	12476 Hwy F62 E	Sully	50251	Jasper County	Lynnville-Sully Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 594-4445	224	19	11.5	26.3%	209 (93.3%)	2 (0.9%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	80.9	65^th of 557 public elementary schools	88.3%		78.3	100^th of 565 public elementary schools	82.3%	35	82.9	86.1	73.2		100.0	94.4	78.0		73.2	$11,124	$439	$10,685
East Marshall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	201 E Weissenberger	Laurel	50141	Marshall County	East Marshall Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 476-3342	284	21	13.4	44.4%	243 (85.6%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (12.0%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	50.8	322^nd of 557 public elementary schools	42.2%		40.5	393^rd of 565 public elementary schools	30.4%	71	64.2	81.0	76.4		69.8	71.4	63.6		58.2	$12,045	$693	$11,353

Frequently Asked Questions about Emerson Hough Elementary School

What district is Emerson Hough Elementary School in?

Newton Community School District

What schools do graduates of Emerson Hough Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Emerson Hough Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Berg Middle School
High : Newton Senior High School

Is Emerson Hough Elementary School a good school?

Emerson Hough Elementary School ranks 357^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Emerson Hough Elementary School?

Students at Emerson Hough Elementary School are 69% White, 13% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 7% African American, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Emerson Hough Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 205 students attended Emerson Hough Elementary School.

Rate Emerson Hough Elementary School!

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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.