Centennial Elementary

Q: Is Centennial Elementary a good school?

Centennial Elementary ranks 86 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Centennial Elementary is a public elementary school in Altoona, Iowa, serving 420 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Southeast Polk Community School District. This high-performing school consistently ranks among the top 25% of Iowa elementary schools, with students significantly outperforming state and district averages in standardized tests across all grade levels and subjects.

Centennial Elementary's academic excellence is evident in its strong ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) scores. In the 2023-2024 school year, its 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students scored 77.4%, 81.3%, and 73.8% proficient or better in English Language Arts, respectively, compared to the state averages of 64.2%, 72.9%, and 69%. In mathematics, Centennial Elementary's students scored 85.5%, 85.9%, and 90.2% proficient or better, outpacing the state averages of 76.3%, 72.7%, and 70.7%. The school's 5th-grade students also performed better than the state and district in science, with 70.5% proficient or better compared to the state average of 59.6%.

While Mitchellville Elementary, another school in the Southeast Polk Community School District, consistently outperforms Centennial Elementary in academic metrics, Centennial maintains a strong reputation within the district. Nearby schools like Four Mile Elementary and Delaware Elementary have similar academic performance, while schools outside the district, such as Pleasant Hill Elementary and Willowbrook Elementary, have significantly lower academic performance compared to Centennial Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

910 7th Ave SE
Altoona, IA 50009

(515) 967-2109

District: Southeast Polk Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
86^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,221

Students who attend Centennial Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Southeast Polk Junior High
	Spring Creek - 6th Grade
High:	Southeast Polk High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 409

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.8%

Hispanic:

9.3%

Two or more races:

8.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Centennial Elementary ranks better than 84.6% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 3^rd among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Southeast Polk Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.22. (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 (76.8%), Hispanic (9.3%), two or more races (8.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Centennial Elementary is 12.6, which is the 3^rd best among 8 elementary schools in the Southeast Polk Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Centennial Elementary employs 32.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Centennial Elementary is $15,221, which is the 3^rd highest among 8 elementary schools in the Southeast Polk Community School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Southeast Polk Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Southeast Polk Community School District 112^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Centennial Elementary

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	72.12	125^th	626	80.0%
2013	63.38	237^th	624	62.0%
2014	67.86	195^th	603	67.7%
2015	70.92	173^rd	616	71.9%
2016	68.23	195^th	599	67.4%
2017	62.04	252^nd	574	56.1%
2018	72.08	148^th	567	73.9%
2019	80.37	93^rd	603	84.6%
2021	72.66	137^th	567	75.8%
2022	72.13	147^th	574	74.4%
2023	78.63	96^th	565	83.0%
2024	77.22	86^th	557	84.6%

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 Centennial Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	325	1	1	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	334
1989	335	2	3	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	349
1990	331	2	3	8	3	n/a	n/a	0	347
1991	367	3	2	5	3	n/a	n/a	0	380
1992	340	2	2	3	3	n/a	n/a	0	350
1993	323	2	2	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	331
1994	342	3	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	349
1995	344	2	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	348
1996	344	2	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	348
1997	347	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	352
1998	371	0	4	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	381
1999	379	0	5	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	391
2000	397	3	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	-18	393
2001	417	4	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	427
2002	477	5	8	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	494
2003	477	5	8	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	494
2004	500	5	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
2005	491	7	6	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	515
2006	513	5	11	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	545
2007	512	7	15	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	550
2008	452	9	11	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	483
2009	479	10	7	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	510
2010	481	8	3	12	1	0	11	0	516
2011	442	6	8	13	1	0	12	0	482
2012	435	3	4	13	0	0	18	0	473
2013	423	4	5	21	0	2	13	0	468
2014	413	15	4	25	0	3	19	0	479
2015	426	7	6	27	1	3	22	0	492
2016	391	19	6	35	0	3	26	0	480
2017	377	25	4	31	0	2	25	0	464
2018	338	28	3	34	0	1	29	0	433
2019	341	34	5	36	0	1	32	0	449
2020	352	31	5	28	0	0	34	0	450
2021	323	27	6	31	0	0	32	0	419
2022	326	23	5	32	0	0	29	0	415
2023	331	14	9	34	0	0	32	0	420
2024	314	18	6	38	0	0	33	0	409

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 Centennial Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	334	21.7	15.3	12.3
1989	349	21.8	16.0	11.2
1990	347	19.3	17.9	17
1991	380	24.1	15.7	11.3
1992	350	22.0	15.9	14
1993	331	17.3	19.1	9.4
1994	349	18.2	19.2	10.3
1995	348	22.8	15.3	11.2
1996	348	22.8	15.3	11.2
1997	352	23.4	15.0	9.7
1998	381	24.3	15.7	11.3
1999	391	23.6	16.6	16.4
2000	393	24.2	16.2	14.6
2001	427	21.0	20.3	15.5
2002	494	29.3	16.9	15
2003	494	29.3	16.9	15
2004	513	32.3	15.9	16
2005	515	32.1	16.0	16.5
2006	545	34.4	15.8	14.7
2007	550	34.2	16.1	12.9
2008	483	33.2	14.5	15.7
2009	510	34.1	15.0	20.2
2010	516	34.1	15.1	23.8
2011	482	29.0	16.6	24.5
2012	473	28.3	16.6	24.7
2013	468	29.5	15.8	24.1
2014	479	30.0	15.9	26.3
2015	492	29.0	16.9	21.3
2016	480	31.0	15.4	24.8
2017	464	31.4	14.7	30.6
2018	433	32.6	13.2	32.1
2019	449	32.0	14.0	33.2
2020	450	33.0	13.6	34
2021	419	33.0	12.6	36.5
2022	415	32.0	12.9	31.1
2023	420	33.0	12.7	36
2024	409	32.2	12.6	37.4

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 Centennial Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	334	21.7	15.3	12.3
1989	349	21.8	16.0	11.2
1990	347	19.3	17.9	17
1991	380	24.1	15.7	11.3
1992	350	22.0	15.9	14
1993	331	17.3	19.1	9.4
1994	349	18.2	19.2	10.3
1995	348	22.8	15.3	11.2
1996	348	22.8	15.3	11.2
1997	352	23.4	15.0	9.7
1998	381	24.3	15.7	11.3
1999	391	23.6	16.6	16.4
2000	393	24.2	16.2	14.6
2001	427	21.0	20.3	15.5
2002	494	29.3	16.9	15
2003	494	29.3	16.9	15
2004	513	32.3	15.9	16
2005	515	32.1	16.0	16.5
2006	545	34.4	15.8	14.7
2007	550	34.2	16.1	12.9
2008	483	33.2	14.5	15.7
2009	510	34.1	15.0	20.2
2010	516	34.1	15.1	23.8
2011	482	29.0	16.6	24.5
2012	473	28.3	16.6	24.7
2013	468	29.5	15.8	24.1
2014	479	30.0	15.9	26.3
2015	492	29.0	16.9	21.3
2016	480	31.0	15.4	24.8
2017	464	31.4	14.7	30.6
2018	433	32.6	13.2	32.1
2019	449	32.0	14.0	33.2
2020	450	33.0	13.6	34
2021	419	33.0	12.6	36.5
2022	415	32.0	12.9	31.1
2023	420	33.0	12.7	36
2024	409	32.2	12.6	37.4

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 Centennial Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$767 (5.0%)	$14,454 (95.0%)	$15,221

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Centennial Elementary

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 93^rd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 96^th of 565 Elementary schools	1.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Centennial Elementary)	81.7	80	1.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Polk Community School District)	76.6	73.5	3.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Centennial Elementary)	78.9	91.7	12.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Southeast Polk Community School District)	82	81.9	0.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Centennial Elementary)	91.1	75.9	15.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Polk Community School District)	80.4	78.6	1.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Centennial Elementary)	83.9	86.2	2.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Southeast Polk Community School District)	85.1	84.8	0.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Centennial Elementary)	81.8	76.6	5.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Polk Community School District)	81.3	75.8	5.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Centennial Elementary)	80.5	84.4	3.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Southeast Polk Community School District)	84.8	85.1	0.3%
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	449	420	6.5%
African American	34	14	58.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	9	80%
Hispanic	36	34	5.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	341	331	2.9%
Two or More Races	32	32
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.2%	36%	2.8%

Schools Near Centennial Elementary

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
Centennial Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	910 7th Ave SE	Altoona	50009	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 967-2109	409	32	12.6	37.4%	314 (76.8%)	18 (4.4%)	38 (9.3%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.1%)	77.2	86^th of 557 public elementary schools	84.6%		78.6	96^th of 565 public elementary schools	83.0%	10	77.4	81.3	73.8	85.5	85.9	90.2	70.5	$15,221	$767	$14,454
Altoona Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	301 6th St SW	Altoona	50009	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 967-3771	423	35	12.0	53.2%	289 (68.3%)	58 (13.7%)	42 (9.9%)	9 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	21 (5.0%)	73.5	122^nd of 557 public elementary schools	78.1%		70.6	164^th of 565 public elementary schools	71.0%	42	62.7	80.6	84.3	78.4	79.0	91.3	73.5	$14,305	$587	$13,718
Clay Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3200 First Avenue S.	Altoona	50009	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 967-4198	670	40	16.6	33.6%	442 (66.0%)	70 (10.4%)	91 (13.6%)	17 (2.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (7.2%)	61	242^nd of 557 public elementary schools	56.6%		61.2	231^st of 565 public elementary schools	59.1%	11	64.3	68.4	82.0	76.5	76.8	76.0	69.0	$12,723	$186	$12,537
Willowbrook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	300 17th Ave SW	Altoona	50009	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 967-7512	546	38	14.3	52.4%	344 (63.0%)	62 (11.4%)	61 (11.2%)	17 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.1%)	55 (10.1%)	35.2	413^th of 557 public elementary schools	25.9%		44.2	371^st of 565 public elementary schools	34.3%	42	42.9	66.3	67.6	70.2	68.8	62.0	59.2	$13,785	$487	$13,298
Delaware Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4401 E 46th St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 262-3197	423	35	12.0	46.1%	264 (62.4%)	52 (12.3%)	53 (12.5%)	26 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.6%)	72.2	138^th of 557 public elementary schools	75.2%		76.7	109^th of 565 public elementary schools	80.7%	29	80.3	80.3	76.6	88.5	77.8	73.4	71.0	$15,865	$1,352	$14,513
Morris Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	600 Garfield St. SW	Bondurant	50035	Polk County	Bondurant-Farrar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 967-6361	605	42	14.3	14.7%	491 (81.2%)	29 (4.8%)	49 (8.1%)	7 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	26 (4.3%)								(n/a)								$9,744	$410	$9,334
Anderson Elementary School	Public	2-4	400 Garfield St. SW	Bondurant	50035	Polk County	Bondurant-Farrar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 967-7494	522	33	15.6	20.5%	438 (83.9%)	13 (2.5%)	42 (8.0%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	22 (4.2%)	61	241^st of 557 public elementary schools	56.7%		43.2	376^th of 565 public elementary schools	33.5%	135	65.8	79.0		78.7	76.6			$9,609	$215	$9,394
Brubaker Elementary School	Public	K-5	2900 E 42nd Street	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 242-8405	618	51	12.1	75.2%	228 (36.9%)	124 (20.1%)	178 (28.8%)	23 (3.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	62 (10.0%)	2.6	547^th of 557 public elementary schools	1.8%		6.5	536^th of 565 public elementary schools	5.1%	11	33.7	51.4	31.3	44.6	34.9	32.5	25.0	$16,004	$1,458	$14,547
Four Mile Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	670 SE 68th St	Pleasant Hill	50327	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 265-1972	489	35	14.0	42.5%	348 (71.2%)	14 (2.9%)	65 (13.3%)	24 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.0%)	33 (6.7%)	69.2	169^th of 557 public elementary schools	69.7%		78.1	102^nd of 565 public elementary schools	81.9%	67	74.7	82.6	69.1	91.1	92.8	76.5	52.9	$13,837	$290	$13,547
McKee Elementary School	Public	PK	2115 E 39th St	Des Moines	50317	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 323-8628	263	13	20.2	71.5%	122 (46.4%)	38 (14.4%)	66 (25.1%)	12 (4.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.1%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Centennial Elementary

Is Centennial Elementary a good school?

Centennial Elementary ranks 86^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Centennial Elementary in?

Southeast Polk Community School District

What schools do graduates of Centennial Elementary attend?

Students who attend Centennial Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Southeast Polk Junior High
Middle : Spring Creek - 6th Grade
High : Southeast Polk High School

What is the racial makeup of Centennial Elementary?

Students at Centennial Elementary are 77% White, 9% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 4% African American, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Centennial Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 409 students attended Centennial Elementary.

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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.