Tilford Elementary School

Q: Is Tilford Elementary School a good school?

Tilford Elementary School ranks 287 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Tilford Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Vinton, Iowa, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 578 students. The school is part of the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, which is ranked 93 out of 309 school districts in Iowa and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Tilford Elementary School consistently outperforms the state and district averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics on the ISASP assessments. For example, in 2023-2024, 74.5% of 4th-grade students at Tilford were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 72.9% statewide. The school has a strong history of high rankings, reaching as high as 29th out of 574 Iowa elementary schools in 2016-2017, though its ranking has declined in recent years, dropping to 287th out of 557 schools in 2023-2024. Tilford Elementary School has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 40.98% to 45.33% over the past three years, which is higher than the nearby Shellsburg Elementary School (42.31%) but lower than some of the more diverse schools like West Willow Elementary (39.14%).

While Tilford Elementary School is performing well overall, there may be opportunities to further improve its performance, particularly in areas where it is slightly below the district or state averages, such as 3rd-grade ELA proficiency. The school's declining ranking in recent years is an area to monitor, but its overall performance and comparison to nearby schools suggest that it is providing a high-quality education to its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

308 E 13th St
Vinton, IA 52349

(319) 436-4728

District: Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
287^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,456

Students who attend Tilford Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School
High:	Vinton-Shellsburg High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.8

Number of students: 558

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.5%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Two or more races:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Tilford Elementary School ranks worse than 51.5% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.2. (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 (92.5%), Hispanic (2.5%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 44.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tilford Elementary School is 13.8. (See more...)

Compare Tilford Elementary School employs 40.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tilford Elementary School is $11,456.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District 93^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Tilford Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	69.56	152^nd	626	75.7%
2013	71.57	135^th	624	78.4%
2014	78.29	74^th	603	87.7%
2015	81.55	49^th	616	92.0%
2016	85.34	29^th	599	95.2%
2017	84.75	29^th	574	94.9%
2018	83.90	42^nd	567	92.6%
2019	85.77	46^th	603	92.4%
2021	72.27	141^st	567	75.1%
2022	68.12	187^th	574	67.4%
2023	60.96	234^th	565	58.6%
2024	56.20	287^th	557	48.5%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Tilford Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2008	480	16	5	6	1	n/a	n/a	508
2009	462	10	3	2	1	n/a	n/a	478
2010	512	6	2	9	0	0	10	539
2011	489	8	1	8	1	0	13	520
2012	500	7	1	7	1	0	10	526
2013	486	6	0	8	2	0	13	515
2014	469	8	1	7	1	0	16	502
2015	484	3	2	7	0	0	11	507
2016	450	2	1	8	1	0	12	474
2017	447	0	1	7	1	0	8	464
2018	429	0	1	9	1	1	7	448
2019	471	2	2	8	1	0	7	491
2020	463	3	5	7	1	1	10	490
2021	467	7	4	9	1	0	8	496
2022	514	5	2	9	1	2	16	549
2023	537	6	2	13	2	1	17	578
2024	516	10	3	14	2	1	12	558

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 Tilford Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	508	39.4	12.9	37.2
2009	478	38.0	12.6	35.6
2010	539	38.4	14.0	30.8
2011	520	37.6	13.8	34.8
2012	526	35.8	14.6	34.4
2013	515	32.8	15.7	34
2014	502	32.4	15.4	35.1
2015	507	35.0	14.4	35.5
2016	474	34.0	13.9	37.1
2017	464	33.5	13.8	40.1
2018	448	31.8	14.0	40.6
2019	491	33.1	14.8	40.7
2020	490	31.6	15.4	41.4
2021	496	33.6	14.7	43.1
2022	549	35.2	15.5	41
2023	578	40.0	14.4	45.3
2024	558	40.3	13.8	44.4

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 Tilford Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	508	39.4	12.9	37.2
2009	478	38.0	12.6	35.6
2010	539	38.4	14.0	30.8
2011	520	37.6	13.8	34.8
2012	526	35.8	14.6	34.4
2013	515	32.8	15.7	34
2014	502	32.4	15.4	35.1
2015	507	35.0	14.4	35.5
2016	474	34.0	13.9	37.1
2017	464	33.5	13.8	40.1
2018	448	31.8	14.0	40.6
2019	491	33.1	14.8	40.7
2020	490	31.6	15.4	41.4
2021	496	33.6	14.7	43.1
2022	549	35.2	15.5	41
2023	578	40.0	14.4	45.3
2024	558	40.3	13.8	44.4

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 Tilford Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$576 (5.0%)	$10,881 (95.0%)	$11,456

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tilford 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 46^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 234^th of 565 Elementary schools	33.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Tilford Elementary School)	78.7	65.3	13.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District)	75.7	68.3	7.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Tilford Elementary School)	85.4	84.2	1.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District)	87	85	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Tilford Elementary School)	88	79.4	8.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District)	87	80.7	6.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Tilford Elementary School)	92.8	72.2	20.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District)	93	73.7	19.3%
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	491	578	17.7%
African American	2	6	200%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	8	13	62.5%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	471	537	14%
Two or More Races	7	17	142.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	40.7%	45.3%	4.6%

Schools Near Tilford 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
Tilford Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	308 E 13th St	Vinton	52349	Benton County	Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 436-4728	558	40	13.8	44.4%	516 (92.5%)	10 (1.8%)	14 (2.5%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.2%)	56.2	287^th of 557 public elementary schools	48.5%		61	234^th of 565 public elementary schools	58.6%	53	68.7	74.5		78.8	70.4			$11,456	$576	$10,881
Shellsburg Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	203 Tomahawk Trail	Shellsburg	52332	Benton County	Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 436-4728	250	22	11.4	41.6%	234 (93.6%)	2 (0.8%)	6 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	74.1	117^th of 557 public elementary schools	79.0%		59.4	252^nd of 565 public elementary schools	55.4%	135	87.5	90.5	75.5	87.5	85.7	80.0	69.1	$15,392	$1,178	$14,214
Center Point-Urbana Intermediate School	Public	3-5	202 W Main Street	Urbana	52345	Benton County	Center Point-Urbana Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 849-1102	275	19	14.3	24.7%	246 (89.5%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.8%)								(n/a)								$11,000	$212	$10,787
Center Point-Urbana Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	101 Palo Road	Center Point	52213	Linn County	Center Point-Urbana Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 849-1102	379	27	14.2	22.2%	345 (91.0%)	4 (1.1%)	17 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.9%)								(n/a)								$13,169	$391	$12,778
La Porte City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	515 Fillmore	La Porte City	50651	Black Hawk County	Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 342-3033	264	21	12.5	26.9%	249 (94.3%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	84.7	38^th of 557 public elementary schools	93.2%		82.5	61^st of 565 public elementary schools	89.2%	23	85.7	82.2	72.2	89.8	95.6	97.2	80.6	$11,730	$285	$11,445
Atkins Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	217 4th Ave	Atkins	52206	Benton County	Benton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 446-7525	398	24	16.3	23.1%	357 (89.7%)	5 (1.3%)	11 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (6.0%)								(n/a)	73.7			86.8				$11,898	$493	$11,405
Keystone Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	280 4th St	Keystone	52249	Benton County	Benton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 442-3221	173	12	14.5	35.3%	151 (87.3%)	1 (0.6%)	13 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.6%)								(n/a)	82.8			96.6				$13,632	$554	$13,078
Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	411 Lincoln	Dysart	52224	Tama County	Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 476-7110	217	17	12.7	30.9%	194 (89.4%)	1 (0.5%)	11 (5.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)								(n/a)								$13,331	$373	$12,958
Viola Gibson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6101 Gibson DR NE	Cedar Rapids	52411	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 558-2920	575	35	16.5	15.1%	478 (83.1%)	12 (2.1%)	28 (4.9%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (8.3%)	73.2	123^rd of 557 public elementary schools	77.9%		80	77^th of 565 public elementary schools	86.4%	46	78.5	80.5	73.6	94.9	81.8	82.4	61.5	$13,762	$268	$13,495
West Willow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6225 1st AVE SW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 558-3130	541	32	16.9	42.7%	309 (57.1%)	119 (22.0%)	46 (8.5%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	60 (11.1%)	39	391^st of 557 public elementary schools	29.8%		48.4	339^th of 565 public elementary schools	40.0%	52	52.1	68.8	64.3	73.2	67.1	71.4	52.9	$14,545	$265	$14,280

Frequently Asked Questions about Tilford Elementary School

Is Tilford Elementary School a good school?

Tilford Elementary School ranks 287^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Tilford Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School
High : Vinton-Shellsburg High School

What district is Tilford Elementary School in?

Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District

How many students attend Tilford Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 558 students attended Tilford Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Tilford Elementary School?

Students at Tilford Elementary School are 92% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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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.