Cunningham School

Summary:

Cunningham School is an elementary school in Waterloo, Iowa, serving 376 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Waterloo Community School District, which is ranked 293 out of 309 districts in the state.

Cunningham School consistently performs below the district and state averages in academic assessments. In the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 35% to 40.3%, compared to 55.9% to 57.5% for the district and 64.2% to 72.9% for the state. Similarly, in Mathematics, Cunningham's proficiency rates ranged from 38.8% to 50%, while the district and state had higher rates of 62.5% to 69.3% and 70.7% to 76.3%, respectively. Cunningham School has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa elementary schools over the past 10 years.

Despite the challenges, Cunningham School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.6 to 13.2 over the past three school years. This suggests the school may have smaller class sizes and potentially more individualized attention for students. When comparing Cunningham to nearby schools within the Waterloo Community School District, such as Poyner Elementary and Lou Henry Elementary, it becomes evident that Cunningham is one of the lowest-performing schools in the district.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1224 Mobile St
Waterloo, IA 50703

(319) 433-2600

District: Waterloo Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
545^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,512

Students who attend Cunningham School usually attend:

Middle:	George Washington Carver Academy
High:	East High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.1

Number of students: 401

Racial breakdown:

African American:

57.6%

Two or more races:

12.7%

Hispanic:

12.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 91.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cunningham School ranks worse than 97.8% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks last among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Waterloo Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.19. (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 Student population at Cunningham School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (57.6%), two or more races (12.7%), Hispanic (12.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 91.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Waterloo Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cunningham School is 12.1, which is the 2^nd best among 11 elementary schools in the Waterloo Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Cunningham School employs 33.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cunningham School is $14,512, which is the highest among 11 elementary schools in the Waterloo Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Waterloo Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterloo Community School District 293^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cunningham School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	2.70	617^th	626	1.4%
2013	3.75	612^th	624	1.9%
2014	1.76	594^th	603	1.5%
2015	1.73	606^th	616	1.6%
2016	2.15	592^nd	599	1.2%
2017	0.41	572^nd	574	0.3%
2018	0.65	566^th	567	0.2%
2019	3.01	593^rd	603	1.7%
2021	3.19	554^th	567	2.3%
2022	7.54	541^st	574	5.7%
2023	9.81	526^th	565	6.9%
2024	3.19	545^th	557	2.2%

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 Cunningham School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	147	156	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	304
1989	149	151	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	301
1990	156	150	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	307
1991	152	152	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	304
1992	146	146	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	292
1993	140	151	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	291
1994	137	148	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	289
1995	119	131	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	251
1996	119	131	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	251
1997	123	150	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	274
1998	99	141	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	242
1999	78	161	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	241
2000	47	163	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	210
2001	40	147	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	187
2002	59	350	0	9	2	n/a	n/a	420
2003	59	350	0	9	2	n/a	n/a	420
2004	52	299	2	9	1	n/a	n/a	363
2005	35	292	2	10	2	n/a	n/a	341
2006	30	300	0	7	1	n/a	n/a	338
2007	27	318	1	15	0	n/a	n/a	361
2008	33	344	2	14	0	n/a	n/a	393
2009	40	387	2	29	1	n/a	n/a	459
2010	42	391	0	29	1	0	16	479
2011	29	352	0	33	1	3	19	437
2012	32	335	1	36	1	0	23	428
2013	32	314	1	39	1	0	27	414
2014	42	313	2	33	2	0	32	424
2015	52	317	1	46	1	0	31	448
2016	50	320	7	41	0	5	33	456
2017	52	295	2	44	0	7	38	438
2018	48	277	3	37	0	8	30	403
2019	44	274	4	43	1	3	49	418
2020	30	240	3	54	1	8	44	380
2021	36	223	2	54	3	23	41	382
2022	33	236	2	57	0	26	41	395
2023	30	208	2	59	0	27	50	376
2024	39	231	2	49	1	28	51	401

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 Cunningham School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	304	22.0	13.8	54.3
1989	301	2.2	136.8	45.2
1990	307	22.0	13.9	44.3
1991	304	13.5	22.5	46.7
1992	292	14.0	20.8	53.8
1993	291	13.0	22.4	58.8
1994	289	13.0	22.2	60.6
1995	251	11.5	21.8	68.9
1996	251	11.5	21.8	68.9
1997	274	12.0	22.8	68.2
1998	242	14.0	17.3	63.6
1999	241	14.0	17.2	81.7
2000	210	11.0	19.1	83.8
2001	187	14.8	12.6	90.4
2002	420	34.8	12.1	83.8
2003	420	34.8	12.1	83.8
2004	363	42.5	8.5	85.4
2005	341	34.7	9.8	78.6
2006	338	37.0	9.1	74.3
2007	361	34.2	10.6	86.4
2008	393	34.5	11.4	82.7
2009	459	45.0	10.2	81
2010	479	42.0	11.4	85.6
2011	437	39.0	11.2	94.3
2012	428	38.1	11.2	95.3
2013	414	37.3	11.0	95.2
2014	424	35.5	11.9	94.1
2015	448	35.0	12.8	93.3
2016	456	35.0	13.0	92.8
2017	438	36.5	11.9	93.2
2018	403	32.2	12.5	68.7
2019	418	31.3	13.3	77.8
2020	380	31.7	11.9	88.4
2021	382	29.6	12.8	92.1
2022	395	29.7	13.2	91.6
2023	376	32.2	11.6	89.6
2024	401	33.1	12.1	91.5

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 Cunningham School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	304	22.0	13.8	54.3
1989	301	2.2	136.8	45.2
1990	307	22.0	13.9	44.3
1991	304	13.5	22.5	46.7
1992	292	14.0	20.8	53.8
1993	291	13.0	22.4	58.8
1994	289	13.0	22.2	60.6
1995	251	11.5	21.8	68.9
1996	251	11.5	21.8	68.9
1997	274	12.0	22.8	68.2
1998	242	14.0	17.3	63.6
1999	241	14.0	17.2	81.7
2000	210	11.0	19.1	83.8
2001	187	14.8	12.6	90.4
2002	420	34.8	12.1	83.8
2003	420	34.8	12.1	83.8
2004	363	42.5	8.5	85.4
2005	341	34.7	9.8	78.6
2006	338	37.0	9.1	74.3
2007	361	34.2	10.6	86.4
2008	393	34.5	11.4	82.7
2009	459	45.0	10.2	81
2010	479	42.0	11.4	85.6
2011	437	39.0	11.2	94.3
2012	428	38.1	11.2	95.3
2013	414	37.3	11.0	95.2
2014	424	35.5	11.9	94.1
2015	448	35.0	12.8	93.3
2016	456	35.0	13.0	92.8
2017	438	36.5	11.9	93.2
2018	403	32.2	12.5	68.7
2019	418	31.3	13.3	77.8
2020	380	31.7	11.9	88.4
2021	382	29.6	12.8	92.1
2022	395	29.7	13.2	91.6
2023	376	32.2	11.6	89.6
2024	401	33.1	12.1	91.5

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 Cunningham School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,793 (19.2%)	$11,718 (80.7%)	$14,512

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cunningham 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 593^rd of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 526^th of 565 Elementary schools	5.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cunningham School)	39.7	31.7	8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	50.3	54.6	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cunningham School)	31.7	40	8.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	49.5	67.5	18%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cunningham School)	43.5	50	6.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	54.7	59.6	4.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cunningham School)	30.6	61.1	30.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	53.5	61.9	8.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cunningham School)	45.2	37.8	7.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	56	60.2	4.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cunningham School)	35.5	64.4	28.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	55.7	70	14.3%
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	418	376	10%
African American	274	208	24.1%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	4	2	50%
Hispanic	43	59	37.2%
Pacific Islander	3	27	800%
White	44	30	31.8%
Two or More Races	49	50	2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	77.8%	89.6%	11.9%

Schools Near Cunningham 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
Cunningham School	Public	PK, KG-5	1224 Mobile St	Waterloo	50703	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2600	401	33	12.1	91.5%	39 (9.7%)	231 (57.6%)	49 (12.2%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (7.0%)	51 (12.7%)	3.2	545^th of 557 public elementary schools	2.2%		9.8	526^th of 565 public elementary schools	6.9%	19	35.0	40.3	38.5	50.0	38.8	48.1	25.0	$14,512	$2,793	$11,718
Highland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	812 Idaho St	Waterloo	50703	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2630	462	37	12.3	87.2%	124 (26.8%)	141 (30.5%)	120 (26.0%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.0%)	58 (12.6%)	12	502^nd of 557 public elementary schools	9.9%		31.3	435^th of 565 public elementary schools	23.0%	67	41.3	50.9	43.3	54.0	63.2	61.2	22.4	$12,711	$1,327	$11,383
Lowell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1628 Washington St	Waterloo	50702	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-1900	480	39	12.2	77.3%	152 (31.7%)	149 (31.0%)	96 (20.0%)	18 (3.8%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.4%)	43 (9.0%)	14	492^nd of 557 public elementary schools	11.7%		15.5	503^rd of 565 public elementary schools	11.0%	11	50.0	56.7	60.0	44.7	46.7	52.0	42.0	$14,090	$1,974	$12,115
Irving Elementary School	Public	K-5	1115 W. 5th Street	Waterloo	50702	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2800	388	33	11.9	90.2%	89 (22.9%)	139 (35.8%)	54 (13.9%)	13 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (9.5%)	56 (14.4%)	32.3	436^th of 557 public elementary schools	21.7%		26.5	456^th of 565 public elementary schools	19.3%	20	67.9	50.9	55.2	75.5	58.5	70.7	44.8	$13,386	$1,643	$11,742
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	302 Cedar Bend St	Waterloo	50703	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-1990	492	33	14.8	87.8%	104 (21.1%)	226 (45.9%)	54 (11.0%)	6 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.9%)	73 (14.8%)	15.4	486^th of 557 public elementary schools	12.7%		15.5	502^nd of 565 public elementary schools	11.2%	16	51.0	56.9	33.3	71.4	60.0	53.0	27.3	$14,309	$1,947	$12,361
Kittrell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1304 Oregon St	Waterloo	50702	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2910	613	45	13.6	75.5%	232 (37.8%)	158 (25.8%)	91 (14.8%)	54 (8.8%)	2 (0.3%)	28 (4.6%)	48 (7.8%)	26.9	451^st of 557 public elementary schools	19.0%		24.5	464^th of 565 public elementary schools	17.9%	13	63.5	57.3	50.0	74.3	64.6	61.7	40.4	$12,433	$1,211	$11,221
Kingsley Elementary School	Public	K-5	201 Sunset Rd	Waterloo	50701	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2210	355	27	13.3	55.5%	198 (55.8%)	46 (13.0%)	31 (8.7%)	16 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.1%)	53 (14.9%)	61.6	232^nd of 557 public elementary schools	58.3%		73.4	130^th of 565 public elementary schools	77.0%	102	72.5	73.8	70.8	88.2	85.2	66.7	56.3	$12,606	$882	$11,722
Fred Becker Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1239 Sheldon St	Waterloo	50701	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2180	457	35	13.0	78.6%	186 (40.7%)	123 (26.9%)	57 (12.5%)	10 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.8%)	58 (12.7%)	15.1	489^th of 557 public elementary schools	12.2%		14.6	506^th of 565 public elementary schools	10.4%	17	44.4	52.7	48.5	61.9	58.2	54.5	47.0	$13,341	$1,146	$12,194
Poyner Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1138 Central Ave	Evansdale	50707	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-1534	360	28	12.7	67.8%	227 (63.1%)	38 (10.6%)	38 (10.6%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	52 (14.4%)	31	440^th of 557 public elementary schools	21.0%		40.8	392^nd of 565 public elementary schools	30.6%	48	63.3	67.9	55.1	69.4	67.9	59.2	38.8	$13,693	$1,573	$12,118
Lou Henry Elementary School	Public	K-5	312 Rachael St	Waterloo	50701	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2860	456	35	13.0	65.8%	201 (44.1%)	151 (33.1%)	26 (5.7%)	33 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.8%)	36 (7.9%)	45.9	356^th of 557 public elementary schools	36.1%		41.5	386^th of 565 public elementary schools	31.7%	30	64.2	56.9	76.5	76.1	60.0	74.1	55.6	$13,402	$1,114	$12,288

Frequently Asked Questions about Cunningham School

What is the racial makeup of Cunningham School?

Students at Cunningham School are 58% African American, 13% Two or more races, 12% Hispanic, 10% White, 7% Pacific Islander.

Is Cunningham School a good school?

Cunningham School ranks in the bottom 2.2% of Iowa elementary schools.

How many students attend Cunningham School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 401 students attended Cunningham School.

What district is Cunningham School in?

Waterloo Community School District

What schools do graduates of Cunningham School attend?

Students who attend Cunningham School usually go on to attend:

Middle : George Washington Carver Academy
High : East High 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.