Dayton Center

Q: Is Dayton Center a good school?

Dayton Center ranks 222 nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dayton Center is an elementary school in Dayton, Iowa, serving 199 students in grades PK-4. It is part of the Southeast Valley Community School District, which is ranked 236 out of 309 districts in the state.

Dayton Center stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in both English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to the state and district averages. In 2023-2024, 92% of 4th-grade students at Dayton Center were proficient or better in both subjects, significantly higher than the state averages of 72.9% and 72.7%, respectively. The school's 3rd-grade students also outperformed the state and district in both subjects. Additionally, Dayton Center has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 11:1, which is lower than the nearby schools.

While Dayton Center's academic success is impressive, it is important to note that the school's student population is significantly less diverse than the surrounding area. Dayton Center has a higher percentage of white students (93.47%) compared to the more diverse student populations of the nearby Fort Dodge Community School District, Webster City Community School District, and others. The school also has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (44.72%) compared to the nearby schools, which range from 48.41% to 78.96%. These factors suggest Dayton Center may have access to more resources and funding, which could contribute to its academic success.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

104 2nd St. NW
Dayton, IA 50530

(515) 547-2314

District: Southeast Valley Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
222^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,497

Students who attend Dayton Center usually attend:

Middle:

Southeast Valley Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 205

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.3%

Hispanic:

5.9%

Two or more races:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Dayton Center ranks better than 60.1% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.09. (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 (89.3%), Hispanic (5.9%), two or more races (2.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dayton Center is 11.4. (See more...)

Compare Dayton Center employs 17.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dayton Center is $14,497.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dayton Center was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Southeast Valley Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Southeast Valley Community School District 236^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Dayton Center

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2015	84.16	28^th	616	95.5%
2016	49.81	373^rd	599	37.7%
2017	62.13	250^th	574	56.4%
2018	62.59	239^th	567	57.8%
2019	79.14	100^th	603	83.4%
2021	77.62	104^th	567	81.7%
2022	54.27	296^th	574	48.4%
2023	75.34	114^th	565	79.8%
2024	63.09	222^nd	557	60.1%

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 Dayton Center

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1992	138	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	141
1993	130	1	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	138
1994	141	1	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	148
1995	138	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	139
1996	138	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	139
1997	128	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	130
1998	135	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	137
1999	111	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	113
2000	100	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	100
2001	153	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	156
2002	213	5	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	218
2003	213	5	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	218
2004	205	5	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	210
2005	210	5	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	216
2006	170	0	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	175
2007	167	0	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	171
2008	156	3	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	164
2009	174	2	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	180
2010	173	7	2	8	0	0	2	192
2011	198	7	0	5	0	0	2	212
2012	184	7	1	5	0	0	1	198
2013	192	7	1	4	0	0	0	204
2014	189	3	3	5	0	0	2	202
2015	213	5	3	8	0	0	3	232
2016	236	6	3	7	0	0	3	255
2017	240	3	3	6	2	0	6	260
2018	213	2	3	8	1	0	4	231
2019	233	0	3	9	1	0	4	250
2020	215	0	2	8	1	0	2	228
2021	192	0	0	7	1	0	5	205
2022	196	0	1	7	1	0	3	208
2023	186	0	1	8	1	0	3	199
2024	183	3	0	12	2	0	5	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 Dayton Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	141	9.0	15.6	17
1993	138	9.6	14.4	22.5
1994	148	9.5	15.6	23.6
1995	139	10.5	13.2	24.5
1996	139	10.5	13.2	24.5
1997	130	10.9	11.9	20.8
1998	137	11.0	12.5	19.7
1999	113	7.4	15.3	31.9
2000	100	10.0	10.0	43
2001	156	10.5	14.9	22.4
2002	218	18.9	11.5	33
2003	218	18.9	11.5	33
2004	210	18.7	11.2	34.3
2005	216	16.8	12.9	34.3
2006	175	16.5	10.6	42.3
2007	171	19.5	8.8	50.3
2008	164	15.5	10.6	49.4
2009	180	15.0	12.0	46.7
2010	192	15.0	12.8	44.3
2011	212	14.8	14.3	47.2
2012	198	12.4	15.9	43.9
2013	204	13.8	14.7	42.2
2014	202	13.8	14.5	46
2015	232	16.0	14.5	42.7
2016	255	18.0	14.1	40.4
2017	260	17.4	14.9	38.8
2018	231	17.3	13.3	42
2019	250	18.5	13.4	41.2
2020	228	17.4	13.0	39.9
2021	205	17.5	11.6	41
2022	208	18.5	11.2	38
2023	199	17.9	11.0	44.7
2024	205	17.9	11.4	46.3

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 Dayton Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	141	9.0	15.6	17
1993	138	9.6	14.4	22.5
1994	148	9.5	15.6	23.6
1995	139	10.5	13.2	24.5
1996	139	10.5	13.2	24.5
1997	130	10.9	11.9	20.8
1998	137	11.0	12.5	19.7
1999	113	7.4	15.3	31.9
2000	100	10.0	10.0	43
2001	156	10.5	14.9	22.4
2002	218	18.9	11.5	33
2003	218	18.9	11.5	33
2004	210	18.7	11.2	34.3
2005	216	16.8	12.9	34.3
2006	175	16.5	10.6	42.3
2007	171	19.5	8.8	50.3
2008	164	15.5	10.6	49.4
2009	180	15.0	12.0	46.7
2010	192	15.0	12.8	44.3
2011	212	14.8	14.3	47.2
2012	198	12.4	15.9	43.9
2013	204	13.8	14.7	42.2
2014	202	13.8	14.5	46
2015	232	16.0	14.5	42.7
2016	255	18.0	14.1	40.4
2017	260	17.4	14.9	38.8
2018	231	17.3	13.3	42
2019	250	18.5	13.4	41.2
2020	228	17.4	13.0	39.9
2021	205	17.5	11.6	41
2022	208	18.5	11.2	38
2023	199	17.9	11.0	44.7
2024	205	17.9	11.4	46.3

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 Dayton Center

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$498 (3.4%)	$13,999 (96.6%)	$14,497

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dayton Center

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 100^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 114^th of 565 Elementary schools	3.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dayton Center)	75	84.6	9.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Valley Community School District)	75	84.6	9.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dayton Center)	78.6	88.5	9.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Southeast Valley Community School District)	78.6	88.5	9.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dayton Center)	85.4	79.5	5.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Southeast Valley Community School District)	85.4	79.5	5.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dayton Center)	87.8	79.5	8.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Southeast Valley Community School District)	87.8	79.5	8.3%
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	250	199	20.4%
African American	0	0
American Indian	1	1
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	9	8	11.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	233	186	20.2%
Two or More Races	4	3	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.2%	44.7%	3.5%

Schools Near Dayton Center

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
Dayton Center	Public	PK, KG-4	104 2nd St. NW	Dayton	50530	Webster County	Southeast Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 547-2314	205	18	11.4	46.3%	183 (89.3%)	3 (1.5%)	12 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.4%)	63.1	222^nd of 557 public elementary schools	60.1%		75.3	114^th of 565 public elementary schools	79.8%	108	55.0	92.0		80.0	92.0			$14,497	$498	$13,999
Stratford Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1000 Shakespeare Ave	Stratford	50249	Hamilton County	Stratford Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 838-2208	82	8	10.7	52.4%	73 (89.0%)	1 (1.2%)	7 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)								(n/a)								$28,246	$1,224	$27,022
Ogden Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	313 W Sycamore	Ogden	50212	Boone County	Ogden Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 275-2795	332	23	14.7	24.7%	309 (93.1%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.4%)	90.4	12^th of 557 public elementary schools	97.8%		84.7	41^st of 565 public elementary schools	92.7%	29	85.7	93.2	83.7	93.9	93.2	93.9	79.6	$10,746	$419	$10,328
Franklin Elementary School	Public	2-4	1903 Crawford Street	Boone	50036	Boone County	Boone Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 433-0860	338	27	12.5	44.1%	297 (87.9%)	5 (1.5%)	19 (5.6%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.1%)	72.3	137^th of 557 public elementary schools	75.4%		64.8	205^th of 565 public elementary schools	63.7%	68	71.1	83.7		83.5	80.5			$14,326	$1,063	$13,262
Butler Elementary School	Public	1-5	945 South 18th Street	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5882	344	27	12.8	69.2%	218 (63.4%)	32 (9.3%)	53 (15.4%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	36 (10.5%)	7.3	525^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.7%		5.7	540^th of 565 public elementary schools	4.4%	15	40.0	47.7	48.7	55.4	36.9	51.3	35.9	$15,434	$1,605	$13,830
Early Childhood Center	Public	PK-K	104 So. 17th St.	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5740	382	26	14.7	44.8%	262 (68.6%)	22 (5.8%)	51 (13.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	44 (11.5%)								(n/a)
Duncombe Elementary School	Public	1-5	1620 6th Avenue North	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5623	454	31	14.8	70.3%	228 (50.2%)	37 (8.1%)	115 (25.3%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.3%)	64 (14.1%)	6.7	529^th of 557 public elementary schools	5.0%		14.6	507^th of 565 public elementary schools	10.3%	22	39.2	57.3	49.4	43.3	49.3	43.7	28.7	$15,271	$1,808	$13,463
Southeast Valley Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	3116 Zearing Ave	Farnhamville	50538	Calhoun County	Southeast Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(515) 370-2861	238	17	13.6	44.5%	217 (91.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.9%)								(n/a)
Cooper Elementary School	Public	1-5	2420 14th Avenue North	Fort Dodge	50501	Webster County	Fort Dodge Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 574-5602	238	18	13.1	46.2%	178 (74.8%)	14 (5.9%)	22 (9.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (9.7%)	14.4	491^st of 557 public elementary schools	11.8%		23.4	469^th of 565 public elementary schools	17.0%	22	35.4	51.2	64.6	60.4	53.5	51.1	38.3	$18,249	$1,339	$16,910
Sunset Heights Elementary School	Public	2-4	1101 Boone St	Webster City	50595	Hamilton County	Webster City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 832-9245	303	23	13.0	51.2%	199 (65.7%)	1 (0.3%)	80 (26.4%)	11 (3.6%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.3%)	50.5	323^rd of 557 public elementary schools	42.0%		49	331^st of 565 public elementary schools	41.4%	8	68.5	71.2		73.6	71.2			$13,832	$828	$13,004

Frequently Asked Questions about Dayton Center

What schools do graduates of Dayton Center attend?

Students who attend Dayton Center usually go on to attend:

Middle : Southeast Valley Middle School

What district is Dayton Center in?

Southeast Valley Community School District

How many students attend Dayton Center?

In the 2023-24 school year, 205 students attended Dayton Center.

What is the racial makeup of Dayton Center?

Students at Dayton Center are 89% White, 6% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Dayton Center a good school?

Dayton Center ranks 222^nd of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.