Very Good
#346 of 1,280 schools in IA
Top 27% in state
Based on limited data
Big Creek Elementary
Elementary School · North Polk Comm School District · Polk City, IA
A North Polk Comm School District elementary school serving grades 3rd – 5th.
340 E Vista Lake Drive, Polk City, IA 50226
- Math 89% vs IA 75% (2025)
- Reading 83% vs IA 72% (2025)
- 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Partial Profile · 2/3 metricsRequires 2+ years of test data
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Big Creek Elementary score 86% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 88%).
Component weights adjusted due to data availability.
2025 ISASP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
11.3%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateThe neighborhood
Where Big Creek Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.
Getting around & local context
- Walk 5Car-Dependent
- Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
- City Safety: Average320/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Polk City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.
Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)
Median income
$161,627
Median home value
$390,600
Median rent
$746/mo
College educated
48.1%
Homeownership
91.8%
Poverty rate
5.2%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50226; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Luke the Evangelist Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition | 4.5private | K–8 | 3.9 mi | 275 | Compare → |
| Rock Creek ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 5.2 | K–5 | 4.3 mi | 733 | Compare → |
| Westwood Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 6.9 | K–5 | 4.6 mi | 615 | Compare → |
| North Polk Central Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 8.4 | PK–5 | Not available | 379 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.
North Polk Comm School District
- Schools in district
- 5
- Rank in district
- #3 of 5
- District spending per student
- $11,604NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 2.6%Census SAIPE · 2024
Big Creek Elementary is listed in North Polk Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Big Creek Elementary
Big Creek Elementary is a public elementary school in Polk City, IA, part of North Polk Comm School District, serving approximately 337 students in grades 3rd-5th with a 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.6 out of 10 and ranks #346 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 89% math proficiency (2025 ISASP) and 83% reading/ELA proficiency (2025 ISASP).
Based on limited data: 50% component coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Big Creek Elementary
What grades does Big Creek Elementary serve?
Big Creek Elementary serves students in grades 3rd through 5th.
How many students attend Big Creek Elementary?
Big Creek Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 337 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Big Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Big Creek Elementary is 14.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Big Creek Elementary rank in IA?
Big Creek Elementary ranks #346 of 1,280 schools in IA.
What is Big Creek Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?
Big Creek Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
What are the test scores at Big Creek Elementary?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Big Creek Elementary has 89% math proficiency (2025 ISASP) and 83% reading/ELA proficiency (2025 ISASP).
Is Big Creek Elementary a charter school?
No, Big Creek Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Big Creek Elementary a Title I school?
No, Big Creek Elementary is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Big Creek Elementary?
11.3% of students at Big Creek Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- 3rd – 5th
- Enrollment
- 337
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 14.7:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 23
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Fringe Rural
- County
- Polk County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 6.8%
- Phone
- (515) 984-3400
- Area population (ZIP 50226)
- 7,290
- Area average commute
- 24.4 min
- Area median age
- 38.8
About this school's data
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.
- School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
- NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
- Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
- MySchoolScout rating and rank
- MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
- Math proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
- U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
- Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
- Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 50226; this does not measure the attendance area.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments 2025 ISASP; directory SY 2023–24
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