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#878 of 1,280 schools in IA

Bluff Elementary School

Elementary School · Clinton Comm School District · Clinton, IA

A Clinton Comm School District elementary school where students score 16 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1421 S Bluff Blvd, Clinton, IA 52732

  • Math 75% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 71% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.9Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.65 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics7.5Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency74.5% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency70.5% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-2.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+1.4 pts
Overall Proficiency73% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)57% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+15.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile63th
Resources & Environment9.2Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.2:1
District spending per student$14,503
Chronic Absenteeism20.5%

Students at Bluff Elementary School score 72% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 57%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency75%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency71%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
72%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 23 points since 2020, reaching 73% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2013
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2014
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2015
Math
80%
ELA
82%
2016
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2017
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2018
Math
62%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
62%
ELA
62%
2020*
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2022
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
75%
ELA
71%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 71% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 35 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

69.8%

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where Bluff Elementary School 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 32Car-Dependent
  • Transit 23Minimal Transit
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,124/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Clinton), 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

$58,380

Median home value

$118,700

Median rent

$768/mo

College educated

21.3%

Homeownership

67.7%

Poverty rate

17.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 52732; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Whittier Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified9.3K–50.8 mi337Compare →
Jefferson Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.7PK–51.0 mi357Compare →
Prince of Peace Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition7.1privateK–121.5 mi187Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Clinton Comm School District

Schools in district
6
Rank in district
#3 of 6
District spending per student
$14,503NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
22.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Bluff Elementary School is listed in Clinton Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Bluff Elementary School

Bluff Elementary School is a public elementary school in Clinton, IA, part of Clinton Comm School District, serving approximately 391 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 out of 10 and ranks #878 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 69% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Bluff Elementary School

What grades does Bluff Elementary School serve?

Bluff Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Bluff Elementary School?

Bluff Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 391 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Bluff Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Bluff Elementary School is 12.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Bluff Elementary School rank in IA?

Bluff Elementary School ranks #878 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Bluff Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Bluff Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.5 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 Bluff Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Bluff Elementary School has 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 69% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Bluff Elementary School a charter school?

No, Bluff Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Bluff Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Bluff Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Bluff Elementary School?

69.8% of students at Bluff Elementary School 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
391
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
32
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Clinton County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.5%
Area population (ZIP 52732)
26,004
Area average commute
19.4 min
Area median age
42.8
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.
  • 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.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · 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 the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
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 52732; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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