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Needs Improvement

#1254 of 1,280 schools in IA

Butler Elementary School

Elementary School · Fort Dodge Comm School District · Fort Dodge, IA

A Fort Dodge Comm School District elementary school where students score 11 points below what's typical for similar communities.

945 South 18th Street, Fort Dodge, IA 50501

  • Math 47% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 45% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.9Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.18 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.5Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency47.3% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency45.1% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-29.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-24 pts
Overall Proficiency46% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)57% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-11.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile8th
Resources & Environment5.2Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.2:1
District spending per student$13,013
Chronic Absenteeism34%

Students at Butler Elementary School score 46% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 57%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency47%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency45%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
72%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 28 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 46% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
72%
ELA
62%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2013
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2014
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2015
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2016
Math
57%
ELA
62%
2017
Math
52%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
52%
ELA
57%
2019
Math
52%
ELA
57%
2020*
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
41%
ELA
42%
2025
Math
47%
ELA
45%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 57% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 57% (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

69.2%

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 Butler 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 50Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 20Minimal Transit
  • Bike 39Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,310/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Fort Dodge), 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

$66,130

Median home value

$139,700

Median rent

$779/mo

College educated

20.5%

Homeownership

66.9%

Poverty rate

12.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50501; 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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Community Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition8.1privatePK–80.4 mi74Compare →
St Paul Lutheran SchoolPrivate · tuition5.3privatePK–80.7 mi75Compare →
Duncombe Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified3.31–51.2 mi454Compare →
St Edmond Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition5.3privatePK–121.2 mi548Compare →

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.

Fort Dodge Comm School District

Schools in district
7
Rank in district
#7 of 7
District spending per student
$13,013NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Butler Elementary School is listed in Fort Dodge Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Butler Elementary School

Butler Elementary School is a public elementary school in Fort Dodge, IA, part of Fort Dodge Comm School District, serving approximately 344 students in grades 1st-5th with a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,254 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Butler Elementary School

What grades does Butler Elementary School serve?

Butler Elementary School serves students in grades 1st through 5th.

How many students attend Butler Elementary School?

Butler Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 344 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Butler Elementary School is 13.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Butler Elementary School rank in IA?

Butler Elementary School ranks #1,254 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Butler Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Butler Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.7 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 Butler Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Butler Elementary School has 57% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 57% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Butler Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Butler Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

69.2% of students at Butler 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
1st – 5th
Enrollment
344
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Webster County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
34.0%
Area population (ZIP 50501)
28,633
Area average commute
17.9 min
Area median age
39.3
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 50501; 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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