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Average

#527 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 41% in state

Forest City Elementary School

Elementary School · Forest City Comm School District · Forest City, IA

A Forest City Comm School District elementary school where students score 13 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1405 W I St, Forest City, IA 50436

  • Math 88% vs IA 76% (2025)
  • Reading 85% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.9Below Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.02 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics9.5Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency88.3% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency85% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+11.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+15.9 pts
Overall Proficiency87% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)73% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+13.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile93th
Resources & Environment7.8Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.2:1
District spending per student$12,578
Chronic Absenteeism17.1%

Students at Forest City Elementary School score 87% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 73%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency88%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
76%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency85%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 20 points since 2020, reaching 87% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
90%
ELA
91%
2010
Math
91%
ELA
91%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
83%
ELA
83%
2013
Math
85%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
83%
ELA
86%
2015
Math
85%
ELA
86%
2016
Math
81%
ELA
86%
2017
Math
74%
ELA
75%
2018
Math
73%
ELA
75%
2019
Math
73%
ELA
75%
2020*
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2021*
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2022
Math
67%
ELA
77%
2025
Math
88%
ELA
85%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 80% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 82% (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 32 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

39.6%

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 Forest City 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 18Car-Dependent
  • Bike 29Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$68,600

Median home value

$164,300

Median rent

$761/mo

College educated

25%

Homeownership

75%

Poverty rate

9.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50436; 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

0 from verified nearby records

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Forest City Comm School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#3 of 3
District spending per student
$12,578NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Forest City Elementary School

Forest City Elementary School is a public elementary school in Forest City, IA, part of Forest City Comm School District, serving approximately 462 students in grades Pre-K-4th with a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 out of 10 and ranks #527 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 80% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Forest City Elementary School

What grades does Forest City Elementary School serve?

Forest City Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 4th.

How many students attend Forest City Elementary School?

Forest City Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 462 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest City Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Forest City 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 Forest City Elementary School rank in IA?

Forest City Elementary School ranks #527 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Forest City Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Forest City Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 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 Forest City Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Forest City Elementary School has 80% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Forest City Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Forest City Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

39.6% of students at Forest City 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 – 4th
Enrollment
462
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Winnebago County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
17.1%
Area population (ZIP 50436)
5,760
Area average commute
13.8 min
Area median age
35.9
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 50436; 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

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