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Average

#543 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 42% in state

Lincoln Elementary School

Elementary School · Waterloo Comm School District · Waterloo, IA

A Waterloo Comm School District elementary school where students score 12 points above what's typical for similar communities.

302 Cedar Bend St, Waterloo, IA 50703

  • Math 61% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 58% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.4Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.16 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics6.3Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency61.4% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency57.9% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-15.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-11.2 pts
Overall Proficiency60% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)47% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+12.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile46th
Resources & Environment3.9Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.9:1
District spending per student$14,652
Chronic Absenteeism40.9%

Students at Lincoln Elementary School score 60% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 47%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency61%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency58%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
72%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 20 points since 2020, reaching 60% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
47%
ELA
45%
2010
Math
43%
ELA
43%
2011
Math
52%
ELA
42%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2013
Math
72%
ELA
62%
2014
Math
57%
ELA
47%
2015
Math
51%
ELA
48%
2016
Math
53%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
46%
ELA
45%
2018
Math
36%
ELA
36%
2019
Math
36%
ELA
36%
2020*
Math
38%
ELA
42%
2021*
Math
38%
ELA
42%
2022
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
61%
ELA
58%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 48% (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

87.8%

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 Lincoln 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 22Car-Dependent
  • Transit 19Minimal Transit
  • Bike 53Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,946/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$49,412

Median home value

$92,500

Median rent

$926/mo

College educated

12.6%

Homeownership

57.7%

Poverty rate

18.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50703; 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
Royal Legacy Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition5.9privatePK–61.9 mi33Compare →
Fred Becker Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.5PK–52.1 mi457Compare →
Cunningham SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.8PK–52.3 mi401Compare →
Irving Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.0K–52.4 mi388Compare →

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.

Waterloo Comm School District

Schools in district
18
Rank in district
#10 of 18
District spending per student
$14,652NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Lincoln Elementary School

Lincoln Elementary School is a public elementary school in Waterloo, IA, part of Waterloo Comm School District, serving approximately 492 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.9 out of 10 and ranks #543 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Lincoln Elementary School

What grades does Lincoln Elementary School serve?

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

How many students attend Lincoln Elementary School?

Lincoln Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 492 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Lincoln Elementary School is 14.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Lincoln Elementary School rank in IA?

Lincoln Elementary School ranks #543 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Lincoln Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Lincoln 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 Lincoln Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Lincoln Elementary School has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 48% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Lincoln Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Lincoln Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

87.8% of students at Lincoln 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
492
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Black Hawk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
40.9%
Area population (ZIP 50703)
18,397
Area average commute
17 min
Area median age
37.3
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 50703; 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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