Skip to main content

Very Good

#361 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 28% in state

Mark Twain Elementary

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

An Iowa City Comm School District elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 6th.

1355 DeForest Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52240

  • Math 50% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 60% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.1Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change+0.07 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics4.0Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency49.7% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency59.6% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-27 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-9.5 pts
Overall Proficiency55% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)57% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-2.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile21th
Resources & Environment8.8Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio9.6:1
District spending per student$14,391
Chronic Absenteeism25.3%

Students at Mark Twain Elementary score 55% 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 Proficiency50%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency60%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
72%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Improving

Proficiency has improved 10 points since 2020, reaching 55% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2010
Math
52%
ELA
47%
2011
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2012
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2013
Math
57%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
47%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
52%
ELA
62%
2016
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
57%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
42%
ELA
47%
2022
Math
47%
ELA
47%
2025
Math
50%
ELA
60%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 47% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 51% (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

70.1%

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 Mark Twain 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 54Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 26Some Transit
  • Bike 81Very Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,000/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Iowa 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

$55,189

Median home value

$241,100

Median rent

$1,065/mo

College educated

46.6%

Homeownership

50.9%

Poverty rate

26.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 52240; 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
Faith AcademyPrivate · tuition7.2privateK–60.4 mi88Compare →
Grant Wood Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.2PK–60.7 mi391Compare →
Longfellow Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.9K–60.7 mi361Compare →
Willowwind SchoolPrivate · tuition7.1privatePK–61.2 mi75Compare →

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.

Iowa City Comm School District

Schools in district
29
Rank in district
#7 of 29
District spending per student
$14,391NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Mark Twain Elementary

Mark Twain Elementary is a public elementary school in Iowa City, IA, part of Iowa City Comm School District, serving approximately 241 students in grades Pre-K-6th with a 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10 and ranks #361 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Mark Twain Elementary

What grades does Mark Twain Elementary serve?

Mark Twain Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 6th.

How many students attend Mark Twain Elementary?

Mark Twain Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 241 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Mark Twain Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Mark Twain Elementary is 9.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Mark Twain Elementary rank in IA?

Mark Twain Elementary ranks #361 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Mark Twain Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Mark Twain Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 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 Mark Twain Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Mark Twain Elementary has 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Mark Twain Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Mark Twain Elementary a Title I school?

No, Mark Twain Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Mark Twain Elementary?

70.1% of students at Mark Twain 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
Pre-K – 6th
Enrollment
241
Student-Teacher Ratio
9.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
25
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Johnson County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.3%
Area population (ZIP 52240)
36,046
Area average commute
17.4 min
Area median age
28.1
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 52240; 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

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.