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Very Good

#253 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 20% in state

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center

Elementary School · North Iowa Comm School District · Buffalo Center, IA

A North Iowa Comm School District elementary school where students score 6 points above what's typical for similar communities.

111 3rd Ave NW, Buffalo Center, IA 50424

  • Math 78% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • Reading 71% vs IA 72% (2025)
  • 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.3Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.2 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics7.3Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency77.9% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency71.3% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+1.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+2.2 pts
Overall Proficiency75% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)68% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+6.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile60th
Resources & Environment7.6Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.4:1
District spending per student$13,962
Chronic Absenteeism10%

Students at North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center score 75% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 68%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency78%(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 8 points since 2020, reaching 75% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
67%
2012
Math
92%
ELA
82%
2013
Math
92%
ELA
87%
2014
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2015
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2016
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2017
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2018
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2019
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2020*
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2021*
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2022
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2025
Math
78%
ELA
71%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 77% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 75% (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

48.5%

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 North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center 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 34Car-Dependent
  • Bike 50Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

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

Median income

$58,125

Median home value

$109,200

Median rent

$643/mo

College educated

25.4%

Homeownership

72.3%

Poverty rate

7.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50424; 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.

North Iowa Comm School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#2 of 3
District spending per student
$13,962NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center is listed in North Iowa Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center is a public elementary school in Buffalo Center, IA, part of North Iowa Comm School District, serving approximately 231 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.9 out of 10 and ranks #253 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 77% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center

What grades does North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center serve?

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center?

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center has an enrollment of approximately 231 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center?

The student-teacher ratio at North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center is 15.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center rank in IA?

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center ranks #253 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center's MySchoolScout rating?

North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.9 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 North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center?

Based on loaded state assessment records, North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center has 77% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center a charter school?

No, North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center a Title I school?

No, North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center?

48.5% of students at North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center 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
231
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
15
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Winnebago County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
10.0%
Area population (ZIP 50424)
1,590
Area average commute
19.3 min
Area median age
51.3
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 50424; 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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