Excellent
#85 of 1,280 schools in IA
Top 7% in state
Penn Elementary School
Elementary School · Iowa City Comm School District · North Liberty, IA
An Iowa City Comm School District elementary school serving grades Pre-K – 6th.
PO BOX 9 230 N Dubuque St, North Liberty, IA 52317
- Math 85% vs IA 75% (2025)
- Reading 87% vs IA 72% (2025)
- 17:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Penn Elementary School score 86% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 87%).
2025 ISASP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is up 13 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 86% recently.
Show all 15 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 81% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 78% (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 scoreFree/reduced lunch
13.2%
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 rateThe neighborhood
Where Penn 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 56Somewhat Walkable
- Bike 80Very Bikeable
- City Safety: Average467/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (North Liberty), 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
$108,156
Median home value
$314,700
Median rent
$1,221/mo
College educated
54.1%
Homeownership
70.1%
Poverty rate
4.4%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 52317; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Programs & students
Programs & Offerings
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buford Garner ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 6.0 | PK–6 | 0.4 mi | 449 | Compare → |
| Heritage Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition | 5.9private | PK–8 | 0.6 mi | 183 | Compare → |
| Christine Grant ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 8.1 | PK–6 | 0.7 mi | 521 | Compare → |
| James Van Allen Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified | 6.9 | PK–6 | 1.4 mi | 427 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.
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
- #2 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
Penn Elementary School is listed in Iowa City Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Penn Elementary School
Penn Elementary School is a public elementary school in North Liberty, IA, part of Iowa City Comm School District, serving approximately 560 students in grades Pre-K-6th with a 17:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 out of 10 and ranks #85 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 81% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 78% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Penn Elementary School
What grades does Penn Elementary School serve?
Penn Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 6th.
How many students attend Penn Elementary School?
Penn Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 560 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Penn Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Penn Elementary School is 17:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Penn Elementary School rank in IA?
Penn Elementary School ranks #85 of 1,280 schools in IA.
What is Penn Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?
Penn Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 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 Penn Elementary School?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Penn Elementary School has 81% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 78% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).
Is Penn Elementary School a charter school?
No, Penn Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Penn Elementary School a Title I school?
No, Penn Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Penn Elementary School?
13.2% of students at Penn 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 – 6th
- Enrollment
- 560
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 17:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 33
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Midsize Suburb
- County
- Johnson County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 5.7%
- Phone
- (319) 688-1150
- Area population (ZIP 52317)
- 22,392
- Area average commute
- 23.6 min
- Area median age
- 32.8
Official sources & links
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 52317; 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
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