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Excellent

#105 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 8% in state

Pierson Middle School

Middle School · Kingsley-pierson Comm School District · Pierson, IA

A Kingsley-pierson Comm School District middle school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

321 4th St, Pierson, IA 51048

  • Math 79% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • Reading 85% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.7Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change+0.54 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.6Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency79.1% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency84.5% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+7.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+13.8 pts
Overall Proficiency82% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)74% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+7.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile78th
Resources & Environment6.3Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.8:1
District spending per student$13,704
Chronic Absenteeism20.3%

Students at Pierson Middle School score 82% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 74%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency79%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency85%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 15 points since 2020, reaching 82% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
72%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
52%
2013
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2014
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2015
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2016
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2017
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2018
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2019
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2020*
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2021*
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2022
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2025
Math
79%
ELA
85%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 74% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 74% (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 38 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

37.6%

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 Pierson Middle 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 10Car-Dependent
  • Bike 23Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low92/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$80,000

Median home value

$105,400

Median rent

$716/mo

College educated

24.3%

Homeownership

76.5%

Poverty rate

8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 51048; 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.

Kingsley-pierson Comm School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#1 of 3
District spending per student
$13,704NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
10.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Pierson Middle School is listed in Kingsley-Pierson Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Pierson Middle School

Pierson Middle School is a public middle school in Pierson, IA, part of Kingsley-pierson Comm School District, serving approximately 133 students in grades 5th-8th with a 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.5 out of 10 and ranks #105 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 74% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Pierson Middle School

What grades does Pierson Middle School serve?

Pierson Middle School serves students in grades 5th through 8th.

How many students attend Pierson Middle School?

Pierson Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 133 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Pierson Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Pierson Middle School is 14.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Pierson Middle School rank in IA?

Pierson Middle School ranks #105 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Pierson Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Pierson Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.5 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 Pierson Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Pierson Middle School has 74% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 74% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Pierson Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Pierson Middle School a Title I school?

No, Pierson Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Pierson Middle School?

37.6% of students at Pierson Middle 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
5th – 8th
Enrollment
133
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
9
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Woodbury County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.3%
Area population (ZIP 51048)
465
Area median age
32.7
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 51048; 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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