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#581 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 45% in state

Taft Middle School

Middle School · Cedar Rapids Comm School District · Cedar Rapids, IA

A Cedar Rapids Comm School District middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

5200 E Av NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405

  • Math 70% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • Reading 79% vs IA 77% (2025)
  • 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.5Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.43 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics6.5Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency70.1% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency78.5% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-2.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+4.8 pts
Overall Proficiency74% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)73% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+1.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile49th
Resources & Environment5.8Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.9:1
District spending per student$14,623
Chronic Absenteeism26.2%

Students at Taft Middle School score 74% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 73%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency70%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency79%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
77%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 13 points since 2020, reaching 74% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
68%
2010
Math
76%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
64%
2012
Math
83%
ELA
74%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
81%
2014
Math
84%
ELA
80%
2015
Math
80%
ELA
77%
2016
Math
78%
ELA
78%
2017
Math
77%
ELA
80%
2018
Math
71%
ELA
78%
2019
Math
71%
ELA
78%
2020*
Math
60%
ELA
63%
2021*
Math
60%
ELA
63%
2022
Math
63%
ELA
70%
2025
Math
70%
ELA
79%

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 35 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

40.1%

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 Taft 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 15Car-Dependent
  • Transit 19Minimal Transit
  • Bike 34Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,957/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Cedar Rapids), 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

$65,352

Median home value

$173,600

Median rent

$1,043/mo

College educated

24.6%

Homeownership

73.6%

Poverty rate

12.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 52405; 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
Lasalle Catholic Middle SchoolPrivate · tuition8.0private5–81.3 mi143Compare →
Cedar Rapids Virtual Academy MiddleEnrollment path unverified4.06–82.2 mi44Compare →
Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.56–82.5 mi528Compare →
Isaac Newton Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.2privatePK–123.8 mi274Compare →

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.

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Schools in district
34
Rank in district
#2 of 31
District spending per student
$14,623NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

Taft Middle School is listed in Cedar Rapids Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Taft Middle School

Taft Middle School is a public middle school in Cedar Rapids, IA, part of Cedar Rapids Comm School District, serving approximately 596 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 out of 10 and ranks #581 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 Taft Middle School

What grades does Taft Middle School serve?

Taft Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Taft Middle School?

Taft Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 596 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Taft Middle 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 Taft Middle School rank in IA?

Taft Middle School ranks #581 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Taft Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Taft Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 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 Taft Middle School?

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

Is Taft Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Taft Middle School a Title I school?

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

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

40.1% of students at Taft 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
596
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
40
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Linn County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
26.2%
Area population (ZIP 52405)
25,889
Area average commute
18.5 min
Area median age
40.9
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 52405; 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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