The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Math. The lowest is 59% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Colfax-mingo Elementary School
Colfax-Mingo Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in the small Jasper County town of Colfax, about an hour east of Des Moines. The school is the elementary arm of the Colfax-Mingo Community School District, and its enrollment of just over four hundred students reflects the community it serves. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and very small numbers of other racial groups represented. Just over two in five students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a share that places the school in a middle range for economic need within its county.
On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, the school’s results show a familiar pattern for a district of this type. In math, roughly three out of four students scored at or above the proficient level, a solid showing that lands near the middle of the pack among Jasper County’s elementary schools. English language arts proficiency was similarly strong, with about seven out of ten students reaching that benchmark. Science results were lower, with fewer than six out of ten students meeting the proficiency standard, a dip that parents may want to ask the school about. These figures come from a single year of data, so there is no trend line yet to indicate whether performance is rising or falling. Participation rates on the tests were very high, which gives confidence that the results reflect the full student population.
The school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet status. Data on Title I status was not available from the source, nor were figures on special education identification or English learner enrollment. Discipline statistics and staffing ratios were also absent from the data provided, so a parent looking for that information would need to follow up directly with the district. The school serves only through sixth grade, so there is no graduation rate to report.
The town of Colfax itself is a quiet, compact community with a historic downtown district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its origins as a mineral water spa resort and coal mining town are in the past; today it functions largely as a residential community with a commuter connection to the Des Moines metro. The city describes downtown as a short walk or drive from anywhere in town, and the built environment includes a Carnegie library still in use, Mineral Springs Park with its gazebo and veterans memorial, and the Jasper County Fairgrounds. The Colfax-Mingo district recently undertook a major capital construction project, with substantial infrastructure investment that affects the facilities families use. The city advertises parcels of land for future residential construction, positioning itself for modest growth, and the district is completing a new athletic complex.
For a family considering Colfax-Mingo Elementary, the academic picture is one of general solidity in math and reading, with a softer spot in science that warrants further conversation. The school’s size is manageable, the community is small and walkable, and the housing market is affordable relative to the national median. The commute to Des Moines is feasible for those who work in the metro. The district’s recent capital investment suggests an administration that is willing to put money into facilities, though the specific condition and age of the elementary school building were not part of the data reviewed. Compared to other districts in Jasper County, overall proficiency sits in the bottom quartile, meaning that while the school’s raw scores are respectable in absolute terms, other elementary schools in the county posted higher combined results. A parent who values proximity to a small-town downtown, modest class sizes, and a commuter-friendly location may find this a good fit, while one who prioritizes top-quartile county test performance may want to explore further.
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