The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 69% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Mitchell Elementary School
Mitchell Elementary School is a regular public elementary school in Ames, Iowa, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Ames Community School District and sits in a residential area of this college town dominated by Iowa State University. The school enrolls a moderate number of students for an elementary building, with a grade-by-grade distribution that looks typical for this level.
The student body is diverse. A majority of children are white, while Black and Hispanic students each make up a notable share. A smaller but present group identifies as two or more races, and Asian students also attend. Roughly half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a mix of economic backgrounds. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the record, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how it supports those populations.
Academically, Mitchell Elementary participates in Iowa’s statewide assessment, the ISASP. On the most recent tests, overall proficiency across math, reading, and science placed the school in the bottom quarter among districts in Story County. That said, the proficiency rates themselves are not low in absolute terms: the share of students meeting or exceeding standards is solid in each subject. The school’s position relative to its county peers suggests that other elementary schools in the area have higher overall performance. Because this is only a single year of data, it is impossible to tell whether this is a stable pattern or a one-year fluctuation. Parents looking at test results may want to discuss grade-level trends and subgroup performance with the school.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism information was also absent from the data provided.
Ames itself is a growing city, home to Iowa State University, major employers such as 3M, Barilla, BASF, and Danfoss, and federal research labs. The university gives the town a distinctive character, with a walkable core near campus, a bus system called CyRide, and cultural anchors like the Ames Public Library and Reiman Gardens. Housing in the area is more expensive than the Iowa statewide average but still below the national median; rents follow a similar pattern. The local economy has been strong, with low unemployment over recent years.
The Ames Community School District recently completed a major facilities overhaul. A new Ames High School building opened in 2022, and the district also rebuilt three elementary schools, remodeled two others, and built a new middle school. Mitchell Elementary itself was not specifically named in that project description, but the broader investment signals that the community has prioritized modern learning spaces. A parent moving to the area will find a school system that has upgraded many of its buildings.
Mitchell Elementary offers a standard elementary curriculum. No specialized programs or magnet tracks were listed in the available data, but the school is a regular public school with no charter or magnet status. The mix of families includes both long-term residents and those connected to the university, giving the school a stable but academically engaged community.
For a family choosing a school, Mitchell Elementary provides a straightforward neighborhood elementary experience in a college-town setting. Its academic results are decent but trail some other Story County elementary schools. The Ames district’s new facilities and the economic vitality of the city are assets. A family that values a diverse student body and a well-resourced town may find this a good fit, while those focused on top-of-the-pack test scores may want to compare with higher-performing schools in the area.
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