The top reported proficiency rate is 88% in Science. The lowest is 78% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Ar-we-va Elementary Community School
Ar-We-Va Elementary Community School sits on Clinton Street in Westside, a very small, entirely rural town in Crawford County. The school serves the early grades, prekindergarten through fifth grade, and it is the elementary building for the Ar-We-Va Community School District. Westside itself is a quiet, shrinking community where most working adults commute to larger towns such as Carroll or Manning for jobs. The town’s population has declined over recent years, housing values are modest and below the Iowa median, and there is no sign of new residential development. The civic core clusters along Main Street with a library, a community building, and a park, while the school campus is a short walk away on Clinton Street.
Ar-We-Va Elementary is a small school, with an enrollment that is typical for a rural elementary building serving a handful of surrounding farms and the town itself. The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic students and a very small American Indian presence. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of moderate economic need that is common in this part of the state.
Academically, the school posts results that are strong for its grade span. On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, the share of students scoring at or above the proficient level is high in reading, higher still in math, and very high in science. Compared to other elementary schools within the four districts of Crawford County, Ar-We-Va’s overall proficiency across subjects lands comfortably among the top performers. The school’s science results are particularly noteworthy as a strength. Because this is an elementary school, there are no graduation-rate data to report, and the school does not offer the course pathways or AP programs that would be relevant at a high school.
The available data do not include counts for students receiving special education services or English learner supports, so a parent wanting a full picture of those programs may need to ask the school directly. No information on chronic absenteeism or discipline was reported either, but the small size and rural setting may mean that those are less pressing concerns here than in larger schools.
The district itself does not show signs of major recent changes or upheaval. Publicly reported information about the district is sparse, and the school profile suggests a stable, straightforward operation serving a rural community that has been losing population over time. Families considering this school should expect a traditional elementary program in a small-town environment where the school is a central community institution, sharing its address with the district’s junior-senior high school. The town’s amenities are limited—a park, a library with limited hours, a community building, and a few small businesses—so most shopping, services, and work are a short drive away. For a family that values a small, tight-knit school with solid academic results and a quiet, low-cost rural setting, Ar-We-Va Elementary fits that description well.
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