The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Science. The lowest is 84% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Collins-maxwell Elementary School
Collins-Maxwell Elementary School serves children from prekindergarten through fifth grade in the small rural town of Collins, Iowa. It is a regular public school and the only elementary building in the Collins-Maxwell Community School District. The district itself was formed years ago through a merger, and while the elementary grades stay in Collins, students in middle and high school travel west to the town of Maxwell for their schooling. The school is a single campus tucked into the compact downtown area along Main Street, near City Hall and the community wellness center.
On Iowa’s state assessments, the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Collins-Maxwell Elementary posted strong results in the 2024-25 school year. In both math and English language arts, the share of students scoring at or above the proficient threshold was well above the midpoint for schools in the county. Science performance was even higher, with a very large majority of tested students reaching proficiency. When compared broadly across tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the top quartile relative to districts in Story County, a position that reflects consistent academic strength across the elementary grades. The school has only a single year of testing data in the available record, so there is no trend line to examine, but the initial snapshot is a positive one.
Student enrollment is small, typical for a rural elementary. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and even smaller numbers of Black and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported in the available information, so a parent may wish to ask the school about those supports directly. About half of the school’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that points to modest economic diversity and suggests the school may draw on federal meal programs even though its official Title I status was not specified in the data.
Collins itself is a very small, car-dependent community described by the city as a short country drive to Des Moines, Ames, and neighboring towns. The population has been essentially flat in recent years, but home values have risen, and the city bills itself as an up-and-coming place for families or retirees. The town has three parks, a few local businesses, and an annual Collins’ Day celebration. Most residents commute to nearby cities for work, with health care, manufacturing, and transportation among the top local industries. The housing market, while modest by national standards, has seen prices climb faster than the national average, and the homeownership rate is high. For families considering a move, the elementary school’s academic record and the quiet small-town setting are likely the primary draws.
No data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing was available in the source material, so those areas remain uncharacterized. The district itself has not reported any major recent changes or initiatives that would reshape the school experience. For a parent evaluating this school, the picture is one of a stable, high-performing rural elementary where strong state test results are paired with a close-knit community and a straightforward academic path through grade five before students transition to the district’s middle and high school in Maxwell.
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