The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in Math. The lowest is 61% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Colo-nesco Elementary School
Colo-Nesco Elementary School in Zearing serves students from preschool through fourth grade, making it the primary early-learning building in the Colo-NESCO Community School District. It operates as a regular public school, and because it covers only the primary grades, it does not report measures such as a graduation rate or secondary course offerings. The school sits in a small, rural Story County town where daily life is quiet and centered on a modest Main Street with a library, community center, park, and a few local businesses. Families here often commute to larger nearby cities for work, and the elementary facility is just one part of a district that also operates a middle and high school in the neighboring town of Colo.
State testing data is available for students in grades three and four through the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress. On the math assessment, a majority of students reached proficiency, while on the English language arts assessment the share was somewhat lower. When compared against all districts in Story County, the school’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades landed in the bottom quartile. That position is worth a close look for any family considering the school, especially if strong early literacy performance is a priority. It is important to note that this comparison reflects a single year of results and that the school population for testing is small, so year-to-year fluctuations can be meaningful. A parent may want to discuss with the school how the curriculum and supports are structured to build foundational skills, particularly in reading.
The student body is very small and overwhelmingly white, with a modest Hispanic presence and a handful of students who identify as two or more races. About two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that signals a substantial level of economic need among the families the school serves. Data on special education identification and English learner status was not reported in the available information, so those dimensions of student support are not captured here.
Housing in the Zearing area is priced near the middle of the state’s range, and the broader national context shows typical affordability for a small Midwestern community. The town itself is walkable for its Main Street amenities, but residents generally need a car for commuting to jobs, shopping, or the district’s secondary campus in Colo.
The Colo-NESCO district recently completed a major facilities overhaul funded by a voter-approved bond referendum. That project included a new handicap-accessible entrance, preschool classrooms, and administrative offices at the elementary building in Zearing, alongside a full remodel of the middle and high school in Colo. Families moving into the district will find upgraded learning spaces and a community that has invested in its school infrastructure.
Colo-Nesco Elementary offers a small-town, early-grades setting where a family’s experience will be shaped by the close-knit nature of the school and the broader rural community. The academic picture, particularly in reading, is an area where a parent would want to understand the school’s approach and any intervention strategies in place. For those who value a quiet, residential environment and a school where their child will be known individually from the start, this may be a fit worth exploring in person. The absence of data on chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, and program offerings means that a full picture will require a conversation with the school itself.
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