The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Math. The lowest is 39% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Bloomer Elementary School
Bloomer Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade in the Council Bluffs Community School District. It functions as a regular public elementary school located in the central part of Council Bluffs, a mid-sized city along the Missouri River that is part of the larger Omaha metropolitan area. The school is situated in a city that blends historic downtown districts, mid-century residential neighborhoods, and industrial zones supported by major employers such as Tyson Foods, casino gaming operations, and manufacturing plants.
The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic presence and smaller shares of Black students and students identifying as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a majority of families in the attendance area face economic pressures. The enrollment is of a size that falls within a typical range for an elementary school serving these grades. The district itself operates across the city and draws students from a range of neighborhoods with varying housing stock and income levels.
On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, the school’s proficiency rates sit below many other elementary schools in Pottawattamie County. In both English language arts and math, a clear majority of students met the state’s proficiency benchmark. Science results landed notably lower, with a smaller share of tested students reaching proficiency. When compared against districts in Pottawattamie County, the school’s overall academic proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. A single year of data was available, so no trend was established. Participation rates on the assessments were strong.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider. No discipline, staffing, or chronic absenteeism data were available in the provided information. A parent may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, student support services, and how the school addresses academic growth across its grade levels.
Council Bluffs has a relatively stable population that has experienced a modest decline in recent estimates, and the broader metro area continues to grow. Housing values in the school's zip code area are somewhat lower than the state average, and typical rents are below the national mortgage equivalent, making the area more affordable relative to many parts of Iowa. The city has a limited walkability profile typical of a mid-sized Midwestern city, with car dependency the norm in most residential areas. The Council Bluffs Community School District has no publicly reported recent major changes that would affect families at Bloomer Elementary, based on the available information.
For a family deciding whether this school fits, the core picture is an elementary school in a working-class industrial city where a majority of students qualify for income-based meal assistance. Academic proficiency in reading and math is at a level where most students meet state standards, though the school as a whole trails the county average. Science scores represent a weaker area that the school and district may be working to address. The school provides a prekindergarten program, which is a plus for families with young children. The overall character is that of a neighborhood school serving a community shaped by the area’s economic mix of manufacturing, food processing, and riverfront industry.
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