The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in English language arts. The lowest is 74% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Creston Middle School
Creston Middle School, a regular public school serving grades six through eight, is part of the Creston Comm School District in Union County, Iowa. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, multiracial, and Black students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a school where families can expect solid, above-average academic results for its region.
On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Creston Middle performed well across all three tested subjects. Proficiency rates in both English language arts and science were at levels that place the school above the midpoint among districts in Union County. The proficiency rate in math was slightly lower but still comfortably within the same broader band. The school maintained high participation rates on each assessment, meaning the reported results reflect nearly the entire student population. Only a single year of state test data was available for the analysis, so there is no trend line to indicate whether performance is improving or declining.
The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages performance across math, English language arts, and science, sits above the midpoint of the two-district county comparison. This places Creston Middle in a solid, if not leading, position relative to its local peers. A parent may want to note that the comparison set is small—just two districts—so the distinction between “above the midpoint” and the top is narrow.
Enrollment across the three grade levels is distributed fairly evenly, with eighth grade being the largest cohort. Because this is a middle school, it does not report a graduation rate; that metric applies only to high schools. Data on special education identification, English learner status, chronic absenteeism, and discipline were not available, so a parent seeking a fuller picture of the student support environment and school climate would need to inquire directly with the school.
The housing market in Creston is modest compared to state and national benchmarks. Home values are notably below the Iowa median and even further below the national median, reflecting the small-town, lower-cost character of the area. The recent year-over-year change in local home values was moderate. This affordability, combined with the school’s solid academic standing, may appeal to families looking for reasonable housing costs paired with a middle school that performs respectably against its county peers.
No recent district-wide changes or initiatives of lasting impact were publicly reported, and no program offerings such as advanced courses, career and technical education pathways, or extracurriculars were available in the data. The school’s website may hold that detail, but it was not part of the provided information. A parent considering Creston Middle should expect a straightforward, regular public school with no distinctive magnet or charter designation, serving a mid-sized group of students from a community where housing is relatively affordable and the school’s test scores are generally positive, especially in English and science.
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