The top reported proficiency rate is 89% in Math. The lowest is 72% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Danville Elementary School
Danville Elementary School, the sole elementary school in the Danville Community School District, serves students from preschool through sixth grade in a small, rural community in southeastern Iowa. The school sits within a town that is primarily residential, with a high homeownership rate and a largely car-dependent layout. The area’s population has been essentially flat to slightly declining in recent years, and employment has seen a mild dip, though property values have risen. The larger local economy leans on retail trade, manufacturing, and health care. Housing values in Danville’s zip code sit near the state average, and the local market has experienced a noticeable year-over-year increase, making homeownership a more significant investment than in many parts of the country.
Academically, Danville Elementary posts strong results on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress. In both math and English language arts, a very high share of students met or exceeded proficiency, placing the school’s overall performance in the top quartile relative to districts in Des Moines County. Science scores, while lower, still show that a substantial majority of students reached the proficiency bar. The school’s participation rate on state tests was high, meaning the reported results reflect nearly all enrolled students in the tested grades. Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to consider, and the data does not include chronic absenteeism figures, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about attendance patterns.
The student body is relatively small for its grade band and is overwhelmingly white, with a modest share of students identifying as two or more races and very small numbers from other racial or ethnic groups. Roughly one in three students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that signals a notable segment of families with lower household income. The district does not report counts of students with disabilities or English learners in the available data, so those details are not part of this profile. The school is a regular public institution, not a charter or magnet, and there is no Title I status recorded, though the free-lunch share suggests the school may receive federal support.
The school’s locale is quiet and rural. Danville itself has a small commercial corridor along U.S. Route 34 Business, but the built environment is spread out, and most residents drive to work. The nearest notable recreational anchor is Geode State Park, a short distance northeast. City services include a fire department and public works, but there is no public library or transit system mentioned in available sources. The district has not publicly reported any major recent changes in programming, facilities, or leadership that would alter a family’s decision in the near term.
For a family considering Danville Elementary, the academic picture is clear: the school delivers strong foundational skills in reading and math, with a less consistent but still solid showing in science. The peer environment is racially homogeneous and economically mixed, with a significant low-income presence. The community itself is stable but not growing, and the housing market has become more expensive recently, though it remains within reach of the state median. Parents who value a small, rural elementary school with high test participation and very strong core proficiency rates will find Danville Elementary a straightforward fit. Those with concerns about science performance or who need specific information about special education or English learner supports should follow up directly with the school.
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