The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in English language arts. The lowest is 79% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on New Hartford Elementary School
New Hartford Elementary School is a small regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the town of New Hartford, Iowa. It is part of the Dike-New Hartford Community School District. The school sits in Butler County and draws from a rural, small-town context.
Academically, the school produces strong results. On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, a large majority of students tested in grades three through five scored at the proficient or advanced level in English language arts and in science, and a sizable majority did so in math. When placed alongside other schools within Butler County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects sits in the top quartile among the three districts that make up the county's public school system. There is only a single year of state testing data available for the school, so there is no trend line to show whether these results represent a stable pattern or a recent shift.
The student body is small and primarily white, with a modest share of students who are Hispanic. A relatively small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which typically indicates a lower concentration of poverty than is common in many rural Iowa elementary schools. Data on the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners was not available, so a full picture of the school’s support needs is incomplete from the public record alone.
The school serves only the elementary grades, and because it does not reach high school, it has no graduation rate to report. That gap is explained by the grade band it serves.
Housing in the New Hartford area is priced close to the statewide typical level for Iowa, with home values a bit below the overall national median but above what is typical in many rural counties in this part of the state. The monthly mortgage estimate on a median-priced home would be a moderate share of the national median household income, suggesting that housing is within reach for many working families. Rentals are also priced below the national typical level, making the area relatively affordable compared with metro markets.
The district itself, according to publicly reported financial data, recently made a large capital investment in facilities, with a construction expenditure that represents a meaningful outlay. That kind of spending can affect local tax obligations and also signals a long-term commitment to the school’s physical plant. A parent may want to check with the district about the specific scope of the work and how it was funded.
Altogether, New Hartford Elementary is a school with clearly posted academic results that are strong by local and state standards. The setting is rural and small, the student population is not very economically diverse, and the school’s grade span means that all children will transition to a middle or intermediate school after fifth grade. For a family that values a small elementary setting with solid test scores and a relatively affordable rural housing market, this school fits. A family that needs information on special education services or English learner programs will need to reach out to the school directly, as those details are not available from the public data sources used here.
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