The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Math. The lowest is 67% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Sageville Elementary School
Sageville Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Dubuque Community School District. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it sits outside the city center on Sherrill Road, in a more auto-dependent part of Dubuque. The school is small, with an enrollment that fits its grade band, and the student body is overwhelmingly white. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is lower than in many of the district’s other elementary schools. Data on the share of students with individualized education plans or English learner status was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education and language support offerings.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Sageville Elementary posted solid results. In math, a strong majority of students met or exceeded state expectations. In English language arts and science, the share was slightly lower but still above the midpoint among the districts in Dubuque County, a small cohort of just two districts. Participation rates were high, which means the results reflect nearly all enrolled students. Because only one year of testing data is available, there is no trend to compare against, so it is not possible to say whether performance is improving or declining. The school serves only elementary grades, so there is no graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data to report; those metrics apply to older students.
The school’s setting is the city of Dubuque, a mid-sized regional hub on the Mississippi River that functions as the commercial, industrial, and cultural center for the tri-state area. Dubuque has a diversified economy built around manufacturing, health care, publishing, financial services, and tourism. Major employers include John Deere, the Dubuque Community School District, and several hospitals. The city has invested heavily in its riverfront and downtown, with a redeveloped Port of Dubuque, a Riverwalk, and cultural venues. Neighborhoods climb the steep bluffs of the Driftless Area, giving the city a distinctive topography. Walkability is strongest downtown; outlying residential areas, including the area around Sageville Elementary, are more car-dependent. Home values in the school’s zip code are notably higher than the statewide average, and rents are moderate. The area has seen steady rather than explosive growth, driven by downtown revitalization and flood-mitigation projects such as the Bee Branch Creek restoration.
The Dubuque Community School District has been in a period of change. In 2024, voters approved a bond referendum to fund facility improvements across the district, including HVAC upgrades, security enhancements, and classroom additions, with construction expected through 2027. Families moving into the district will see ongoing work. The district has also transitioned to Standards-Based Learning, beginning at the elementary level in the 2022-23 school year and expanding upward. This means that instead of traditional letter grades, student progress is reported against specific learning standards. For parents used to conventional report cards, this shift is worth understanding. Additionally, the district launched a full-time online school for grades 6-12, offering a permanent virtual option, though that does not affect the elementary level directly.
For a family considering Sageville Elementary, the picture is that of a small, predominantly white school with above-average academic results on the state’s tests, set in a stable mid-sized city with a diversified economy and ongoing public investment. The school’s size and demographic composition may appeal to families looking for a close-knit, less diverse peer environment. The district’s recent facility bond and pedagogical shift signal active leadership and resources, but the Standards-Based Learning model represents a notable change in how student achievement is communicated. A parent would want to visit the school, ask about the implementation of SBL at the elementary level, and inquire about the availability of support services for students who need extra help.
See more original research from School Decision →