The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in English language arts. The lowest is 61% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Pence Elementary
Pence Elementary is a regular public school in Fairfield, Iowa, serving grades two through four. It is part of the Fairfield Community School District. Because it covers only these three elementary grades, there are no high school outcomes such as a graduation rate to report, and state testing data covers the grade levels that participate in Iowa’s ISASP assessments.
Fairfield itself is the county seat of Jefferson County, a mix of residential neighborhoods, a historic downtown square, and industrial activity. The city is home to Maharishi International University, which relocated to the former Parsons College campus and brought an international Transcendental Meditation community. Local employers include the university and a range of manufacturing: dairy products, washing machines, farm equipment, aluminum castings, automotive parts, and textiles. The population has been essentially flat to slightly declining over recent decades. In a prior decade Fairfield was selected as a Blue Zones project finalist and later certified as a Blue Zones community, reflecting a focus on health and well-being. The downtown square anchors civic life, with a public library, an arts and convention center, and a master trail plan that includes a heritage path. Housing in the area costs less than the state and national medians, making it relatively affordable, though specific school attendance boundaries within Fairfield are not detailed in the available data.
Pence Elementary enrolls students from across the community. The student body is predominantly White, with smaller shares identifying as Asian, Hispanic, two or more races, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native. About half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a moderately mixed-income population. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the specific supports and programs available for those groups.
Academically, Pence Elementary participated in the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress for the 2024-25 school year, covering math and English language arts. The school had a high participation rate, well above the threshold for reliable reporting. In math, a majority of students scored at or above the proficiency standard, and in English language arts, a somewhat larger majority did so. These results position the school below the midpoint when compared with the other district in Jefferson County; the comparison set is small, with only two districts in the county, so the difference reflects a gap relative to the county’s other public school system. Only one year of assessment data was available, so no trend can be established.
The school does not report information on course offerings, staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, or discipline patterns in the data provided. No magnet or Title I designation is listed. For families interested in specialized programs or detailed student support services, these are open questions to raise with the school directly.
Pence Elementary offers a straightforward elementary experience in a small city with a distinct character shaped by its university, manufacturing base, and meditation community. The school serves a middle segment of the district’s elementary grades with solid participation in state testing and proficiency levels that sit below the county’s other district. Its size is modest for a three-grade school, and the community context provides a quiet, stable setting with affordable housing and local amenities. Families considering this school may want to explore the specific classroom environment and support offerings for the grades it covers, as well as how it prepares students for the upper elementary and middle school years in the district.
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