The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Science. The lowest is 41% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Duncombe Elementary School
Duncombe Elementary School serves first through fifth grade in the Fort Dodge Community School District, located on 6th Avenue North in a largely residential area of the city. The school is one of several elementary buildings in a district that recently consolidated its youngest learners into a single Early Childhood Center, meaning Duncombe’s grade band starts where the centralized early childhood program ends.
The student body reflects a diverse mix. White students account for roughly half the enrollment, while Hispanic students make up about a quarter. Students who identify as two or more races represent a meaningful share, and Black students and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are also present in smaller numbers. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or a magnet, and there is no information available on special education or English learner enrollment.
Academically, state assessment results from the most recent testing year show that on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, roughly two out of five students scored at the proficient level or above in math, and a similar share did so in English language arts. In science, a slightly larger share of students met the proficiency bar, though science is tested only in one grade within this span. When compared with other schools across Webster County, Duncombe’s combined proficiency across tested subjects places it in the bottom quartile. This is a soft spot that a parent may want to look into further with the school. Because only one year of testing data was available for this analysis, there is no basis to assess whether performance is improving or declining over time.
No graduation rate applies here because the school does not serve high school grades. Information on discipline, attendance, chronic absenteeism, staffing, and course access was not available in the data provided.
Fort Dodge itself is a mixed industrial and commercial hub for north-central Iowa, with major employers in gypsum mining and drywall manufacturing, veterinary pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and trucking. The city has experienced a slow population decline. Housing in the area is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, with mortgage costs that are lower than typical rents, a dynamic that may make homebuying more attainable than renting for some families. The city is car-dependent, with a weekday bus system connecting key locations. While the downtown core has historic commercial architecture, the elementary school is in a separate residential zone of the city.
For a family considering Duncombe, the key context is that the school serves a high-need student population and that its academic achievement levels are below those of many other elementary schools in the county. The district made a notable recent change by opening a dedicated early childhood center, which may streamline the transition into first grade at Duncombe but also means that families with children under first grade will be at a different building. The school’s size is moderate for its grade band, and there is no available data on programs such as gifted education, arts, or specialized academic tracks, which may be a gap worth exploring directly with the school administration.
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