The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Math. The lowest is 67% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Richardson Elementary School
Richardson Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through third grade in Fort Madison, a small Mississippi River city that mixes residential neighborhoods, a historic downtown commercial district, government functions as a county seat, and a major state institution in the Iowa State Penitentiary. As part of the Fort Madison Community School District, this regular public school provides the earliest formal years of learning for children in the community.
State testing data from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress for the most recent school year covers only third grade, the single tested grade in this building. In mathematics, a substantial majority of third graders reached the proficient level. In English language arts, roughly two out of three third graders met the same benchmark. The school’s combined proficiency index sits above the midpoint when compared to other elementary schools across the three districts in Lee County. That is a solid showing for a primary-grade building, especially one where the student body is economically diverse. About two out of three students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting a community where manufacturing heritage and public-sector employment have given way to a more modest economic footing.
The student body is predominantly white, with a noticeable share of Hispanic students and a smaller but present group of students who identify as two or more races. The school’s enrollment is moderate for its grade band, drawing roughly a couple of hundred students from the surrounding neighborhoods. Special population data, such as counts of students with individualized education programs or English learners, was not available in the state-reported information. A parent who wants to understand the full range of services might look into this further with the school, particularly given the early childhood focus.
Fort Madison itself has experienced economic shifts. The closure of the long-standing Sheaffer Pen plant was a significant blow to the local manufacturing base, and the city’s population has declined over time. A new controlled-access highway bypass now routes through-traffic around the downtown. The anchor employers that remain include the state penitentiary and the railroads that cross the Mississippi River on the BNSF swing-span bridge. Housing in the area is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, a factor that matters for families considering a move.
The Fort Madison district has been in a period of facility investment. In a recent bond election that passed by a wide margin, voters approved funding for a new high school, which broke ground and is expected to open for the upcoming academic year. That project carries a property tax increase for residents and marks a lasting change for the district’s secondary campus. Meanwhile, the district has also implemented a one-to-one technology initiative, providing each student with a Chromebook for instruction, a shift that affects how schoolwork happens across grade levels, even if the youngest children at Richardson may use devices in limited ways.
Because Richardson Elementary covers only pre-kindergarten through third grade, it naturally lacks some of the metrics that matter for older students: there is no graduation rate, no chronic absenteeism data that could be compared to peers, and no advanced coursework offerings. The school’s mission is squarely on the early elementary years, and the data available suggests that in the core academic area tested, students are performing at a level that compares well with other elementary schools in the county. For a family looking for a primary school in a small river city with a manageable size, a working-class economic base, and a district that has recently channeled resources into building and technology, Richardson is a reasonable fit. Parents who want more detail on special education or English learner services, or who want to understand how the school supports early literacy and numeracy beyond the third-grade snapshot, would benefit from a direct conversation with the school’s leadership.
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