The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in English language arts. The lowest is 57% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Whittier Elementary School
Whittier Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Indianola, a central Iowa city that functions as the county seat of Warren County. The school is part of the Indianola Community School District, which operates four elementary schools across the growing suburban community located just south of Des Moines.
The student body at Whittier is predominantly white, with a modest share of students identifying as Hispanic or as two or more races, and a very small number of Black and Asian students enrolled. Roughly three in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that places the school within a moderate range for economic need. The school has a notably high pre-kindergarten enrollment relative to the other grades, suggesting a strong early childhood program that draws families into the building before their children reach kindergarten.
On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, tested students at Whittier posted proficiency rates that parents will want to examine with some attention to subject. In English language arts, a solid majority of students met or exceeded the state’s proficiency benchmark, a result that aligns near the statewide average for elementary schools. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient was also above the majority mark, though somewhat lower than the reading result. Science proficiency, tested in one grade at this school, came in at a level where a little over half of students were proficient. Across all three subjects, the combined proficiency index placed the school in the bottom quarter among the five school districts in Warren County. That county-level comparison set is small, and the scores themselves are not weak, but a family moving into the area may want to ask the school how it supports students who are not yet meeting the mark, particularly in science and math.
Because Whittier serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report and no high school program data. The school does not appear to offer specialized program tracks or magnet options, which is typical for a neighborhood elementary school of this type. Discipline data, staffing ratios, and chronic absenteeism rates were not available in the data provided, so a full picture of the school environment is incomplete.
The Indianola Community School District has made significant investments in its facilities and instruction. Voters renewed the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, a property tax funding source for infrastructure, and the school board approved a major renovation at the high school that includes a new auditorium and classroom upgrades. More directly relevant to Whittier families, the district implemented a new evidence-based literacy curriculum across all elementary schools starting in the 2024-25 school year, aligned with Iowa’s statewide reading framework. That curriculum change means any parent enrolling a child at Whittier can expect the school’s reading instruction to follow the science of reading approach.
Indianola itself is a growing community. The city’s population has increased steadily in recent years, and housing values reflect that demand, with median home prices in the area running above the statewide average. The city has a traditional downtown with a central square, a liberal arts college in Simpson College, and annual events like the National Balloon Classic that draw regional visitors. Commute times to Des Moines are moderate, and most residents drive to work. For a family considering Whittier, the school offers a standard elementary experience in a district that is actively investing in its buildings and curriculum, set within a city that is growing and well-connected to the Des Moines metro.
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