The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in English language arts. The lowest is 79% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Interstate 35 Elementary School
Interstate 35 Elementary School serves children from prekindergarten through fourth grade in Truro, a very small town in southeast Madison County, Iowa. Truro sits along Interstate 35, roughly midway between Winterset and Osceola, and is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines metropolitan statistical area despite its rural character. The community has grown modestly in recent decades, and its population skews young, with many families drawn by the relatively low cost of living and proximity to the metro area. Housing values in the area run above the Iowa median but remain below national averages, and the local economy is typical of a small agricultural bedroom community.
The elementary school is a regular public school and part of the Interstate 35 Community School District. Its enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving only four grade levels plus prekindergarten, and it draws from the town and the surrounding rural area. The student body is overwhelmingly white, with small shares of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that positions the school well below the state average in economic disadvantage. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
State testing results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) cover students in the tested grades, third and fourth, and are recent from the 2024-25 school year. Proficiency rates are strong across all three subjects: a large majority of students met or exceeded standards in English language arts, math, and science. Participation on test day was nearly universal. When compared to other districts in Madison County on an overall proficiency index, Interstate 35 Elementary sits just below the midpoint of the three school systems in the county. Because only a single year of data is available, there is no trend to report. No graduation rate applies, as the school does not serve high school grades.
The school is not a charter, a magnet, or a Title I school, though the data does not specify its Title I status. No program offerings in areas such as gifted education, arts, or career pathways were reported, which is typical for a small elementary school focused on the early grades. Discipline, staffing, and attendance data were also absent from the record.
For a family considering this school, the academic performance picture for the youngest students is solid, with most children scoring proficient. The peer environment is homogeneous and economically stable relative to the state. The town itself is quiet and car-dependent, with a compact grid of streets and a few civic anchors: city hall, a public library, and an annual town festival. The entire Interstate 35 district campus is located within Truro, so elementary, middle, and high school are all inside the same small community. The district did not appear to have undergone recent significant changes that would affect a new family’s decision.
A parent may want to follow up on the missing information about special education and English learner services, as those details can shape whether the school meets a child’s particular needs. Otherwise, Interstate 35 Elementary presents as a straightforward, small-town public school with consistent achievement and a low-poverty student population, suited to families who value a close-knit rural setting and a straightforward academic start.
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