The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Math. The lowest is 70% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Timber Ridge Elementary
Timber Ridge Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Johnston, a fast-growing suburban city in the Des Moines metropolitan area. The school is part of the Johnston Community School District, which has publicly reported sustained improvements in attendance and academic proficiency across its schools. Johnston itself has nearly tripled in population over recent decades, mixing family-oriented neighborhoods with major corporate campuses such as Corteva Agriscience and John Deere Financial. Housing values in the area are elevated relative to state and national benchmarks, and the community is car-oriented with limited transit and no traditional downtown core. The everyday texture is suburban: subdivisions, office parks, strip retail, and a network of parks and trails.
Academically, Timber Ridge Elementary students take the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). On the most recent results available, a substantial majority of students met or exceeded proficiency standards in both math and English language arts, with science proficiency showing a similar pattern. Participation rates were very high across all tested subjects, indicating near-universal student engagement in the assessment. Only one year of data is provided, so trends are not yet visible; a parent looking to track year-over-year change would need to seek additional information from the district or school. When placed relative to other districts in Polk County, Timber Ridge’s overall proficiency index lands slightly below the midpoint of the cohort, meaning the school’s academic performance sits near the middle of the field among its county peers. This is a solid foundation, but not at the top tier of the comparison set.
The student body is diverse. A majority of students are white, with sizeable Asian, Hispanic, and Black populations, as well as a modest share of students who identify as two or more races. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common measure of economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided records, so a parent interested in special education services or language support should follow up directly with the school. The enrollment of more than six hundred students across kindergarten through fifth grade makes this a relatively large elementary school, with multiple sections per grade.
The district has highlighted a significant reduction in chronic absenteeism in recent years and expanded concurrent enrollment and career-technical education offerings at the high school level. While those high school programs are not directly relevant to an elementary student, they signal a district that invests in attendance and broadens postsecondary pathways. The community context of Johnston—rising home values, corporate investment, and rapid growth—suggests a stable, resource-rich environment for families. The school itself operates as a regular public elementary school with no charter or magnet designation, and Title I status was not reported.
For a family considering Timber Ridge Elementary, the picture is one of a solid academic performer in an affluent, expanding suburban setting. Test scores are above the state average but sit near the middle of the county’s district-level comparison, which is a competitive field. The student body is economically mixed and racially diverse, unusual for a suburb of this type. The surrounding housing market is expensive, reflecting the area’s desirability. A parent may want to investigate special education and English learner provisions further, as those details were not included in the available data. Overall, this is a school that fits families seeking a well-resourced suburban elementary experience with strong baseline academics in a growing community.
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