The top reported proficiency rate is 100% in Math. The lowest is 89% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Earlville Elementary School
Earlville Elementary School serves a very specific role in the Maquoketa Valley Community School District: it is an early childhood center for children from pre-kindergarten through kindergarten. This grade configuration directly shapes what can be said about its academic performance and what measures simply do not apply. Because the school does not serve students in grades three or above, the only state assessment data available is from a single school year when a small group of kindergarten students took the Iowa Assessments. In that year, every tested student scored at or above the proficient level in math, and nearly all did in English language arts. These results, while strong, come from a very small number of test-takers and represent a single snapshot from years ago. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages those two subject scores, places it in the top quartile of schools relative to the handful of other districts in Delaware County. But that comparison should be taken with the full context of a pre-K and kindergarten program that is not designed for the same accountability measures that apply to elementary schools serving older grades. A parent evaluating this school will primarily be looking at the quality of the early learning environment rather than standardized test outcomes.
The student body is almost entirely white, with a very small Hispanic population and a similarly small share of students identifying as two or more races. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that is relatively modest for a rural Iowa school. The enrollment is concentrated in kindergarten, with a smaller pre-kindergarten program, and the total number of students would be considered small for a combined pre-K and kindergarten program. No data was reported on the share of students with individualized education programs or those who are English learners, so a parent with a child who may need those services would want to ask the district directly about available supports.
Earlville itself is a small, primarily residential community in eastern Delaware County, situated just off U.S. Highway 20. The town has a close-knit character with a mix of local businesses spanning agriculture, automotive services, construction, manufacturing, and real estate, but manufacturing is the largest employment sector for residents, followed by health care and social assistance. The homeownership rate is high, and housing values in the broader Delaware County area have risen at a pace that outpaces the national average but roughly matches the state’s typical growth. Most residents drive alone to work, with an average commute that likely takes them to nearby larger towns such as Manchester or Dyersville. The town’s population has seen a steady decline over the past two decades, a pattern common to many small rural Iowa communities, and no major new housing or commercial developments were identified in available sources. Civic life centers on the Ruth Suckow Memorial Library, Conrad Park, and a community center that hosts city council meetings.
The school building itself is located within the town, sharing the same street with City Hall and other civic facilities, which means the school is integrated into the everyday fabric of the community rather than sitting on a separated campus. For families looking at the Maquoketa Valley district, the elementary school is one part of a system that eventually feeds into a single high school serving the broader area. No recent district-level changes of lasting impact were found in publicly reported sources, so the district’s offerings and priorities appear to have been stable. A parent considering Earlville Elementary is looking at a small, early-grades program in a stable but slowly shrinking rural town, where the academic data is thin and nearly a decade old, and where the real evaluation will come from visiting the school, talking to staff, and understanding the early childhood philosophy in place.
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