The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in English language arts. The lowest is 57% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Woodbury Elementary School
Woodbury Elementary School serves the youngest students in the Marshalltown Community School District, from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. Located in the city of Marshalltown, the school sits in a community that functions as a regional hub in north-central Iowa, with an industrial base that includes major employers in pork processing, valve manufacturing, and HVAC production. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and the data does not indicate whether it receives Title I funding.
The student body reflects the demographics of the community. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves a student population that is predominantly Hispanic, with a far smaller share of white students and very small numbers of students identifying as Black, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or of two or more races. Data on the share of students with disabilities or those classified as English learners was not available in the provided records.
Academically, the school reported state assessment results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress for the most recent school year. In English language arts, a majority of students scored at the proficient level or above. In math, a majority also met the proficiency benchmark, though the proficiency rate in math was lower than in reading. The school's overall proficiency rate across tested subjects fell below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Marshall County. The school has only a single year of assessment data in the available records, so there is no trend information to show whether performance is moving in a particular direction. The participation rate on the state assessments was above the threshold that raises questions about whether all tested students were included, but a parent may want to confirm with the school that this participation level is typical.
Because Woodbury serves only early elementary grades, the school does not report a graduation rate, and the school environment data does not include information on discipline rates, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism. These are metrics that apply to older grade spans or require separate reporting, so their absence does not suggest a problem, though a parent might ask the school about class sizes or teacher retention directly.
Housing in the Marshalltown area is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks. Homes in the zip code covering the school are valued below the typical Iowa home, and rents are also below the state average. The area's population has been relatively stable in recent years. Marshalltown experienced a damaging tornado a number of years ago and a severe derecho a few years after that; the downtown district has been described as recovering and growing since then. The city is connected to Des Moines by an expressway, making it accessible for families who commute.
The district that oversees Woodbury, Marshalltown Community School District, is the largest employer in the area aside from the industrial plants and is headquartered in the city. The school's elementary-only grade band means that families will need to plan for a transition to a middle or intermediate school after fourth grade, whether within the same district or elsewhere.
For a family considering this school, the central takeaway is that Woodbury serves a diverse and economically varied student body in a stable regional city with affordable housing. Academic results in reading were stronger than in math, and both subjects showed a majority of students reaching proficiency, though the school's performance sits lower than some other districts in the county. A parent would likely want to visit the school and ask about supports for math instruction and about how the school serves its large population of students who qualify for meal assistance, as those details are not provided in the available data.
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