The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in Math. The lowest is 71% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Central Springs Elementary School - Nora Springs
Central Springs Elementary School in Nora Springs serves students from prekindergarten through third grade, making it the entry point for children in the Central Springs Community School District. Because it covers only the early elementary years, the school does not have a graduation rate, and state testing applies only to third graders, which gives a limited but telling snapshot of academic performance.
The school’s third graders take the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress in math and English language arts. Math results are strong: a large majority of students met proficiency standards. English language arts results are solid as well, with about three in four students reaching proficiency. These figures place the school’s overall proficiency index above the midpoint of the two districts in Floyd County, meaning it performs favorably compared to its local peers. Science testing data is from several years ago and used a different assessment, so it is not directly comparable and best set aside.
Enrollment is small, with roughly 140 students across five grades, from prekindergarten through third. The student body is predominantly white, with a very small share of Hispanic students and a handful of students identifying as two or more races or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. About one in three students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is moderate for the region. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available from the source, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
The school serves children from Nora Springs and the nearby Rock Falls area. Its campus is integrated into the town rather than separated on its own grounds. Older elementary students in grades four through eight attend school at the same Nora Springs site, while high school students travel about a half-hour north to the district’s Manly campus. This split means that families with children across grade spans will have children in two different buildings, and eventually all students will make a transition to a separate high school community.
Nora Springs itself is a small rural town along the Shell Rock River, with a population that has remained modest over recent years. The town’s commercial core runs along Hawkeye Avenue and includes a handful of local businesses such as a bank, a restaurant, a dental office, a nursing home, and an assisted living center. The larger city of Mason City lies roughly a short drive west, and many residents commute there for employment. Housing in the area is relatively affordable, with home values below state and national medians, and rents also below typical levels. The town has invested in parks and recreation infrastructure, including a pedestrian bridge connecting the two sides of the river, a scenic park at the old millpond, and an aquatic center that is popular in summer. Annual events like Buffalo Days draw the community together at Boulder Park.
No recent parent-relevant changes or major developments were found in the district’s operations. The district was formed roughly two decades ago through the merger of two previous districts, and it has maintained its two-campus structure since then. For a family considering this school, the key features are a small, rural elementary experience with strong early math and reading outcomes, a homogenous student body, and a quiet town setting where the school sits at the center of community life. The split-grade configuration and the eventual commute to high school in Manly are practical details worth weighing. The school does not report any specialized programs or course offerings beyond the standard elementary curriculum, and data on discipline, attendance, and staffing was not available, so those aspects are not possible to characterize here. A parent looking into this school will want to tour the building, speak with the principal about class sizes and support services, and understand how the district connects the two campuses for families.
See more original research from School Decision →