The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Math. The lowest is 79% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through third grade in Pella, Iowa, a small city with a distinctive Dutch heritage and a manufacturing-driven economy. The school is a regular public school within the Pella Community School District. Because Lincoln’s grade span ends at third grade, the available state test results come only from third graders, giving a limited but telling snapshot of early academic foundations.
On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Lincoln’s third graders posted very strong results. The share of students reaching proficiency in math was extremely high, and the share reaching proficiency in English language arts was also high. These are single-year figures with no prior trend because the school’s testable cohort is only one grade; there is no multiyear record to compare. Still, the performance places Lincoln’s overall proficiency index in the top quartile relative to other districts in Marion County, indicating that among the five districts in the county, Lincoln’s early-grade academic outcomes rank near the top.
The student body is small, with an enrollment that reflects the school’s narrow grade band. The population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic students, students of two or more races, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students, Asian students, and Black students. A modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that is low compared with many Iowa public schools. Data on special education and English learner enrollment were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Pella itself is a compact community that blends residential neighborhoods, a walkable downtown with Dutch-influenced architecture and a canal, and major manufacturers such as Pella Corporation and Vermeer Corporation, which anchor the local economy. Housing values in the area run considerably higher than typical for Iowa, roughly in line with the national figure, and rents have been rising. The presence of Central College adds a small college-town dimension, and the city’s parks, trails, and nearby Lake Red Rock offer recreation options. The district brief turned up no recent parent-relevant changes such as bond measures or curriculum shifts that would alter the school landscape for families.
Because Lincoln Elementary exits after third grade, students move on to another school in the district for upper elementary grades, and parents will want to consider that feeder pathway. For a family weighing early elementary options, Lincoln presents a school with strong foundational test results, a small and relatively homogeneous student body, and a community setting that is economically stable and culturally distinctive. The limited available data leave open questions about special programs, teacher experience, and disciplinary climate, but the academic picture available points to a school performing at a high level in its early grades.
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