The top reported proficiency rate is 94% in English language arts. The lowest is 62% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Remsen-union Elementary School
Remsen-Union Elementary School is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in the small, rural town of Remsen, Iowa. The school is part of the Remsen-Union Comm School District and sits within a community that has seen slow population decline over recent decades, with a housing stock dominated by owner‑occupied single‑family homes and a mix of families and retirees. Home values in the area are moderately above the statewide typical level but below the national typical level, and the local unemployment rate has been steady near the national average. The district’s publicly reported information shows no major recent changes in curriculum, facilities, or tax measures.
Academically, state testing results from the most recent year show a strong performance in the tested elementary grades. On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, proficiency in English language arts was high, and proficiency in mathematics was also strong. These results come from a tested group that is small in size, so year‑to‑year swings can happen without signaling a deeper trend. Science results were available only from an older assessment and a different test, making those numbers less current. Because the school serves only through fourth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and data on chronic absenteeism and special‑education identification were not available in the data we reviewed.
When placed alongside the other districts in Plymouth County, the overall proficiency index for this school sits slightly below the middle of the five districts. The difference between the school’s index and the county median is narrow, and a parent looking at these numbers would see performance that is generally competitive with nearby schools, while being aware that the small size of the tested cohort makes any single year’s figure less stable than in a larger school.
The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and small percentages of Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and multiracial students. Just over a third of students qualify for free or reduced‑price lunch, a marker of economic need that is relatively common in this part of rural Iowa. The school’s enrollment is small, with a single class per grade in the elementary years, which often means teachers know students individually and families become closely involved with the school.
Remsen itself is a compact, walkable town with a traditional Main Street, a public library, and a mix of civic buildings and churches. The school building is integrated into the residential fabric rather than set on a remote campus, and families can reach most destinations within town on foot or by car. The surrounding area is agricultural, and the local economy is anchored by the school district, the town government, and farming‑related businesses. For a family looking for a small‑town elementary experience where class sizes are small and test scores are solid, Remsen‑Union Elementary fits that description. Parents may want to ask the school directly about special‑education supports and any after‑school programs, since those details were not part of the data we examined.
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