The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Math. The lowest is 64% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Fairbank Elementary School
Fairbank Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in the Wapsie Valley Community School District, a regular public school in the small, rural town of Fairbank, Iowa. The town itself has a quiet, low-density residential character, surrounded by agricultural land, and most residents commute by car to jobs in manufacturing, healthcare, and construction. The Little Wapsipinicon River runs through town, and civic anchors include a public library, a park, and a historical society. The school building is located near the town’s center, while the district’s secondary school is situated on the outskirts. Fairbank has seen modest growth in population and property values in recent years, but remains a very small community.
The student body at Fairbank Elementary is small and predominantly white, with a very small share of students identifying as two or more races, Hispanic, or Black. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a level that is modest for Iowa. The school does not report data on the share of students receiving special education services or those who are English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school about these supports directly. The school is not a charter or magnet, and no information was available about Title I status.
On the Iowa State Assessment of Student Progress, Fairbank Elementary’s results show a mixed picture compared to other districts in Buchanan County. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects falls below the midpoint of the four districts in the county. In math, about three-quarters of students scored proficient or above. In English language arts, just under three-quarters did. In science, about two-thirds of students scored proficient, though this test was taken by a smaller group of students, likely those in the grades that take the science assessment. Participation rates were high across all subjects, above 95 percent. Only one year of data is available for the school under this assessment, so there is no trend yet to examine.
Because Fairbank Elementary only serves students through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, nor would one apply here. The same is true for chronic absenteeism data, which was not available. The school does not appear to offer high school-level courses such as Advanced Placement or dual credit, as the grade band does not include those years. For families considering the full K-12 pathway, the district’s secondary school, Wapsie Valley High School, serves grades seven through twelve, and its performance is not reflected in this school’s data.
The housing market around Fairbank shows home values somewhat above the state average in Iowa, and below the national median. Mortgage rates and rents have been stable in recent months, and the unemployment rate nationally has been steady, though these are broad economic conditions rather than local specifics. A search for recent changes in the Wapsie Valley district turned up little of lasting impact, so the district appears to have been operating without major disruption or new initiatives that are publicly documented.
Fairbank Elementary presents as a small, rural elementary school with a predominantly white student body and a modest share of families facing economic need. Academic proficiency in math and English language arts is near the three-quarters mark, which places the school below the midpoint among county peers, while science proficiency is lower. The lack of data on special education and English learner populations is a gap a family might follow up on. The school’s setting in a quiet, low-density town with a short commute and steady growth will appeal to families looking for a small community school, but those seeking a wide range of programs or higher comparative test scores may want to investigate further.
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