The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in Math. The lowest is 50% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on George Washington Carver Academy
George Washington Carver Academy is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Waterloo, Iowa, within the Waterloo Community School District. It draws its enrollment from a city that functions as a regional hub for manufacturing, healthcare, and education. Waterloo is home to long-established industrial employers including John Deere and Tyson Fresh Meats, and its population is notably diverse, with a substantial Black community and growing Latino, Congolese, and Burmese populations. The city itself has seen a modest population decline in recent years, and its housing market is relatively affordable, with home values and rents well below state and national benchmarks.
The school’s composition reflects the surrounding community. Its student body is predominantly Black, with a significant proportion of Hispanic students, a smaller share of white students, and a presence of multiracial and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students. A very large share of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that this school serves a high-needs community. Enrollment is distributed roughly evenly across the three middle grades.
On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), just over half of Carver Academy’s students met or exceeded proficiency standards in math, English language arts, and science. The school’s overall proficiency across those subjects was in the bottom quartile when compared to other school districts in Black Hawk County. This is a straightforward picture of a school where a majority of students are not reaching the state’s proficiency benchmarks, a pattern that a parent may want to discuss with the school administration to understand the academic support and intervention strategies in place.
Because Carver Academy serves only middle school grades, there is no four-year graduation rate to report. Academic trend data is limited to a single year, so year-over-year progress cannot be assessed from this data. Additional context on student support programs is absent. The data did not include information on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, nor did it contain civil rights data such as discipline rates. A parent looking for that information would need to seek it directly from the school or district.
The district itself is undergoing a major structural change. Plans have been approved to consolidate its two traditional high schools into a single new facility called Waterloo United High School. This project will reshape the high school experience for all students in the district, including those who will eventually move up from Carver Academy. For families with middle schoolers, this consolidation is a significant long-term factor to consider when thinking about the full K-12 trajectory.
For a family considering this school, the key facts are clear. Carver Academy serves a diverse, high-poverty student population in a mid-sized industrial city. Academic proficiency rates are below the county median. The school is part of a district that is actively consolidating its high schools into a single institution. Any parent evaluating this school will want to understand the specific academic interventions available, how the school supports students who are not yet proficient, and what the transition will look like for students entering a newly merged high school in a few years.
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