The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Math. The lowest is 58% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kittrell Elementary School
Kittrell Elementary School is a regular public school in Waterloo, Iowa, serving preschool through fifth grade as part of the Waterloo Community School District. It sits within the city’s fabric, a mid-sized regional hub for manufacturing, healthcare, and education in the Cedar Valley. John Deere has been a defining employer here for more than a century, and the city’s population reflects a mix of white, Black, and growing Latino, Congolese, and Burmese communities. Housing is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, and the local economy includes a notable advanced manufacturing and innovation center, TechWorks Campus.
Kittrell is a larger elementary school for its grade band. Its enrollment includes a substantial share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a detail that places it within a high-need context. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with no single group forming an outright majority; white students make up the largest share, followed by Black students, Hispanic students, Asian students, and smaller populations of students identifying as two or more races or as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Data on the number of students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available in the school’s profile.
On state assessments, the school posts mixed results. Math proficiency is a clear strength, with a strong majority of tested students meeting the state’s proficiency standard. English language arts proficiency is lower, and science proficiency, tested only within the upper elementary grades, sits at a similar level. Taken together, these results place the school’s overall proficiency well below the midpoint relative to other school districts in Black Hawk County. A parent reviewing these numbers may want to ask the school about its literacy and science instruction strategies and whether supports for students below the proficiency mark have changed over time. Because only one year of data was available for each subject, no trend can be observed to show whether performance is improving or declining.
The school serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, so high school measures like graduation rates do not apply. The district itself is in the midst of a major reorganization: it is consolidating its two traditional high schools into a single new high school called Waterloo United High School, a change approved in 2024 that will reshape the high school experience for all district families in the coming years. For elementary families considering Kittrell, this means the feeder pathway beyond the school is still being built.
Kittrell operates as a regular public school. It is not a charter or magnet school. Information on its Title I status, discipline rates, staffing ratios, and attendance patterns was not provided. A parent looking for details on class sizes, teacher qualifications, or school climate will need to follow up directly with the school or district.
For families weighing this school, the picture is one of a diverse, high-need elementary that shows a particular strength in math while English language arts and science trail behind. The district’s pending high school consolidation adds a layer of uncertainty about the long-term trajectory, but also signals investment in a unified secondary program. Housing in Waterloo remains affordable relative to much of the state, and the city’s role as a regional employment and services hub means many families live here for work rather than for a specific school reputation. Kittrell is a school where a parent would want to visit, talk to staff about literacy and science support, and understand how the coming high school changes will affect their child’s eventual middle and high school options.
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