The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Math. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland Elementary School
Highland Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Waterloo, Iowa, as part of the Waterloo Community School District. For a family considering this school, the picture is defined by a student body with high economic need, academic results that fall well below state and county benchmarks, and a district undergoing a major structural change at the high school level.
The school’s student enrollment is spread across the elementary grades. The student population is racially diverse: the largest groups are Black, White, and Hispanic students, each making up roughly a quarter to a third of enrollment, with a notable share of students who identify as two or more races. A very substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need in the community.
On the Iowa State Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), Highland’s results are below what many families would look for. In math, the proficiency rate sits below six in ten students. In English language arts, the rate is lower, below five in ten. In science, tested only in certain grades, the proficiency rate falls to the low forties. When compared with other districts in Black Hawk County, Highland’s overall proficiency across subjects, grades, and groups places it in the bottom quartile. These are soft spots a parent would want to look into further with the school. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in this profile, so a family with a child who may need these supports would want to ask the school directly about those programs and outcomes.
The school’s participation rate on the state assessment was high, in the mid-nineties, meaning the reported scores reflect nearly all enrolled students. The academic trend data shows only one year of results, so there is no basis to judge whether performance is improving or declining.
Highland Elementary is a regular public school in the Waterloo Community School District. That district is consolidating its two traditional high schools into a single new high school called Waterloo United High School. Plans were approved in mid-2024, and the new school will be located at the current Central Middle School and Waterloo Career Center site. For elementary families, this means the high school their child eventually attends will be a new, single building serving the entire district, a significant shift from the existing two-school model.
Waterloo itself is described as a mid-sized city and the county seat of Black Hawk County. It has long been a manufacturing hub, particularly for John Deere, and serves as a regional center for healthcare, education, and retail. The population is diverse, with growing Latino, Congolese, and Burmese communities. Housing in the area is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks. The city’s population has been essentially flat to slightly declining in recent years. The median rent is also low, making the area an accessible housing market for many families.
For a parent or resident, the core takeaway is that Highland Elementary serves a high-need population and produces academic proficiency rates that are well below the county average. The school’s test participation is strong, which strengthens the reliability of those results. The district is in the middle of a major consolidation at the high school level. A family considering this school would want to learn more about the specific instructional supports available, particularly in literacy and math, and what the path looks like from this elementary school through the district’s middle schools into the new consolidated high school.
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