The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Math. The lowest is 64% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Winterset Elementary School
Winterset Elementary School serves prekindergarten through third grade in the Winterset Community School District, a public school system based in the Madison County seat roughly thirty miles southwest of Des Moines. Because the school ends at third grade, there is no graduation rate to report here, and the academic picture comes from a single year of state testing, which covers only the grades that sit for Iowa’s ISASP assessments.
On those assessments, mathematics proficiency sits at a comfortable level. The school’s reading and English language arts proficiency is a bit lower, though still above the midpoint for a typical school. With only one year of testing data available, there is no trend line to show whether performance is improving or declining, and a parent who wants a longer view may want to ask the district whether earlier years are comparable before forming a judgment. The school’s overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint in a three-district county, which is a narrow field; the difference between the top and bottom of that small set is not wide.
The student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic students and students identifying as two or more races. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that is substantial and worth noting for a family weighing the economic mix of the peer group. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners were not provided; a parent who needs that information should ask the school directly.
Winterset itself is a small historic town built around a courthouse square. It is known for its covered bridges, tourism tied to John Wayne’s birthplace, and a city park on the National Register of Historic Places. The town has seen population growth since the 2020 census and newer residential developments on the outskirts, though some of those areas lack sidewalks. There is no city bus system; transit is limited to a door-to-door service for seniors and people with disabilities. Housing costs are below the national average, and the median household income falls in the middle range for a town of this size.
The district passed a bond referendum in 2022 to fund construction of a new elementary school building and renovations to existing facilities. That project will have a direct effect on Winterset Elementary, which currently houses nearly five hundred students across prekindergarten through third grade. A new building may mean updated classrooms and space that reflects current educational needs, and the bond will affect property taxes for residents.
For a family, this is a school that serves the earliest grades in a community that is small-town in character, modestly growing, and anchored by tourism and local government. The academic performance at one point in time is solid in math and adequate in reading, and the narrow grade span means students will move on to other buildings in the district before too long. A parent who wants a full picture of school support services, special education staffing, and trend data on student growth will need to supplement what is publicly available with a direct conversation with the school.
See more original research from School Decision →