The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Waterloo Intermediate
Waterloo Intermediate serves just two grade levels, fifth and sixth, and sits on a single large campus in Waterloo that houses every grade in the Waterloo School District, from pre-kindergarten through high school. That campus, located near downtown on Highways 19 and 89, includes a swimming pool, fitness center, tennis courts, football field, and track, some of which are open to the public. For a family considering this school, the setting matters as much as the numbers: the building is shared with elementary, middle, and high school students, so an intermediate grader moves through hallways and facilities used by a wide age range.
The student body is small, typical for a school that covers only two grades. White students make up the majority of enrollment, with a substantial share of Hispanic students and a small number of students identifying as two or more races. More than four in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that places the school in a middle ground economically, not unusually high nor low for a public school in the region.
State assessment results from the most recent year available show a mixed picture. In fifth-grade math, just over a third of students scored proficient or above. In sixth-grade math, the share was closer to half. On the English language arts side, the pattern reversed: about a third of fifth graders met the proficiency benchmark, while more than half of sixth graders did. Participation rates were complete, meaning every enrolled student took the test, which gives the results full reliability as a measure of the whole cohort. Still, the overall proficiency composite across both subjects and grade levels placed Waterloo Intermediate in the bottom quarter relative to other districts in Jefferson County. That is a meaningful point of reference; a parent considering the school may want to ask about the specific instructional supports in place, particularly for fifth-grade reading and math.
No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios, so a parent looking for insight into school climate or student engagement will need to visit or speak with the school directly. The district brief turned up no recent lasting changes, such as boundary shifts, program closures, or leadership turnover, that would alter the school's day-to-day experience.
The community surrounding Waterloo Intermediate is small and economically anchored by the headquarters of Trek Bicycle Corporation and Van Holten Pickles, giving the town a distinct industrial-commercial identity rather than a purely residential one. The downtown area is recognized as a historic district. Home values in the area sit roughly in line with the state median, and the local unemployment rate mirrors the national figure. The city's population has been fairly stable in recent years, with modest growth followed by stabilization. No major new housing developments or growth initiatives were identified, suggesting a community that is not under rapid expansion pressure.
For a family, this is a small intermediate school in a stable small town with a single-campus district structure. The academic attainment is below the county midpoint, particularly in fifth-grade subjects, and the school's strengths are more about community integration and facility access than about standout test scores. A parent who values a combined campus with shared public amenities and a tight-knit town setting will find that here. A parent focused on academic performance metrics relative to nearby districts will want to dig deeper into the school's approach to elementary-to-middle-school transitions and intervention strategies. The gap in available data on discipline, staffing, and attendance means some key context is simply not part of the public record and must be gathered firsthand.
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