Candra Brooks
OST editor
cbrooks@shawmedia.com
A Sept. 18 Iowa school performance profiles report released by the Iowa Department of Education show an overall score/rating for Clarke elementary, middle and high schools as needing improvement, with Murray Elementary as commendable and the junior/senior high as acceptable.
Profile
Now in its second year following the state’s 2024 unified accountability system approved by the U.S. Department of Education, the plan looks to provide “critical, transparent information for families, educators and communities” that look at how public schools are serving Iowa students. Core indicators for English language arts, science, mathematics, chronic absenteeism, student growth and attendance growth are measured among all schools in grades kindergarten through twelve. For high schools, indicators also include graduation rates and postsecondary readiness. These indicators are then rated into one of six categories, from exceptional or highest performing down to priority/comprehensive or lowest performing.
“Iowa’s unified accountability system was designed in partnership with educators and communities to inform and advance continuous school improvement,” Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said in the press release.
For the past school year, overall scores increased 63.3%, up from 61% in 2023-24. Five hundred twenty-eight schools out of 1,276 moved up one more rating categories. About 56% of schools performed in the top three categories compared to the prior year’s 46%.
“With our teachers, school leaders and families working together to accelerate student learning, Iowa’s School Performance Profiles show impressive gains overall and among schools identified in need of support,” Snow said.
Clarke profile
Clarke Community Schools are broken down into the elementary, middle school and high school.
Overall, the school district reported 1,306 students enrolled. School demographics show 50.5% of the students were white, 44.4% Hispanic, 1.9% multi-racial, 1.4% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 1.1% black, 0.5% Asian and 0.2% Native American, with 52.1% male and 47.9% female. Students with disabilities are 11.9%, English learners 22.5% and low socio-economic status 57.3%.
The school district is listed as a “Targeted Year 2” for federal Every Student Succeeds Act, a subgroup for student groups below the same benchmark used to identify comprehensive schools.
Overall, Clarke schools passed the state average indicator in the following areas:
* all data using the in-depth view information, with a minimum number of 10 students reporting.
Assessment participation of English language arts ((percent of students taking Iowa assessments in English language arts) - 99.54, state 99.36.
Assessment participation mathematics (percent of students taking Iowa assessments in math) - 99.54, state 99.31.
Assessment participation composite (percent of students taking Iowa assessments in English language arts/math/science combined) - 99.47, state 99.31.
Post-secondary readiness index work-based learning - 56.38, state 45.
Chronic absenteeism, percentage of students who were present for 90% or less of enrolled days - 22.26, state 15.81.
In the following areas, Clarke schools were below but within five percentage points the state average indicator:
Assessment participation science (percent of students taking Iowa assessments in science) - 99.02, state 99.2
Growth mathematics - 49, state 50.
Growth English language arts - 49, state 50.
Attendance growth - 3.99, state 4.96
Graduation rate four-years - 86.61, state 88.27.
Graduation rate five-years - 88.46, state 89.88.
In the following areas, Clarke Schools were more than five percentage points below the state average indicator:
English language growth composite - 52.32, state 58.38.
Percent proficient English language arts - 58.08, state 73.56.
Percent proficient mathematics - 50.86, state 70.93.
Percent proficient science - 52.65, state 67.14.
Post-secondary readiness index college credit (percent of students earning college credit while in high school) - 59.38, state 70.03.
With a statewide overall performance average of 63.28%, Clarke Elementary (grades kindergarten through five, enrollment 596) had an overall performance of 56.13%, Clarke Middle School (grades six through eight, enrollment 289) 58.58% and Clarke High School (grades nine through 12, enrollment 421) 54.93%.
Other data for Clarke showed a staff retention rate of 74.8% with a statewide average of 84.6%.
Murray profile
For 2024-25, Murray Schools reported 294 students enrolled. Of those students, 94.6% were white, 4.4% Hispanic and 1.0% multi-racial with 51% male and 49% female. Students with disabilities totaled 14.3%, English learners 1.7% and low socio-economic status 45.2%.
Murray’s targeted status was marked as met, with no support required for ESSA support year.
Overall, Murray Schools met or passed the state average indicator in the following areas:
*all data using the in-depth view information, with a minimum number of 10 students reporting.
Graduation rate four years - 94.74, state 88.27.
Graduation rate five years - 96.3, state 89.88.
Growth English Language Arts - 50, state 50.
Percent proficient science - 73.13, state 67.14.
Post-secondary readiness index work-based learning - 78.95, state 45.
Post-secondary readiness index college credit - 81.25, state 70.03.
In the following areas, Murray Schools were below but within five percentage points the state average indicator:
Assessment participation English Language Arts - 98.98, state 99.36.
Assessment participation mathematics - 98.98, state 99.31.
Assessment participation composite - 98.91, state 99.31.
Assessment participation science - 98.53, state 99.2.
Attendance growth - 3.54, state 4.96.
In the following areas, Murray Schools were more than five percentage points below the state average indicator:
Chronic absenteeism - 10.49, state 15.81.
Growth mathematics - 39.5, state 50.
Percent proficient English Language Arts - 66.49, state 73.56.
Percent proficient mathematics - 64.43, state 70.93.
With a statewide overall performance average of 63.28%, Murray Elementary (grades kindergarten through five, enrollment 149) had an overall performance of 69.22% and Murray Junior/Senior High (grades six through 12, enrollment 145) an overall performance of 60.53%.
“Iowa’s continued commitment to evidence-based practices, instructional leadership and accountability is imperative, and we celebrate the hard work that led to these remarkable gains in early literacy and science proficiency, work-based learning attainment and attendance,” Snow said.
Other data
In addition to the various indicator levels, the school performance profiles also show which schools are identified for support and improvement to meet the requirements set forth in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. A three-year cycle, there are 35 Iowa schools in need of comprehensive support and improvement, the lowest performing 5% of Title I public schools.
The release from the Iowa Department of Education stated that in 2024-25, they provided “over 6,000 hours of school-based expert leadership support and classroom coaching and modeling in Iowa’s 35 CSI schools.” Thirty-two of the schools increased their overall scores average 5.4% points, while eight increased over 10% by implementing instruction practice.
Of the schools targeted for support and improvement, 136 of 377 from 2024 exited that status by student support to meet higher expectations. There were 99 new schools identified as targeted support and improvement. Overall, the number of schools in this status decreased by 10%, from 377 to 338 in 2025.
To see more of the performance profiles or to look at other schools or to look at specific levels within schools, visit iaschoolperformance.gov.
The Iowa School Performance Profiles was launched in 2018, and meets requirements of federal ESSA laws and state and federal requirements to have report cards that show the performance of public schools available for public viewing. Other school metrics are available as well.