Central Elementary School

Located at 501 6th St, in Coralville, Iowa, Central Elementary School is an average-sized primary school that enrolls 343 students (grades pre-K through 5), overseen by Iowa City Comm School District.

Across the 29 schools in Iowa City Comm School District (15,111 students total), Central Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Central Elementary School shows that 41% of students identify as White, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest reads as 29% Black, 15% Hispanic, 9% multiracial, 6% Asian. That is noticeably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 76%.

On the income-and-resources front, Central Elementary School records 30 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 11.4:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.7:1, putting Central Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 48% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is noticeably above Johnson County's rate of about 37%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, Central Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 67.9% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 62.8%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Johnson County) records that median household earnings sit near $74,935, roughly 55% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. In all, Johnson County runs 43 public schools (combined enrollment of about 20,019 students), of which Central Elementary School is one.

Northwest Middle School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.7 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, Central Elementary School comes 8th of 9 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 72.7%.

Central Elementary School operates from a commuter-belt location.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 26%: 465 students in 2018 compared to 343 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 53% to 41% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 15.3:1 in 2018 to 11.4:1 today.

On the community side, members of the Central Elementary School community share and discuss sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.