Orange Elementary School

Orange Elementary School, a roomy elementary-level community in Waterloo, Iowa, overseen by Waterloo Comm School District, hosts 518 students, covering grades pre-K through 5. By comparison, Iowa's public schools average about 325 students each, so Orange Elementary School sits 59% larger than that benchmark.

Within Waterloo Comm School District, which oversees 18 schools and 10,484 students, Orange Elementary School is one campus in the system.

Looking at the student body, Orange Elementary School logs that 70% of the student body identifies as White. Other groups include 11% Black, 9% multiracial, 7% Hispanic. By comparison, Black Hawk County as a whole is about 80% White, so the school skews considerably less White than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, The school reports having 38 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 13.7:1. The state averages about 13.7:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Around 50% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Orange Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 67.1% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 76.1%.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Black Hawk County) shows that median household earnings sit near $66,417, 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. Across Black Hawk County's 35 public schools (combined enrollment of about 18,224 students), Orange Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Lou Henry Elementary School, around 2.3 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Orange Elementary School ranks 1st on composite proficiency, above the local average of 62.1%.

Orange Elementary School operates from a rural location.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Orange Elementary School has fell 3%, going from 536 students in 2018 to 518 in 2025. The White share of enrollment fell from 74% to 70% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 16.2:1 in 2018 to 13.7:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.