Orchard Hill Elementary School

Orchard Hill Elementary School operates as an average-sized K-5 school in Cedar Falls, Iowa, part of Cedar Falls Comm School District. Current enrollment sits at 458 students spanning grades pre-K through 6. That puts it 41% bigger than the typical public school in Iowa, which averages around 325 students.

Cedar Falls Comm School District runs 10 schools in total, collectively educating 5,853 students. Orchard Hill Elementary School is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Orchard Hill Elementary School logs that White students make up the majority at 78%; the rest is composed of 9% multiracial, 5% Asian, 4% Hispanic, 3% Pacific Islander. Compared to Black Hawk County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

In terms of school funding signals, Orchard Hill Elementary School lists 34 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 13.6:1. The state averages about 13.7:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Around 29% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy. By comparison, Black Hawk County runs at roughly 52%, so the school's eligibility rate is lower than the surrounding baseline.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Orchard Hill Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 77.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 77.5%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Black Hawk County shows median household income runs about $66,417, 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Orchard Hill Elementary School is one of 35 public schools in Black Hawk County (combined enrollment of about 18,224 students).

The closest other public school is Southdale Elementary School, roughly 0.9 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Orchard Hill Elementary School. On composite proficiency, Orchard Hill Elementary School comes 6th of 9 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 73.6%.

Orchard Hill Elementary School operates from a high-density location.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Orchard Hill Elementary School has rose 26%, going from 363 students in 2018 to 458 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.