Runnells Elementary

Located at 6575 SE 116th Street, in Runnells, Iowa, Runnells Elementary is an intimate K-5 school that instructs 260 students (grades pre-K through 5), operated by Southeast Polk Comm School District.

Runnells Elementary is one of 10 schools operated by Southeast Polk Comm School District, a district that teaches 6,359 students overall.

On demographics, Runnells Elementary shows that the student body is overwhelmingly White (83%). The remainder reads as 8% Hispanic, 4% multiracial, 3% Black.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school reports having 18 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 14.6:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.7:1, putting Runnells Elementary higher than the state norm the norm. Roughly 27% of students at Runnells Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Polk County runs at roughly 49%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat below the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Runnells Elementary sits in the top 10% of Iowa schools after the BeatsExpectations adjustment. Predicted proficiency for the school's FRL share is roughly 78.5%; actual is 89.8%, +11.3 points clear of the demographic baseline.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Polk County put median household income runs about $83,576, 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Runnells Elementary is one of 137 public schools in Polk County (combined enrollment of about 77,436 students).

Hartford Upper Elementary is the nearest neighboring public school, about 4.7 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Runnells Elementary ranks 1st on composite proficiency, above the local average of 74.6%.

Runnells Elementary operates from a low-density location.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Runnells Elementary has decreased 4%, going from 270 students in 2018 to 260 in 2025. The White share of enrollment shrank from 89% to 83% over that span. Class-load math has narrowed: from 16.4:1 in 2018 to 14.6:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the feed for Runnells Elementary typically covers pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. The community welcomes input from current and former families.