Sylvia Enarson Elementary School

Located at 219 Central Avenue, in Villisca, Iowa, Sylvia Enarson Elementary School is a very small K-5 school that instructs 112 students (grades pre-K through 5), run under Villisca Comm School District. Compared to the state average of about 325 students per school, that is 66% below typical.

Villisca Comm School District runs 2 schools in total, collectively educating 243 students. Sylvia Enarson Elementary School is one of those campuses.

In terms of who attends, Sylvia Enarson Elementary School lists that nearly all students (95%) are White. The remainder looks like 4% Hispanic. That composition is broadly in line with Montgomery County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Sylvia Enarson Elementary School has 10 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 11.5:1. The state averages around 13.7:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 52% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Sylvia Enarson Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 66.0%; this one delivers 73.6%.

In the area at large, ACS estimates for Montgomery County put the typical household earns roughly $63,666 per year, about 20% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 10%. Across Montgomery County's 7 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,473 students), Sylvia Enarson Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Southwest Valley Middle School, roughly 0.4 miles away. Within ten miles, there are 3 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Sylvia Enarson Elementary School ranks 6th on composite proficiency, ahead of the local average of 70.5%.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Sylvia Enarson Elementary School has fell 16%, going from 133 students in 2018 to 112 in 2025. Class-load math has pulled in: from 13.8:1 in 2018 to 11.5:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Members of the school community can share what they know.