Enrollment
292
Elementary
DISTRICT 297 · STATE 325
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·CHARITON COMM SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 190705000317
Van Allen Elementary School
1129 Ashland, Chariton, IA 50049 · (641) 774-5047 · Lucas County
GRADES 03–05ELEMENTARY43-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL292 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
16.2:1
18 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.7:1 · STATE 13.7:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
60%
175 students
DISTRICT 59% · STATE 41%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Student demographics
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within Chariton Comm School District. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
ISASP 2024-25 . % ProficientEnglish Language Arts
71.8%
IA avg 73.6% . +8.6pp since 2023
Math
66.0%
IA avg 70.9% . -0.2pp since 2023
What this means: On the ISASP, Iowa's statewide test, about 72 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 66 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Iowa schools, those numbers are about 74 and 71. Reading and writing scores are up about 9 points since 2023, while math scores have held steady.
Source: ISASP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
65.7%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
62.0%
based on IA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+3.7pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 66% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 62% typical for Iowa schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Iowa's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
7-year change
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
292
+8 (+3%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
16.2:1
was 13.8:1
% White
90%
was 96%
% Hispanic
8%
was 2%
% Asian
0%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
About Van Allen Elementary School
As a mid-tier elementary campus in Chariton, Iowa, Van Allen Elementary School caters to 292 students from grades 3 through 5, operated by Chariton Comm School District.
Chariton Comm School District runs 4 schools in total, collectively educating 1,249 students. Van Allen Elementary School is one of those campuses.
On the student-mix side, Van Allen Elementary School shows that nearly all students (90%) are White. Other groups include 8% Hispanic, 2% multiracial.
On the resource side, The school currently runs with 18 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 16.2:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 13.7:1 average. About 60% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.
On a demographically-adjusted basis, Van Allen Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 62.0% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 65.7%.
In the area at large, the surrounding county (Lucas County) reports that median household earnings sit near $61,793, roughly 16% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 12% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Van Allen Elementary School is one of 4 public schools in Lucas County (combined enrollment of about 1,249 students).
The closest other public school is Chariton High School, roughly 0.3 miles away. Counting just inside five miles, 3 other public schools cluster around Van Allen Elementary School. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Van Allen Elementary School ranks 4th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 66.2%.
The school occupies an outlying site.
Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 3%: 284 students in 2018 compared to 292 in 2025. The White share of enrollment ticked down from 96% to 90% over that span. Class-load math has loosened: from 13.8:1 in 2018 to 16.2:1 in 2025.
On the community side, the feed for Van Allen Elementary School typically covers science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Lucas County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
8,716
Census ACS
Median income
$61,793
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
16%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
12%
Below federal line
Schools in county
4
1,249 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Chariton Comm School District
- Chariton High SchoolHigh · 372 students
- Columbus Elementary SchoolElementary · 301 students
- Chariton Middle SchoolMiddle · 284 students
Other schools in Chariton
- Chariton High SchoolHigh · 372 students
- Columbus Elementary SchoolElementary · 301 students
- Chariton Middle SchoolMiddle · 284 students
Nearby schools
- Chariton High School0.3 mi · 372
- Chariton Middle School0.5 mi · 284
- Columbus Elementary School0.7 mi · 301
- Southeast Warren Intermediate12.4 mi · 95
- Melcher-Dallas High School14.2 mi · 151
- Melcher-Dallas Elementary15.1 mi · 157
Frequently asked questions
About Van Allen Elementary SchoolHow many students attend Van Allen Elementary School?
Van Allen Elementary School enrolls approximately 292 students in grades 03-05.
Is Van Allen Elementary School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Van Allen Elementary School is an elementary school covering grades 03-05.
How many teachers does Van Allen Elementary School have?
Van Allen Elementary School employs 18 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 16.2:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Van Allen Elementary School?
At Van Allen Elementary School, the student body is approximately 90% White, 8% Hispanic, 0% Black, 2% Two or more.
Who oversees Van Allen Elementary School?
Van Allen Elementary School is overseen by Chariton Comm School District in Lucas County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.