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.