Five Iowa Schools Honored for Breaking Education Barriers

The State Board of Education honored five schools from across the state last week for their work to raise achievement among students who traditionally face challenges in the classroom. 

The State Board of Education created the “Breaking Barriers to Teaching and Learning Award” to recognize successful efforts to eliminate gaps in achievement among students. 

This year’s award-winners were recognized for having the highest proficiency rates statewide in math and reading among a specific subgroup of students, such as students who do not speak English as their native language and students from low-income backgrounds. State assessment data from five years were examined to confirm a positive trend for each school. 

The schools that met these criteria are: 

Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls Community School District: Recognized for its work with African-American students. A full 78 percent of the school’s African-American students are proficient in math and reading, compared to a statewide average of only 52 percent. 

Davis Elementary School, Grinnell-Newburg Community School District: Recognized for its work with students on Individualized Education Programs or IEPs. The proficiency rate for Davis Elementary students on IEPs is 82 percent in reading and math. That compares to a statewide average of 43 percent. 

Hillside Elementary School, West Des Moines Community School District: Recognized for its work with English language learners or ELLs. The proficiency rate for Hillside’s ELL students is 70 percent in reading and math. That compares to a statewide average of 49 percent for the same group of students. 

Riverdale Heights Elementary School, Pleasant Valley Community School District: Honored for its work with Latino students. Ninety-eight percent of Latino students are proficient in reading and math, compared to the statewide average of 62 percent. 

Southeast Elementary School, Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District: Recognized for its work with students who come from low-income families. With a third of the school’s student population qualifying for free and reduced-price lunches, 98 percent of those children are proficient in reading and math. The statewide average is 65 percent. 

Interviews with school principals revealed a common thread between the honored schools: the use of evidence-based practices, a staff-wide commitment, high expectations and substantial teacher collaboration.