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Public School Review - Established 2003

Southdale Elementary School

627 Orchard Dr
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
(School attendance zone shown in map)
View full size Get directions
: 
10/
10
Top 10%
Tel: (319) 553-2900
www.cfschools.org
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Serving 539 students in grades Prekindergarten-6, Southdale Elementary School ranks in the top 10% of all schools in Iowa for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 20%, and reading proficiency is top 20%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 84% (which is higher than the Iowa state average of 68%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 90% (which is higher than the Iowa state average of 70%).
The student-teacher ratio of 14:1 is equal to the Iowa state level of 14:1.
Minority enrollment is 20% of the student body (majority Asian and Black), which is lower than the Iowa state average of 30% (majority Hispanic).

Quick Facts (2026)

  • Grades: Prekindergarten-6
  • Enrollment: 539 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 20%
  • : Top 10% in IA
  • : 84% (Top 20%)
  • : 90% (Top 5%)
  • : 80-89% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

Top Rankings

Southdale Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Iowa for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 10%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)

School Overview

Southdale Elementary School's student population of 539 students has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
The teacher population of 39 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades Prekindergarten-6
(Supplemental Virtual)

Distribution of Students By Grade Trends

GradeSouthdale Elementary School
Pre-K74
Kind61
178
253
369
463
572
669
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Total Students
539 students

Total Students Trends Over Years (1989-2025)

YearSouthdale Elementary School
2025539
2024562
2023530
2022535
2021524
2020543
2019567
2018753
2017753
2016691
2015663
2014621
2013613
2012571
2011549
2010515
2009464
2008467
2007448
2006412
2005401
2004379
2003352
2002383
2001396
2000379
1999394
1998353
1997352
1996365
1995366
1994385
1993411
1992411
1991427
1990413
1989400
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Total Classroom Teachers
39 teachers

Total Classroom Teachers Trends Over Years (1989-2025)

YearSouthdale Elementary School
202539
202438
202340
202239
202138
202038
201938
201848
201748
201645
201544
201441
201340
201236
201132
201028
200922
200825
200731
200628
200528
200425
200323
200227
200130
200024
199923
199819
199721
199622
199521
199422
199322
199222
199121
199021
198921
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School Calendar
View School Calendar
School Motto
A Tradition of Excellence

School Rankings

Southdale Elementary School ranks within the top 10% of all 1,223 schools in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).
The diversity score of Southdale Elementary School is 0.35, which is less than the diversity score at state average of 0.48. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Definition of Terms
This School
State Level (IA)
#75 out of 1223 schools
(Top 10%)

Overall School Rank Trends Over Years (2012-2023)

YearSouthdale Elementary School
2023#75
2022#103
2021#178
2019#137
2018#341
2017#224
2016#191
2015#195
2014#396
2013#386
2012#294
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84%
68%

Math Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2012-2023)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
202384%68%81%
202279%64%77%
202178%64%76%
201983%69%82%
201888%76%87%
201791%77%87%
201691%78%88%
201591%79%88%
201488%79%88%
201386%77%84%
201291%76%84%
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90%
70%

Reading and Language Arts Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2011-2022)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
202290%70%82%
202178%68%79%
201982%68%81%
201880%74%87%
201783%75%84%
201685%75%85%
201585%76%85%
201481%76%83%
201380%72%78%
201278%71%76%
201185%76%83%
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80-89%
63%

Science Proficiency Comparison Over Years (2021-2022)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
202284%63%75%
202162%60%75%
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Student-Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1

Student-Teacher Ratio Comparison Over Years (1989-2025)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
202514:114:1
202415:114:114:1
202313:114:114:1
202214:114:114:1
202114:114:113:1
202014:114:114:1
201915:114:114:1
201816:114:114:1
201716:114:114:1
201615:114:114:1
201515:114:114:1
201415:114:114:1
201315:114:115:1
201216:114:114:1
201117:114:114:1
201018:114:115:1
200921:114:117:1
200819:114:115:1
200714:114:114:1
200615:113:113:1
200514:114:114:1
200415:114:113:1
200315:114:115:1
200214:114:114:1
200113:115:114:1
200016:115:115:1
199917:115:116:1
199818:115:116:1
199717:115:116:1
199617:115:117:1
199518:115:116:1
199418:115:116:1
199319:116:118:1
199219:115:117:1
199120:115:118:1
199019:115:118:1
198919:119:123:1
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American Indian
n/a
n/a
Asian
6%
3%

Asian Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1991-2024)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
20247%3%4%
20237%2%3%
20228%3%4%
20218%3%4%
20207%3%4%
20196%3%4%
20185%2%4%
20175%2%4%
20165%2%3%
20155%3%4%
20146%3%4%
20135%3%4%
20126%2%4%
20117%2%4%
20106%2%3%
20097%2%3%
20086%2%3%
20075%2%4%
20064%2%3%
20055%2%3%
20043%2%3%
20032%2%3%
20023%2%3%
20013%2%3%
19993%2%3%
19983%2%3%
19973%2%4%
19963%2%3%
19954%2%3%
19943%2%3%
19936%1%3%
19925%1%3%
19917%1%3%
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Hispanic
3%
14%

Hispanic Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1998-2024)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
20244%13%3%
20233%13%3%
20222%12%3%
20212%12%3%
20203%11%3%
20192%11%3%
20181%11%2%
20171%11%2%
20162%10%3%
20153%11%3%
20143%10%3%
20134%9%3%
20124%9%3%
20114%9%3%
20103%8%3%
20093%7%2%
20082%7%2%
20074%6%3%
20062%5%2%
20051%5%2%
20041%5%1%
20031%4%1%
20011%4%1%
19991%3%1%
19981%3%1%
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Black
4%
7%

Black Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1988-2024)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
20244%7%4%
20234%7%5%
20223%7%5%
20213%7%5%
20203%6%4%
20193%6%4%
20184%6%5%
20174%6%5%
20163%6%4%
20151%5%4%
20142%5%4%
20132%5%4%
20122%5%4%
20113%5%4%
20103%5%4%
20095%6%5%
20087%6%6%
20075%5%5%
20065%4%5%
20058%5%5%
20047%4%4%
20037%4%4%
20025%4%3%
20015%4%3%
20003%3%2%
19994%4%3%
19985%3%3%
19972%3%2%
19963%3%2%
19953%3%3%
19942%3%3%
19932%3%2%
19922%3%2%
19911%3%2%
19901%3%1%
19891%3%1%
19882%3%1%
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White
80%
70%

White Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (1988-2024)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
202480%71%83%
202379%72%83%
202282%73%83%
202180%74%83%
202081%75%84%
201982%75%84%
201885%77%85%
201785%77%85%
201686%78%85%
201587%78%85%
201485%79%84%
201386%80%85%
201286%81%86%
201183%81%85%
201085%82%87%
200984%84%89%
200885%84%89%
200786%86%88%
200689%88%90%
200586%87%90%
200489%88%92%
200390%89%92%
200292%89%93%
200191%89%93%
200097%94%96%
199992%91%93%
199891%92%93%
199795%93%93%
199694%93%94%
199592%93%93%
199492%93%93%
199391%94%94%
199293%95%94%
199192%95%94%
199094%95%95%
198995%95%95%
198894%95%96%
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Hawaiian
1%
1%
Two or more races
6%
5%

Two or More Races Student Percentage Comparison Over Years (2010-2024)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
20245%5%6%
20237%5%5%
20225%5%5%
20215%4%5%
20205%4%5%
20196%4%5%
20185%4%4%
20175%4%4%
20164%4%5%
20154%3%4%
20144%3%5%
20133%3%4%
20122%3%3%
20113%2%4%
20103%2%3%
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All Ethnic Groups
0.35
0.48

Diversity Score Comparison Over Years (1989-2025)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
20250.350.49
20240.350.480.31
20230.370.460.31
20220.320.450.30
20210.350.430.30
20200.340.420.29
20190.320.420.29
20180.270.390.28
20170.270.390.28
20160.260.380.28
20150.240.380.27
20140.270.370.29
20130.260.350.28
20120.260.340.27
20110.310.340.27
20100.270.320.25
20090.290.290.21
20080.270.280.21
20070.250.260.22
20060.210.230.18
20050.250.240.19
20040.200.220.16
20030.180.210.15
20020.150.200.13
20010.170.200.14
20000.090.150.09
19990.150.160.13
19980.170.150.14
19970.120.130.13
19960.130.130.12
19950.150.130.12
19940.150.130.13
19930.170.110.12
19920.130.100.11
19910.150.100.10
19900.110.100.09
19890.090.100.08
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Participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Yes
Eligible for Free Lunch
19%
35%

Free Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (1989-2025)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
202519%35%
202420%36%24%
202320%36%24%
202217%35%21%
202113%35%21%
202016%36%18%
201914%36%18%
20188%34%16%
20178%34%16%
201614%34%18%
201512%34%17%
201412%34%17%
20139%34%17%
201211%33%17%
201111%31%16%
20109%29%15%
20097%26%13%
20089%26%14%
20078%24%14%
20065%25%14%
200513%23%14%
200411%22%13%
200313%21%13%
200211%19%13%
200111%19%13%
200010%19%13%
199910%20%14%
199810%21%14%
19976%20%14%
19969%20%14%
19959%20%13%
19949%19%12%
199310%19%13%
19929%18%13%
19918%17%12%
19905%14%12%
19896%17%12%
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Eligible for Reduced Lunch
3%
7%

Reduced-Price Lunch Eligibility Comparison Over Years (1999-2025)

YearSouthdale Elementary SchoolIowaCedar Falls Comm School District
20253%7%
20244%5%3%
20233%6%3%
20221%5%2%
20214%6%3%
20203%7%4%
20196%7%4%
20183%7%4%
20173%7%4%
20164%7%5%
20153%7%4%
20143%7%5%
20132%7%4%
20123%7%5%
20112%8%5%
20103%8%5%
20093%8%5%
20084%8%4%
20072%8%5%
20041%8%4%
20031%8%3%
20021%8%4%
20011%8%4%
20002%7%4%
19992%7%4%
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School Statewide Testing
View Education Department Test Scores
School District Name
Cedar Falls Comm School District
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

School Notes

  • School Mascot: Tigers
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Southdale Elementary School's ranking?
Southdale Elementary School is ranked #75 out of 1,223 schools, which ranks it among the top 10% of public schools in Iowa.
What schools are Southdale Elementary School often compared to?
Southdale Elementary Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Helen A Hansen Elementary School, Cedar Heights Elementary School, Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School by visitors of our site.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
84% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 68% IA state average), while 90% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 70% IA state average).
How many students attend Southdale Elementary School?
539 students attend Southdale Elementary School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
80% of Southdale Elementary School students are White, 6% of students are Asian, 6% of students are Two or more races, 4% of students are Black, 3% of students are Hispanic, and 1% of students are Hawaiian.
What is the student-teacher ratio of Southdale Elementary School?
Southdale Elementary School has a student ration of 14:1, which is equal to the Iowa state average of 14:1.
What grades does Southdale Elementary School offer ?
Southdale Elementary School offers enrollment in grades Prekindergarten-6 (Supplemental Virtual).
What school district is Southdale Elementary School part of?
Southdale Elementary School is part of Cedar Falls Comm School District.

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • Grades: Prekindergarten-6
  • Enrollment: 539 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 14:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 20%
  • : Top 10%
  • : 84% (Top 20%)
  • : 90% (Top 5%)
  • : 80-89% (Top 5%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

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