Early Childhood Center

www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us

376 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - K

School Overview

Riverside Early Learning Center (ELC), located in Fort Dodge, Iowa, serves as a specialized educational facility dedicated to the foundational years of a child’s development. Operating under the Fort Dodge Community School District, the center focuses on providing high-quality preschool and early childhood programming designed to prepare students for a successful transition into elementary school. By prioritizing play-based learning, social-emotional development, and early literacy, the school fosters a supportive environment where young children can begin to build their academic and interpersonal skills.

The center acts as a cornerstone for the community’s youngest learners, emphasizing a partnership between educators and families to support holistic growth. Its curriculum is carefully structured to meet the diverse needs of children in the Fort Dodge area, ensuring that every student has access to an equitable start in their educational journey. Through its commitment to early intervention and active engagement, Riverside ELC helps children cultivate curiosity and a lifelong love of learning within a safe and nurturing setting.

376

Total Students

27.8

Full-Time Teachers

13.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

42.0%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Early Childhood Center
Demographic	Student Count
White	237
Hispanic	64
Black	28
Asian	1
Two or More	46

White
237 (63.0%)
Hispanic
64 (17.0%)
Two or More
46 (12.2%)
Black
28 (7.4%)
Asian
1 (0.3%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Fort Dodge Comm School District
Phone:	(515)574-5740
Website:	http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us
Grade Range:	Pre-K - K
Total Students:	376
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	27.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	139
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	19

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 140

Kindergarten 236