Summary:
The city of Lake Park, Iowa is home to two schools: Harris-Lake Park Elementary School and Harris-Lake Park High School, both part of the Harris-Lake Park Community School District. While the high school is a standout performer, consistently ranking among the top 35-40 high schools in Iowa, the elementary school appears to be struggling with lower test scores and a lower SchoolDigger rating.
Harris-Lake Park High School boasts exceptional test scores, with 10th and 11th-grade ELA scores around 15-20 percentage points above the state average. Their math and science scores are also significantly higher than the state averages. The high school also benefits from a lower student-teacher ratio of 10.1 and higher spending per student of $14,186, compared to $12,458 at the elementary school. In contrast, Harris-Lake Park Elementary School has mixed test score performance, with 3rd-grade ELA and math scores below the state average, but 4th and 5th-grade scores often exceeding the state average.
The disparity in performance between the elementary and high school may be influenced by factors such as the higher free and reduced lunch rate of 34.3% at the elementary school, indicating a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students. This analysis highlights the importance of closely examining school-level data to identify areas of strength and weakness, allowing stakeholders to make more informed decisions and target resources where they are needed most.
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