Summary:
The city of New Sharon, Iowa is home to two schools - North Mahaska Elementary School and North Mahaska Junior-Senior High School, both part of the North Mahaska Community School District. While the elementary school is a standout performer, ranking in the top 20% of Iowa elementary schools, the high school has room for improvement, holding a middle-third ranking in the state.
North Mahaska Elementary School boasts consistently high test scores across English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, significantly exceeding state averages. The school maintains a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger and has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a more affluent student population. In contrast, the high school, while still above the state average in many subjects, does not perform as strongly as the elementary school, holding a 3-star rating.
Interestingly, the high school has a lower student-teacher ratio of 11.7:1 compared to the elementary school's 16:1, yet this does not seem to translate to significantly stronger academic outcomes. Additionally, the high school spends more per student ($15,724) than the elementary school ($11,272), but this higher investment does not appear to be driving higher test scores. These findings suggest that factors beyond just student-teacher ratios and spending may be more influential in driving academic success at the high school level.
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