Alta-Aurelia High School

Q: Is Alta-Aurelia High School a good school?

Alta-Aurelia High School ranks 201 st of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Alta-Aurelia High School is a public high school serving 206 students in grades 9-12 in the Alta-Aurelia Community School District in Alta, Iowa. The school consistently outperforms the state average on standardized tests, with 80% proficiency in 10th grade English Language Arts compared to the state average of 73.8%.

While the student population at Alta-Aurelia High School is predominantly White at 82.52%, the nearby Galva-Holstein Community School District and Sioux Central Community School District have more diverse student bodies. Alta-Aurelia High School also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 41.26%, compared to the nearby schools. However, the school's spending per student is higher than the nearby schools, at $16,446 per student in the 2018-2019 school year.

Over the past several years, Alta-Aurelia High School has seen a decline in its statewide ranking, from a high of 78 out of 322 Iowa high schools in 2013-2014 to 201 out of 338 in the current 2023-2024 school year. Despite this decline, the school's test scores remain strong, suggesting that the ranking change may be due to factors beyond just academic performance. Overall, Alta-Aurelia High School appears to be a well-performing school with a focus on academic excellence.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1009 South Main Street
Alta, IA 51002

(712) 200-1331

District: Alta-Aurelia Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
201^st of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,446

Feeder schools for Alta-Aurelia High School:

Elementary:	Alta Elementary School
	Aurelia Elementary School
Middle:	Alta-Aurelia Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.0

Number of students: 199

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.9%

Hispanic:

14.6%

Pacific Islander:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.7%

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Compare Alta-Aurelia High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Alta-Aurelia High School ranks worse than 59.5% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.72. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Alta-Aurelia High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (80.9%), Hispanic (14.6%), Pacific Islander (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alta-Aurelia High School is 11. (See more...)

Compare Alta-Aurelia High School employs 17.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alta-Aurelia High School is $16,446.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Alta-Aurelia High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Alta-Aurelia High School 201^st of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Alta-Aurelia High School in the ranking list.)

Alta-Aurelia Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Alta-Aurelia Community School District 97^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Alta-Aurelia High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	54.04	198^th	351	43.6%
2013	69.00	96^th	351	72.6%
2014	74.06	78^th	322	75.8%
2015	71.69	89^th	324	72.5%
2016	61.34	128^th	320	60.0%
2017	61.62	140^th	325	56.9%
2018	54.26	172^nd	320	46.3%
2019	25.76	274^th	327	16.2%
2021	68.50	85^th	327	74.0%
2022	61.13	129^th	332	61.1%
2023	52.51	176^th	336	47.6%
2024	48.72	201^st	338	40.5%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Alta-Aurelia High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	243	1	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	250
1989	239	2	7	0	0	n/a	n/a	248
1990	223	4	12	0	0	n/a	n/a	239
1991	234	0	9	0	0	n/a	n/a	243
1992	228	2	10	0	0	n/a	n/a	240
1993	157	2	7	1	0	n/a	n/a	167
1994	162	1	5	1	1	n/a	n/a	170
1995	179	1	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	186
1996	179	1	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	186
1997	171	5	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	181
1998	197	9	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	212
1999	194	5	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	205
2000	189	5	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	203
2001	187	3	2	12	0	n/a	n/a	204
2002	187	3	4	13	0	n/a	n/a	207
2003	187	3	4	13	0	n/a	n/a	207
2004	183	3	3	21	0	n/a	n/a	210
2005	168	3	2	25	0	n/a	n/a	198
2006	174	5	1	23	1	n/a	n/a	204
2007	163	4	0	26	2	n/a	n/a	195
2008	163	6	0	27	2	n/a	n/a	198
2009	154	2	0	15	1	n/a	n/a	172
2010	143	6	0	20	0	0	1	170
2011	139	6	0	24	0	0	0	169
2012	191	5	0	27	0	1	3	227
2013	171	3	1	31	0	1	3	210
2014	162	1	1	27	0	0	3	194
2015	174	3	3	36	0	0	4	220
2016	174	6	0	38	0	0	4	222
2017	177	4	0	34	0	0	4	219
2018	173	4	0	37	0	0	4	218
2019	174	3	0	32	0	0	2	211
2020	176	1	0	34	0	0	3	214
2021	177	3	0	28	0	1	3	212
2022	173	2	1	26	0	2	4	208
2023	170	2	1	23	0	4	6	206
2024	161	0	0	29	0	5	4	199

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Alta-Aurelia High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	250	18.4	13.5	22
1989	248	16.7	14.8	22.2
1990	239	18.6	12.8	22.6
1991	243	19.0	12.7	23.9
1992	240	20.0	12.0	16.7
1993	167	13.9	12.0	24
1994	170	14.1	12.1	11.2
1995	186	14.8	12.6	12.9
1996	186	14.8	12.6	12.9
1997	181	15.8	11.5	17.7
1998	212	14.8	14.3	15.1
1999	205	17.0	12.1	24.9
2000	203	18.0	11.3	24.1
2001	204	14.6	14.0	29.9
2002	207	14.6	14.2	23.7
2003	207	14.6	14.2	23.7
2004	210	18.3	11.5	26.7
2005	198	19.3	10.3	24.2
2006	204	16.6	12.3	34.3
2007	195	16.4	11.9	34.4
2008	198	15.4	12.9	36.9
2009	172	16.5	10.4	29.7
2010	170	13.8	12.3	33.5
2011	169	12.5	13.5	33.7
2012	227	18.7	12.1	35.2
2013	210	18.9	11.0	36.7
2014	194	17.8	10.8	37.6
2015	220	18.0	12.2	41.4
2016	222	17.0	13.0	45
2017	219	16.8	13.0	38.4
2018	218	18.8	11.5	36.2
2019	211	15.9	13.2	40.3
2020	214	14.8	14.3	36
2021	212	14.6	14.5	39.6
2022	208	15.2	13.6	33.7
2023	206	15.7	13.0	41.3
2024	199	17.9	11.0	39.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Alta-Aurelia High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	250	18.4	13.5	22
1989	248	16.7	14.8	22.2
1990	239	18.6	12.8	22.6
1991	243	19.0	12.7	23.9
1992	240	20.0	12.0	16.7
1993	167	13.9	12.0	24
1994	170	14.1	12.1	11.2
1995	186	14.8	12.6	12.9
1996	186	14.8	12.6	12.9
1997	181	15.8	11.5	17.7
1998	212	14.8	14.3	15.1
1999	205	17.0	12.1	24.9
2000	203	18.0	11.3	24.1
2001	204	14.6	14.0	29.9
2002	207	14.6	14.2	23.7
2003	207	14.6	14.2	23.7
2004	210	18.3	11.5	26.7
2005	198	19.3	10.3	24.2
2006	204	16.6	12.3	34.3
2007	195	16.4	11.9	34.4
2008	198	15.4	12.9	36.9
2009	172	16.5	10.4	29.7
2010	170	13.8	12.3	33.5
2011	169	12.5	13.5	33.7
2012	227	18.7	12.1	35.2
2013	210	18.9	11.0	36.7
2014	194	17.8	10.8	37.6
2015	220	18.0	12.2	41.4
2016	222	17.0	13.0	45
2017	219	16.8	13.0	38.4
2018	218	18.8	11.5	36.2
2019	211	15.9	13.2	40.3
2020	214	14.8	14.3	36
2021	212	14.6	14.5	39.6
2022	208	15.2	13.6	33.7
2023	206	15.7	13.0	41.3
2024	199	17.9	11.0	39.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Alta-Aurelia High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$128 (0.8%)	$16,318 (99.2%)	$16,446

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Alta-Aurelia High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 274^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 176^th of 336 High schools	31.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Alta-Aurelia High School)	64.7	75	10.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Alta-Aurelia Community School District)	64.7	75	10.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Alta-Aurelia High School)	49	75	26%
10th Grade Mathematics (Alta-Aurelia Community School District)	49	75	26%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Alta-Aurelia High School)	60.4	60.9	0.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Alta-Aurelia Community School District)	60.4	60.9	0.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Alta-Aurelia High School)	67.9	65.2	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Alta-Aurelia Community School District)	67.9	65.2	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	66.9	67.3	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	211	206	2.4%
African American	3	2	33.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	32	23	28.1%
Pacific Islander	0	4
White	174	170	2.3%
Two or More Races	2	6	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	40.3%	41.3%	1%

Schools Near Alta-Aurelia High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)			ISASP Mathematics (2024)			ISASP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Alta-Aurelia High School	Public	9-12	1009 South Main Street	Alta	51002	Buena Vista County	Alta-Aurelia Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 200-1331	199	18	11.0	39.7%	161 (80.9%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (14.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.5%)	4 (2.0%)	48.7	201^st of 338 public high schools	40.5%		52.5	176^th of 336 public high schools	47.6%	25	73.9	80.0	66.0	65.2	76.0	61.7	56.0	$16,446	$128	$16,318
St Lake/IA Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College High School	Public, Charter	12	621 Tornado Dr	Storm Lake	50588	Buena Vista County	Storm Lake Community School District	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 732-8065	52	0		50.0%	4 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (73.1%)	9 (17.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)								$14,028	$97	$13,931
Storm Lake High School	Public	9-12	621 Tornado Dr	Storm Lake	50588	Buena Vista County	Storm Lake Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 732-8065	805	45	17.9	59.9%	130 (16.1%)	34 (4.2%)	433 (53.8%)	122 (15.2%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (8.2%)	20 (2.5%)	12.3	309^th of 338 public high schools	8.6%		11.7	309^th of 336 public high schools	8.0%		58.6	62.3	46.9	40.6	53.7	42.3	47.4	$15,042	$355	$14,687
Washington High School	Public	9-12	600 W Bluff St	Cherokee	51012	Cherokee County	Cherokee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 225-6755	377	27	13.8	35.3%	310 (82.2%)	4 (1.1%)	35 (9.3%)	6 (1.6%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.1%)	17 (4.5%)	58.3	156^th of 338 public high schools	53.8%		74.2	61^st of 336 public high schools	81.8%	95	71.3	73.6	83.3	62.4	74.7	74.4	72.4	$14,371	$120	$14,251
Newell-Fonda High School	Public	9-12	205 Clark St	Newell	50568	Buena Vista County	Newell-Fonda Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 272-3325	139	12	11.6	43.2%	107 (77.0%)	1 (0.7%)	22 (15.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	6 (4.3%)	2 (1.4%)	44.7	222^nd of 338 public high schools	34.3%		38.3	238^th of 336 public high schools	29.2%	16	62.9	73.1	74.3	51.4	76.9	62.9	73.1	$19,002	$301	$18,701
Sioux Central High School	Public	9-12	4440 U.S. Hwy 71	Sioux Rapids	50585	Buena Vista County	Sioux Central Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 283-2571	260	19	13.5	29.6%	215 (82.7%)	4 (1.5%)	33 (12.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.3%)	49.5	196^th of 338 public high schools	42.0%		52.6	174^th of 336 public high schools	48.2%	22	80.8	67.7	75.0	76.9	69.4	60.0	54.1	$13,555	$289	$13,265
Ridge View High School	Public	9-12	519 E Maple	Holstein	51025	Ida County	Galva-Holstein Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 368-4353	238	18	13.2	37.4%	193 (81.1%)	6 (2.5%)	32 (13.4%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	51.4	186^th of 338 public high schools	45.0%		28.7	269^th of 336 public high schools	19.9%	83	70.2	73.0	81.5	66.0	69.8	72.2	55.6	$14,493	$120	$14,373

Frequently Asked Questions about Alta-Aurelia High School

What district is Alta-Aurelia High School in?

Alta-Aurelia Community School District

What schools feed into Alta-Aurelia High School?

Alta-Aurelia High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Alta Elementary School
Elementary : Aurelia Elementary School
Middle : Alta-Aurelia Middle School

How many students attend Alta-Aurelia High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 199 students attended Alta-Aurelia High School.

What is the racial makeup of Alta-Aurelia High School?

Students at Alta-Aurelia High School are 81% White, 15% Hispanic, 3% Pacific Islander, 2% Two or more races.

Is Alta-Aurelia High School a good school?

Alta-Aurelia High School ranks 201^st of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Alta-Aurelia High School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.