Ballard High School

Q: Is Ballard High School a good school?

Ballard High School ranks 57 th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ballard High School is a public high school located in Huxley, Iowa, serving 545 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Ballard Community School District, which is ranked 52 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ballard High School consistently outperforms the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 79.5% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 73.8%. In mathematics, 81.2% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to the state average of 66%. The school also spends $13,456 per student, which is higher than the state average and several nearby schools like Gilbert High School and Nevada High School.

While Ballard High School's academic performance is impressive, the school has a predominantly white student population, with 92.84% of students identifying as white in the 2022-2023 school year. This is higher than the state average and most of the nearby schools, such as Woodward Academy and Ames High School, which have more diverse student populations. Additionally, Ballard High School has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 17.25% in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to schools like Collins-Maxwell Middle/High School and Nevada High School, which have higher rates of economically disadvantaged students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

701 Ballard Drive
Huxley, IA 50124-9416

(515) 597-2971

District: Ballard Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
57^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,456

Feeder schools for Ballard High School:

Elementary:	Ballard East Elementary
	Ballard West Elementary
Middle:	Ballard Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 545

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.8%

Hispanic:

3.5%

African American:

2.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 17.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ballard High School ranks better than 83.1% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.51. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (92.8%), Hispanic (3.5%), African American (2.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 17.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ballard High School is 16.3. (See more...)

Compare Ballard High School employs 33.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ballard High School is $13,456.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Ballard High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Ballard High School 57^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Ballard High School in the ranking list.)

Ballard Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ballard Community School District 52^nd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ballard High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	68.72	107^th	351	69.5%
2013	64.48	130^th	351	63.0%
2014	64.84	129^th	322	59.9%
2015	38.45	237^th	324	26.9%
2016	62.63	120^th	320	62.5%
2017	49.48	200^th	325	38.5%
2018	77.04	53^rd	320	83.4%
2019	81.33	31^st	327	90.5%
2021	67.85	92^nd	327	71.9%
2022	77.46	53^rd	332	84.0%
2023	78.91	40^th	336	88.1%
2024	75.51	57^th	338	83.1%

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 Ballard High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	258	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	258
1989	220	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	221
1990	202	0	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	204
1991	211	1	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	215
1992	212	1	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	216
1993	241	1	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	247
1994	249	2	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	254
1995	296	2	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	300
1996	296	2	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	300
1997	424	2	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	432
1998	425	3	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	436
1999	422	1	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	430
2000	396	1	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	407
2001	408	6	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	423
2002	407	4	2	8	1	n/a	n/a	422
2003	407	4	2	8	1	n/a	n/a	422
2004	410	3	3	9	1	n/a	n/a	426
2005	398	3	2	7	2	n/a	n/a	412
2006	412	3	1	6	1	n/a	n/a	423
2007	427	5	2	10	1	n/a	n/a	445
2008	440	11	2	7	1	n/a	n/a	461
2009	438	8	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	454
2010	441	6	5	11	0	0	4	467
2011	423	6	3	9	0	0	5	446
2012	433	3	3	13	3	0	9	464
2013	438	6	2	13	2	0	15	476
2014	472	3	2	17	4	0	12	510
2015	500	3	2	16	2	1	12	536
2016	498	1	3	12	1	2	7	524
2017	509	4	1	15	0	3	6	538
2018	530	6	0	12	2	4	10	564
2019	507	6	0	11	2	2	7	535
2020	480	9	1	11	1	3	7	512
2021	469	8	1	10	1	2	3	494
2022	488	9	2	11	0	3	2	515
2023	506	14	1	19	0	1	4	545

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 Ballard High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	258	18.5	13.9	23.3
1989	221	20.9	10.5	26.7
1990	204	20.9	9.7	27
1991	215	18.0	11.9	18.6
1992	216	18.0	12.0	19
1993	247	17.6	14.0	7.7
1994	254	17.8	14.3	9.4
1995	300	18.3	16.4	6.3
1996	300	18.3	16.4	6.3
1997	432	25.2	17.1	10
1998	436	29.3	14.9	7.3
1999	430	27.0	15.9	12.8
2000	407	27.0	15.1	9.3
2001	423	27.0	15.7	13.9
2002	422	28.5	14.8	12.3
2003	422	28.5	14.8	12.3
2004	426	27.5	15.5	10.6
2005	412	27.0	15.3	14.3
2006	423	27.0	15.7	15.4
2007	445	29.2	15.2	15.5
2008	461	28.2	16.3	12.1
2009	454	30.1	15.1	10.6
2010	467	31.5	14.8	16.1
2011	446	31.1	14.3	17.5
2012	464	32.1	14.4	15.3
2013	476	30.6	15.5	16.2
2014	510	30.0	17.0	14.1
2015	536	28.0	19.1	15.1
2016	524	30.0	17.4	18.1
2017	538	32.2	16.6	15.6
2018	564	33.8	16.6	15.4
2019	535	33.1	16.1	19.8
2020	512	33.6	15.2	14.6
2021	494	34.3	14.3	16
2022	515	31.8	16.1	14
2023	545	33.4	16.3	17.2

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 Ballard High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	258	18.5	13.9	23.3
1989	221	20.9	10.5	26.7
1990	204	20.9	9.7	27
1991	215	18.0	11.9	18.6
1992	216	18.0	12.0	19
1993	247	17.6	14.0	7.7
1994	254	17.8	14.3	9.4
1995	300	18.3	16.4	6.3
1996	300	18.3	16.4	6.3
1997	432	25.2	17.1	10
1998	436	29.3	14.9	7.3
1999	430	27.0	15.9	12.8
2000	407	27.0	15.1	9.3
2001	423	27.0	15.7	13.9
2002	422	28.5	14.8	12.3
2003	422	28.5	14.8	12.3
2004	426	27.5	15.5	10.6
2005	412	27.0	15.3	14.3
2006	423	27.0	15.7	15.4
2007	445	29.2	15.2	15.5
2008	461	28.2	16.3	12.1
2009	454	30.1	15.1	10.6
2010	467	31.5	14.8	16.1
2011	446	31.1	14.3	17.5
2012	464	32.1	14.4	15.3
2013	476	30.6	15.5	16.2
2014	510	30.0	17.0	14.1
2015	536	28.0	19.1	15.1
2016	524	30.0	17.4	18.1
2017	538	32.2	16.6	15.6
2018	564	33.8	16.6	15.4
2019	535	33.1	16.1	19.8
2020	512	33.6	15.2	14.6
2021	494	34.3	14.3	16
2022	515	31.8	16.1	14
2023	545	33.4	16.3	17.2

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 Ballard High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$266 (2.0%)	$13,189 (98.0%)	$13,456

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ballard 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 31^st of 327 High schools	Ranks 40^th of 336 High schools	2.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard High School)	83.7	89.3	5.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Community School District)	83.7	89.3	5.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Ballard High School)	79.4	87.3	7.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Community School District)	79.4	87.3	7.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard High School)	88	79.5	8.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Community School District)	88	79.5	8.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ballard High School)	78.2	80.4	2.2%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Community School District)	78.2	80.4	2.2%
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	535	545	1.9%
African American	6	14	133.3%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	11	19	72.7%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	507	506	0.2%
Two or More Races	7	4	42.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	19.8%	17.2%	2.6%

Schools Near Ballard 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 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ballard High School	Public	9-12	701 Ballard Drive	Huxley	50124	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 597-2971	545	33	16.3	17.2%	506 (92.8%)	14 (2.6%)	19 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	75.5	57^th of 338 public high schools	83.1%		78.9	40^th of 336 public high schools	88.1%	17				82.5	79.5	84.5				77.9	81.2	85.9		68.1	$13,456	$266	$13,189
North Polk High School	Public	9-12	13930 NE 6th St	Alleman	50007	Polk County	North Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 984-3400	647	37	17.6	10.2%	597 (92.3%)	4 (0.6%)	29 (4.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.2%)	87.2	12^th of 338 public high schools	96.4%		89.5	13^th of 336 public high schools	96.1%	1				87.5	89.3	87.2				85.5	86.2	90.9		81.0	$14,567	$255	$14,312
Ames High School	Public	9-12	1801 Ridgewood Drive	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 817-0600	1,403	83	16.8	30.0%	905 (64.5%)	132 (9.4%)	156 (11.1%)	119 (8.5%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (5.5%)	62.6	132^nd of 338 public high schools	60.9%		66.5	103^rd of 336 public high schools	69.3%	29				80.5	79.5	76.5				66.9	73.6	72.8		67.5	$11,820	$335	$11,486
Madrid High School	Public	9-12	599 N Kennedy	Madrid	50156	Boone County	Madrid Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 795-3240	206	17	12.1	27.2%	194 (94.2%)	1 (0.5%)	4 (1.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.9%)	75.2	61^st of 338 public high schools	82.0%		58.5	147^th of 336 public high schools	56.3%	86				91.1	87.0	80.5				77.8	76.1	70.7		71.7	$15,049	$71	$14,978
Ankeny Centennial High School	Public	10-12	2220 NW State St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9610	1,443	89	16.2	16.0%	1,157 (80.2%)	75 (5.2%)	112 (7.8%)	35 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (4.2%)	76.5	50^th of 338 public high schools	85.2%		83.9	26^th of 336 public high schools	92.3%	24					87.6	80.1					79.2	76.6		73.9	$14,519	$200	$14,319
Collins-Maxwell Middle/High School	Public	6-12	400 Metcalf St.	Maxwell	50161	Story County	Collins-Maxwell Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 387-1115	208	18	11.6	36.1%	186 (89.4%)	2 (1.0%)	13 (6.3%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	46	216^th of 338 public high schools	36.1%		45.3	212^th of 336 public high schools	36.9%	4	78.4	53.8	95.5	78.6	86.7	72.2	75.7	69.2	72.7	57.1	60.0	72.2	81.8	46.7	$17,207	$223	$16,984
Nevada High School	Public	9-12	1001 15th St	Nevada	50201	Story County	Nevada Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 382-3521	491	32	15.3	33.2%	404 (82.3%)	4 (0.8%)	44 (9.0%)	10 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.1%)	48.1	206^th of 338 public high schools	39.1%		45.8	207^th of 336 public high schools	38.4%	1				77.1	80.0	63.6				63.6	64.0	63.6		65.6	$17,734	$550	$17,184
Ankeny High School	Public	10-12	1155 SW Cherry St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9630	1,347	80	16.8	19.8%	1,091 (81.0%)	41 (3.0%)	97 (7.2%)	39 (2.9%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	72 (5.3%)	77.9	42^nd of 338 public high schools	87.6%		85.2	22^nd of 336 public high schools	93.5%	20					86.2	82.7					79.2	79.9		73.5	$15,157	$246	$14,911
Gilbert High School	Public	9-12	312 Gretten	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 232-3738	537	33	16.2	7.3%	476 (88.6%)	6 (1.1%)	24 (4.5%)	22 (4.1%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (0.9%)	94.3	3^rd of 338 public high schools	99.1%		95.3	1^st of 336 public high schools	99.7%	2				96.2	94.7	97.4				93.1	89.3	92.2		90.8	$13,554	$195	$13,359
Bondurant-Farrar High School	Public	9-12	1000 Grant St. North	Bondurant	50035	Polk County	Bondurant-Farrar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 957-8191	761	51	15.0	21.3%	650 (85.4%)	17 (2.2%)	49 (6.4%)	12 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	29 (3.8%)	59	153^rd of 338 public high schools	54.7%		56.9	156^th of 336 public high schools	53.6%	3				75.9	71.1	72.8				74.1	69.1	79.9		68.6	$12,930	$241	$12,689

Frequently Asked Questions about Ballard High School

Is Ballard High School a good school?

Ballard High School ranks 57^th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Ballard High School?

Students at Ballard High School are 93% White, 3% Hispanic, 3% African American.

How many students attend Ballard High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 545 students attended Ballard High School.

What schools feed into Ballard High School?

Ballard High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Ballard East Elementary
Elementary : Ballard West Elementary
Middle : Ballard Middle School

What district is Ballard High School in?

Ballard Community School District

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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.