Ballard Middle School

Q: Is Ballard Middle School a good school?

Ballard Middle School ranks 80 th of 337 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ballard Middle School is a public middle school located in Huxley, Iowa, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 432. 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 Middle School consistently performs well on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) exams, with a high percentage of students scoring proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In the 2023-2024 school year, Ballard Middle School's proficiency rates were significantly higher than the state averages, with 93% of 6th graders and 82.6% of 8th graders proficient or better in ELA, and 93% of 6th graders and 81.9% of 8th graders proficient or better in Mathematics. The school has a strong statewide ranking, placing in the top 25% of Iowa middle schools in recent years, and received a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2021-2022 school year.

When comparing Ballard Middle School to the nearby schools, it stands out as a high-performing institution. For example, Ballard Middle School's proficiency rates in ELA and Mathematics are significantly higher than those of Woodside Middle School, which is ranked in the bottom 10% of Iowa middle schools. Additionally, Ballard Middle School's performance is comparable to or exceeds that of other highly-ranked schools in the area, such as Gilbert Middle School and North Polk Middle School.

Detail:

Public 6-8

509 N Main Ave
Huxley, IA 50124-9416

(515) 597-2815

District: Ballard Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
80^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,142

Students who attend Ballard Middle School usually attend:

High:

Ballard High School

Feeder schools for Ballard Middle School:

Elementary:	Ballard East Elementary
	Ballard West Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

Number of students: 409

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.7%

Hispanic:

5.4%

Two or more races:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 16.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ballard Middle School ranks better than 76.3% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71. (See more...)

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 (89.7%), Hispanic (5.4%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 16.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ballard Middle School is 14.3. (See more...)

Compare Ballard Middle School employs 28.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ballard Middle School is $13,142.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Ballard Middle School 80^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Ballard Middle 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 Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	69.07	87^th	349	75.1%
2013	59.75	142^nd	350	59.4%
2014	66.51	109^th	337	67.7%
2015	64.20	121^st	349	65.3%
2016	67.30	97^th	343	71.7%
2017	59.24	135^th	327	58.7%
2018	59.07	134^th	318	57.9%
2019	82.65	28^th	342	91.8%
2021	81.45	35^th	324	89.2%
2022	80.92	33^rd	337	90.2%
2023	76.51	53^rd	334	84.1%
2024	71.00	80^th	337	76.3%

See the entire list of Iowa Middle 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 Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	232	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	234
1989	246	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	249
1990	248	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	250
1991	262	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	265
1992	272	3	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	277
1993	289	3	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	294
1994	293	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	297
1995	334	1	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	340
1996	334	1	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	340
1997	201	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	202
1998	171	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	172
1999	182	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	185
2000	193	4	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	202
2001	195	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	198
2002	175	3	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	188
2003	175	3	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	188
2004	193	3	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	200
2005	213	1	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	218
2006	225	3	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	233
2007	212	5	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	223
2008	209	2	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	215
2009	207	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	210
2010	217	2	0	7	0	0	5	231
2011	222	3	1	6	2	0	10	244
2012	358	1	2	6	3	0	8	378
2013	370	1	2	8	1	0	5	387
2014	380	2	1	11	0	1	5	400
2015	377	4	1	11	3	3	4	403
2016	373	5	0	7	2	2	3	392
2017	348	7	1	12	1	2	4	375
2018	328	7	1	6	1	1	4	348
2019	342	6	1	6	2	3	1	361
2020	349	6	0	9	2	2	2	370
2021	389	9	0	7	0	3	4	412
2022	396	10	0	15	3	1	2	427
2023	397	12	0	15	3	1	4	432
2024	367	7	1	22	3	0	9	409

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	234	17.4	13.4	0
1989	249	17.8	13.9	2.4
1990	250	17.8	14.0	0
1991	265	16.2	16.3	0.8
1992	277	18.0	15.3	n/a
1993	294	17.4	16.9	7.5
1994	297	17.7	16.8	9.1
1995	340	19.7	17.3	6.5
1996	340	19.7	17.3	6.5
1997	202	12.3	16.4	0
1998	172	14.5	11.9	7.6
1999	185	11.5	16.1	12.4
2000	202	12.0	16.8	15.8
2001	198	12.0	16.5	18.2
2002	188	11.9	15.8	11.7
2003	188	11.9	15.8	11.7
2004	200	13.0	15.4	13.5
2005	218	12.5	17.4	14.7
2006	233	12.5	18.6	20.2
2007	223	13.8	16.2	20.6
2008	215	13.5	15.9	14.4
2009	210	13.8	15.2	15.7
2010	231	13.5	17.1	18.6
2011	244	13.7	17.7	18.4
2012	378	26.2	14.3	19
2013	387	26.5	14.5	18.6
2014	400	25.4	15.7	18.8
2015	403	29.0	13.8	19.9
2016	392	28.0	14.0	19.1
2017	375	27.1	13.7	20.3
2018	348	23.0	15.1	13.2
2019	361	23.9	15.0	16.9
2020	370	23.3	15.8	17.8
2021	412	24.9	16.5	15.5
2022	427	26.1	16.3	15.9
2023	432	27.1	15.9	15.3
2024	409	28.5	14.3	16.1

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	234	17.4	13.4	0
1989	249	17.8	13.9	2.4
1990	250	17.8	14.0	0
1991	265	16.2	16.3	0.8
1992	277	18.0	15.3	n/a
1993	294	17.4	16.9	7.5
1994	297	17.7	16.8	9.1
1995	340	19.7	17.3	6.5
1996	340	19.7	17.3	6.5
1997	202	12.3	16.4	0
1998	172	14.5	11.9	7.6
1999	185	11.5	16.1	12.4
2000	202	12.0	16.8	15.8
2001	198	12.0	16.5	18.2
2002	188	11.9	15.8	11.7
2003	188	11.9	15.8	11.7
2004	200	13.0	15.4	13.5
2005	218	12.5	17.4	14.7
2006	233	12.5	18.6	20.2
2007	223	13.8	16.2	20.6
2008	215	13.5	15.9	14.4
2009	210	13.8	15.2	15.7
2010	231	13.5	17.1	18.6
2011	244	13.7	17.7	18.4
2012	378	26.2	14.3	19
2013	387	26.5	14.5	18.6
2014	400	25.4	15.7	18.8
2015	403	29.0	13.8	19.9
2016	392	28.0	14.0	19.1
2017	375	27.1	13.7	20.3
2018	348	23.0	15.1	13.2
2019	361	23.9	15.0	16.9
2020	370	23.3	15.8	17.8
2021	412	24.9	16.5	15.5
2022	427	26.1	16.3	15.9
2023	432	27.1	15.9	15.3
2024	409	28.5	14.3	16.1

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 Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$46 (0.4%)	$13,096 (99.6%)	$13,142

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ballard Middle 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 28^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 53^rd of 334 Middle schools	7.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Middle School)	88	81.8	6.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Community School District)	88	81.8	6.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Middle School)	86.5	89.4	2.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Community School District)	86.5	89.4	2.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Middle School)	85.2	76.4	8.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Community School District)	85.2	76.4	8.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Middle School)	81.5	81.4	0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Community School District)	81.5	81.4	0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Middle School)	82.5	88.6	6.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Ballard Community School District)	82.5	88.6	6.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Middle School)	77.2	86.6	9.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Ballard Community School District)	77.2	86.6	9.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	361	432	19.7%
African American	6	12	100%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	6	15	150%
Pacific Islander	3	1	66.7%
White	342	397	16.1%
Two or More Races	1	4	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	16.9%	15.3%	1.6%

Schools Near Ballard Middle 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 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ballard Middle School	Public	6-8	509 N Main Ave	Huxley	50124	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 597-2815	409	29	14.3	16.1%	367 (89.7%)	7 (1.7%)	22 (5.4%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	71	80^th of 337 public middle schools	76.3%		76.5	53^rd of 334 public middle schools	84.1%	27		93.0	78.5	82.6		93.0	80.0	81.9		68.5	$13,142	$46	$13,096
North Polk Middle School	Public	6-8	315 NE 141st Ave.	Alleman	50007	Polk County	North Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 984-3400	493	28	17.6	11.0%	465 (94.3%)	5 (1.0%)	11 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.0%)	78.5	42^nd of 337 public middle schools	87.5%		88	8^th of 334 public middle schools	97.6%	34		78.4	91.2	92.9		80.1	81.2	92.2		81.4	$11,145	$144	$11,001
Ames Middle School	Public	6-8	3915 Mortensen Road	Ames	50014	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 268-2400	1,032	68	15.1	32.8%	649 (62.9%)	111 (10.8%)	120 (11.6%)	74 (7.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	74 (7.2%)	55.5	169^th of 337 public middle schools	49.9%		55.2	175^th of 334 public middle schools	47.6%	6		73.3	79.2	78.4		75.6	72.9	78.4		71.6	$11,412	$258	$11,154
Madrid Junior High School	Public	6-8	599 N Kennedy	Madrid	50156	Boone County	Madrid Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 795-3240	149	11	13.3	23.5%	135 (90.6%)	2 (1.3%)	6 (4.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.4%)	63.6	125^th of 337 public middle schools	62.9%		65.6	107^th of 334 public middle schools	68.0%	18		91.1	95.2	82.7		71.1	88.1	71.2		59.6	$11,710	$73	$11,637
Prairie Ridge Middle School	Public	6-7	1010 NW Prairie Ridge Dr	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9705	1,008	68	14.8	12.8%	810 (80.4%)	42 (4.2%)	75 (7.4%)	22 (2.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	56 (5.6%)	75.7	61^st of 337 public middle schools	81.9%		80.1	39^th of 334 public middle schools	88.3%	22		85.3	89.4			80.7	79.2				$12,721	$191	$12,529
Parkview Middle School	Public	6-7	105 NW Pleasant St	Ankeny	50023	Polk County	Ankeny Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 965-9640	875	61	14.3	18.6%	648 (74.1%)	43 (4.9%)	85 (9.7%)	30 (3.4%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	66 (7.5%)	80.4	34^th of 337 public middle schools	89.9%		82	27^th of 334 public middle schools	91.9%	7		86.6	90.9			81.5	84.7				$13,100	$296	$12,804
Nevada Middle School	Public	5-8	1035 15th St	Nevada	50201	Story County	Nevada Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 382-2751	421	30	14.1	38.0%	340 (80.8%)	4 (1.0%)	49 (11.6%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.2%)	67.9	104^th of 337 public middle schools	69.1%		65.6	108^th of 334 public middle schools	67.7%	4	82.5	80.0	90.2	85.7	87.5	73.9	87.3	75.0	75.0	70.5	$12,308	$518	$11,790
Gilbert Middle School	Public	6-8	201 E. Mathews	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 232-0540	404	26	15.3	11.9%	340 (84.2%)	10 (2.5%)	19 (4.7%)	21 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.5%)	92.3	2^nd of 337 public middle schools	99.4%		90.9	5^th of 334 public middle schools	98.5%	3		96.8	95.7	95.5		94.5	87.8	90.2		91.7	$12,292	$237	$12,056
Bondurant - Farrar Intermediate School	Public	5-6	300 Garfield St. SW	Bondurant	50035	Polk County	Bondurant-Farrar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 967-3711	428	32	13.1	20.8%	356 (83.2%)	13 (3.0%)	30 (7.0%)	8 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.9%)								(n/a)	69.0	85.2			60.1	80.4			60.6		$11,425	$241	$11,184
Woodside Middle School	Public	5-8	5810 NE 14th St	Des Moines	50313	Polk County	Saydel Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 265-3451	376	27	13.8	60.4%	254 (67.6%)	3 (0.8%)	76 (20.2%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (10.6%)	19.5	296^th of 337 public middle schools	12.2%		16.5	297^th of 334 public middle schools	11.1%	1	63.8	64.0	74.4	61.4	67.5	54.1	64.6	56.0	47.5	54.8	$14,080	$452	$13,628

Frequently Asked Questions about Ballard Middle School

Is Ballard Middle School a good school?

Ballard Middle School ranks 80^th of 337 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Ballard Middle School attend?

Students who attend Ballard Middle School usually go on to attend Ballard High School

What district is Ballard Middle School in?

Ballard Community School District

How many students attend Ballard Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 409 students attended Ballard Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Ballard Middle School?

Students at Ballard Middle School are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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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.