Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Q: Is Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School a good school?

Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School ranks 179 th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School is a public high school serving grades 7-12 in Belle Plaine, Iowa, with a student population of 193. The school is part of the Belle Plaine Community School District, which is ranked 224 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

One of the key strengths of Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School is its consistent academic performance. The school consistently outperforms the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across various grade levels and subjects, with 85.7% of 10th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 73.8%. The school's performance in Mathematics and Science is also strong, with 74.1% of 11th graders proficient or better in Mathematics and 67.9% of 10th graders proficient or better in Science, both significantly higher than the state averages.

When compared to nearby schools, such as South Tama County High School and Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Junior-Senior High School, Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School generally outperforms them in academic achievement. The school also maintains a consistent ranking in the top half of Iowa high schools and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating above-average performance compared to other schools in the state.

Detail:

Public 7-12

610 13th Ave South
Belle Plaine, IA 52208

(319) 444-3720

District: Belle Plaine Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
179^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,770

Feeder schools for Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School:

Elementary:

Longfellow Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.7

Number of students: 193

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.3%

Two or more races:

2.6%

African American:

1.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.7%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School ranks worse than 79.5% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.42. (See more...)

Compare Details Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School ranks worse than 53% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.5. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (94.3%), two or more races (2.6%), African American (1.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School is 9.7. (See more...)

Compare Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School employs 19.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School is $15,770.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School 268^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School 179^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Belle Plaine Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Plaine Community School District 224^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	44.98	217^th	349	37.8%
2013	68.13	79^th	350	77.4%
2014	34.78	260^th	337	22.8%
2015	40.15	242^nd	349	30.7%
2016	21.52	301^st	343	12.2%
2017	63.35	114^th	327	65.1%
2018	28.15	264^th	318	17.0%
2019	51.46	178^th	342	48.0%
2021	62.09	120^th	324	63.0%
2022	58.82	138^th	337	59.1%
2023	31.12	261^st	334	21.9%
2024	29.42	268^th	337	20.5%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	49.40	226^th	351	35.6%
2013	32.78	288^th	351	17.9%
2014	21.99	279^th	322	13.4%
2015	16.97	289^th	324	10.8%
2016	55.77	154^th	320	51.9%
2017	63.90	125^th	325	61.5%
2018	64.12	121^st	320	62.2%
2019	56.21	145^th	327	55.7%
2021	58.92	137^th	327	58.1%
2022	63.83	111^th	332	66.6%
2023	58.84	140^th	336	58.3%
2024	52.50	179^th	338	47.0%

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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Enrollment information for Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	193	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	195
1989	198	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	200
1990	187	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	190
1991	190	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	193
1992	195	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	196
1993	188	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	189
1994	195	0	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	199
1995	220	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	222
1996	220	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	222
1997	228	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	230
1998	226	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	228
1999	234	0	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	236
2000	235	0	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	237
2001	245	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	246
2002	223	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	223
2003	223	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	223
2004	226	0	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	230
2005	222	2	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	225
2006	238	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	239
2007	253	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	256
2008	242	2	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	247
2009	232	3	1	5	1	n/a	n/a	242
2010	197	3	1	4	1	0	0	206
2011	233	3	0	7	1	0	0	244
2012	224	5	1	11	1	0	1	243
2013	229	3	0	8	0	0	1	241
2014	234	5	0	7	0	0	1	247
2015	232	3	1	4	0	0	1	241
2016	245	5	0	8	0	3	1	262
2017	242	6	0	2	0	2	3	255
2018	245	4	1	2	1	2	6	261
2019	226	2	5	2	1	1	7	244
2020	219	3	2	1	1	1	6	233
2021	198	4	2	0	0	1	7	212
2022	190	1	2	0	0	0	3	196
2023	182	3	2	1	0	0	5	193

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 Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	195	18.0	10.8	20.5
1989	200	1.9	105.2	11.5
1990	190	16.0	11.8	12.6
1991	193	18.0	10.7	12.4
1992	196	33.0	5.9	17.3
1993	189	16.1	11.7	13.8
1994	199	13.4	14.9	12.6
1995	222	17.9	12.4	9.5
1996	222	17.9	12.4	9.5
1997	230	16.5	13.9	12.2
1998	228	18.1	12.6	8.8
1999	236	18.4	12.8	17.8
2000	237	18.0	13.2	11.4
2001	246	18.8	13.1	20.3
2002	223	18.8	11.9	20.6
2003	223	18.8	11.9	20.6
2004	230	18.8	12.2	19.6
2005	225	19.9	11.3	23.6
2006	239	18.3	13.1	28.9
2007	256	17.0	15.1	24.2
2008	247	17.9	13.8	26.3
2009	242	17.4	13.9	24.4
2010	206	17.6	11.6	21.4
2011	244	22.5	10.8	31.1
2012	243	22.0	11.0	32.5
2013	241	22.2	10.8	30.3
2014	247	22.2	11.1	27.1
2015	241	22.0	10.9	32.8
2016	262	21.0	12.4	30.5
2017	255	20.5	12.4	29
2018	261	19.9	13.1	29.5
2019	244	19.3	12.6	30.3
2020	233	19.4	12.0	37.3
2021	212	18.8	11.2	34.4
2022	196	21.9	8.9	35.2
2023	193	19.8	9.7	34.7

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 Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	195	18.0	10.8	20.5
1989	200	1.9	105.2	11.5
1990	190	16.0	11.8	12.6
1991	193	18.0	10.7	12.4
1992	196	33.0	5.9	17.3
1993	189	16.1	11.7	13.8
1994	199	13.4	14.9	12.6
1995	222	17.9	12.4	9.5
1996	222	17.9	12.4	9.5
1997	230	16.5	13.9	12.2
1998	228	18.1	12.6	8.8
1999	236	18.4	12.8	17.8
2000	237	18.0	13.2	11.4
2001	246	18.8	13.1	20.3
2002	223	18.8	11.9	20.6
2003	223	18.8	11.9	20.6
2004	230	18.8	12.2	19.6
2005	225	19.9	11.3	23.6
2006	239	18.3	13.1	28.9
2007	256	17.0	15.1	24.2
2008	247	17.9	13.8	26.3
2009	242	17.4	13.9	24.4
2010	206	17.6	11.6	21.4
2011	244	22.5	10.8	31.1
2012	243	22.0	11.0	32.5
2013	241	22.2	10.8	30.3
2014	247	22.2	11.1	27.1
2015	241	22.0	10.9	32.8
2016	262	21.0	12.4	30.5
2017	255	20.5	12.4	29
2018	261	19.9	13.1	29.5
2019	244	19.3	12.6	30.3
2020	233	19.4	12.0	37.3
2021	212	18.8	11.2	34.4
2022	196	21.9	8.9	35.2
2023	193	19.8	9.7	34.7

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 Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$267 (1.7%)	$15,504 (98.3%)	$15,770

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Belle Plaine Junior/Senior 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 178^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 261^st of 334 Middle schools	26.1%
Ranks 145^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 140^th of 336 High schools	2.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	83.3	72.4	10.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	83.3	72.4	10.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	70.8	66.7	4.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	70.8	66.7	4.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	52.4	78.4	26%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	52.4	78.4	26%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	81	54.1	26.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	81	54.1	26.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	74.4	92.6	18.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	74.4	92.6	18.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	69.2	74.1	4.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	69.2	74.1	4.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	73	63	10%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Belle Plaine Community School District)	73	63	10%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School)	73	70.4	2.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Belle Plaine Community School District)	73	70.4	2.6%
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	244	193	20.9%
African American	2	3	50%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	5	2	60%
Hispanic	2	1	50%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	226	182	19.5%
Two or More Races	7	5	28.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	30.3%	34.7%	4.4%

Schools Near Belle Plaine Junior/Senior 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 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 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
Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	610 13th Ave South	Belle Plaine	52208	Benton County	Belle Plaine Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 444-3720	193	20	9.7	34.7%	182 (94.3%)	3 (1.6%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.6%)	52.5	179^th of 338 public high schools	47.0%		58.8	140^th of 336 public high schools	58.3%	39	69.8	73.3	69.7	85.7	81.5	69.8	63.3	51.5	64.3	74.1	50.0	67.9	$15,770	$267	$15,504
H-L-V Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	402 5th Street	Victor	52347	Iowa County	H-L-V Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 647-2161	140	7	20.0	32.1%	133 (95.0%)	3 (2.1%)	3 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	49.3	198^th of 338 public high schools	41.4%		53.6	171^st of 336 public high schools	49.1%	27	87.5	78.6	66.7	87.0	72.2	62.5	60.7	61.9	69.6	44.4	64.3	69.6	$16,288	$495	$15,793
Iowa Valley Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	359 E Hilton St	Marengo	52301	Iowa County	Iowa Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 642-3332	229	20	11.6	36.2%	205 (89.5%)	3 (1.3%)	17 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	73.8	67^th of 338 public high schools	80.2%		68.9	91^st of 336 public high schools	72.9%	24	76.3	91.7	87.5	92.3	83.9	60.5	77.8	75.0	61.5	77.4	69.4	79.5	$14,626	$333	$14,293
Benton Community Senior High School	Public	9-12	600 1st St	Van Horne	52346	Benton County	Benton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 228-8701	496	30	16.7	26.8%	457 (92.1%)	3 (0.6%)	19 (3.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.0%)	64.5	121^st of 338 public high schools	64.2%		58.2	150^th of 336 public high schools	55.4%	29			81.3	84.8	88.3			61.7	69.6	72.1		67.9	$15,474	$238	$15,236
Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	1090 Jackson St	Brooklyn	52211	Poweshiek County	Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 522-7058	265	19	14.2	34.7%	245 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.3%)	51.6	185^th of 338 public high schools	45.3%		47.5	200^th of 336 public high schools	40.5%	15	83.3	88.9	87.2	80.0	77.8	75.0	80.0	64.1	68.0	64.4	73.3	44.0	$15,368	$55	$15,313
South Tama County High School	Public	9-12	1715 Harding St	Tama	52339	Tama County	South Tama County	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 484-4345	472	30	15.6	53.8%	230 (48.7%)	4 (0.8%)	163 (34.5%)	2 (0.4%)	50 (10.6%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.7%)	18.1	297^th of 338 public high schools	12.1%		11.9	307^th of 336 public high schools	8.6%	10			77.2	54.6	44.7			52.2	56.7	40.4		43.3	$16,283	$413	$15,869

Frequently Asked Questions about Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School

What schools feed into Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School?

Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Longfellow Elementary School

How many students attend Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 193 students attended Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School.

Is Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School a good school?

Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School ranks 179^th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School in?

Belle Plaine Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School?

Students at Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School are 94% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% Asian.

Rate Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School!

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Schools in Belle Plaine, IA

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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.