Is Independence Junior Senior High School a good school?

Independence Junior Senior High School ranks 113 th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Independence Junior Senior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 724 students attended Independence Junior Senior High School.

What is the racial makeup of Independence Junior Senior High School?

Students at Independence Junior Senior High School are 91% White, 4% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Independence Junior Senior High School?

Independence Junior Senior High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : East Elementary School Elementary : West Elementary School

Independence Junior Senior High School

Summary:

Independence Junior Senior High School is a public high school serving grades 7-12 in Independence, Iowa, with a student population of 701. The school is part of the Independence Community School District, which is ranked 193 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Independence Junior Senior High School consistently performs well on state assessments, with a significant portion of students scoring proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates exceeded the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. This strong academic performance has earned the school a high statewide ranking, placing it in the top 20% of Iowa high schools in recent years. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school ranked 42nd out of 336 high schools in the state, earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Wapsie Valley High School, North-Linn Senior High School, and Jesup High School, Independence Junior Senior High School stands out as a high-performing institution, with lower free and reduced-price lunch rates and a more favorable student-teacher ratio. The school's consistent academic achievements and positive trajectory over the years make it a standout among the nearby schools analyzed.

Detail:

Public 7-12

700 20th Ave SW
Independence, IA 50644

(319) 334-7405

District: Independence Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
113^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,700

Feeder schools for Independence Junior Senior High School:

Elementary:	East Elementary School
	West Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 724

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.3%

Two or more races:

4.3%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.7%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Independence Junior Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence Junior Senior High School ranks worse than 73.9% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.37. (See more...)

Compare Details Independence Junior Senior High School ranks better than 66.6% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.2. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Independence Junior Senior 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 (91.3%), two or more races (4.3%), Hispanic (3.6%). (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 Independence Junior Senior High School is 16.3. (See more...)

Compare Independence Junior Senior High School employs 44.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence Junior Senior High School is $15,700.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Junior Senior High School 249^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Independence Junior Senior High School in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Junior Senior High School 113^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Independence Junior Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Independence Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Community School District 193^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Independence Junior Senior High School.

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Rank History for Independence Junior Senior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	34.91	275^th	349	21.2%
2013	47.47	219^th	350	37.4%
2014	65.16	120^th	337	64.4%
2015	45.99	217^th	349	37.8%
2016	34.94	254^th	343	25.9%
2017	48.24	190^th	327	41.9%
2018	54.89	155^th	318	51.3%
2019	54.12	166^th	342	51.5%
2021	56.08	154^th	324	52.5%
2022	44.03	215^th	337	36.2%
2023	52.27	181^st	334	45.8%
2024	36.37	249^th	337	26.1%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Independence Junior Senior High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	48.72	231^st	351	34.2%
2013	52.33	207^th	351	41.0%
2014	28.30	262^nd	322	18.6%
2015	55.42	166^th	324	48.8%
2016	32.70	242^nd	320	24.4%
2017	69.47	94^th	325	71.1%
2018	64.17	120^th	320	62.5%
2019	66.60	114^th	327	65.1%
2021	77.72	48^th	327	85.3%
2022	73.15	70^th	332	78.9%
2023	78.48	42^nd	336	87.5%
2024	66.20	113^th	338	66.6%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

25%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Wednesday, July 5, 2017

These people are very caring and love the kids. They have an awsome counseling group, and wonderful principle. They all work together to make it a great school! Close Quote

by a student
Tuesday, December 23, 2014

They have nice new buildings and some good teachers. However, the superintendent lacks transparency in the administration. The school also puts a higher level of importance on extra curricular activities than it does on advancing the students' intelligence. There are plenty of good teachers, but they are not always the most effective. Close Quote

by a citizen
Thursday, December 11, 2014

Poor leadership at top- superintendent, as well as school board itself// not transparent with many of going on in school Close Quote

Enrollment information for Independence Junior Senior High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	507	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	512
1989	456	2	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	463
1990	496	2	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	506
1991	493	2	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	504
1992	514	0	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	520
1993	555	2	3	6	1	n/a	n/a	567
1994	555	2	6	4	1	n/a	n/a	568
1995	554	1	7	3	1	n/a	n/a	566
1996	554	1	7	3	1	n/a	n/a	566
1997	555	0	7	3	0	n/a	n/a	565
1998	563	0	7	4	0	n/a	n/a	574
1999	564	0	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	574
2000	579	1	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	591
2001	556	3	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	568
2002	538	1	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	546
2003	538	1	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	546
2004	535	4	7	3	0	n/a	n/a	549
2005	520	2	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	530
2006	525	2	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	532
2007	511	2	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	520
2008	502	3	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	513
2009	452	4	5	2	1	n/a	n/a	464
2010	432	1	6	4	1	0	1	445
2011	396	2	2	5	1	0	1	407
2012	576	2	10	23	2	0	7	620
2013	594	5	8	27	1	0	7	642
2014	582	8	9	18	1	0	10	628
2015	611	10	8	17	1	0	9	656
2016	637	6	6	14	0	0	13	676
2017	643	4	3	16	1	0	12	679
2018	667	9	3	13	0	2	9	703
2019	659	7	6	14	0	0	13	699
2020	641	4	4	17	0	0	9	675
2021	655	4	3	19	0	0	9	690
2022	680	4	1	20	0	0	17	722
2023	650	2	2	26	0	0	21	701
2024	661	5	1	26	0	0	31	724

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 Independence Junior Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	512	33.3	15.3	19.5
1989	463	33.5	13.8	15.1
1990	506	36.4	13.9	13.2
1991	504	36.4	13.8	13.9
1992	520	37.0	14.0	12.7
1993	567	37.4	15.2	12.5
1994	568	39.6	14.3	11.6
1995	566	39.3	14.4	7.8
1996	566	39.3	14.4	7.8
1997	565	36.7	15.4	12.9
1998	574	38.3	15.0	12.9
1999	574	36.3	15.8	16.9
2000	591	38.9	15.2	17.4
2001	568	40.8	13.9	15.5
2002	546	40.4	13.5	24.4
2003	546	40.4	13.5	24.4
2004	549	41.4	13.3	22.8
2005	530	41.5	12.8	23.6
2006	532	35.5	15.0	24.1
2007	520	34.5	15.1	24.6
2008	513	38.4	13.4	24.6
2009	464	36.3	12.8	25.2
2010	445	37.0	12.0	28.3
2011	407	35.0	11.6	30.5
2012	620	47.5	13.0	36.8
2013	642	48.4	13.2	31.6
2014	628	49.0	12.7	32.8
2015	656	49.0	13.3	32.3
2016	676	46.0	14.6	28.4
2017	679	48.4	14.0	30.9
2018	703	47.5	14.7	35.6
2019	699	48.5	14.3	31.5
2020	675	47.4	14.2	29.8
2021	690	46.0	14.9	35.2
2022	722	45.5	15.8	31.2
2023	701	46.6	15.0	32.1
2024	724	44.2	16.3	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 Independence Junior Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	512	33.3	15.3	19.5
1989	463	33.5	13.8	15.1
1990	506	36.4	13.9	13.2
1991	504	36.4	13.8	13.9
1992	520	37.0	14.0	12.7
1993	567	37.4	15.2	12.5
1994	568	39.6	14.3	11.6
1995	566	39.3	14.4	7.8
1996	566	39.3	14.4	7.8
1997	565	36.7	15.4	12.9
1998	574	38.3	15.0	12.9
1999	574	36.3	15.8	16.9
2000	591	38.9	15.2	17.4
2001	568	40.8	13.9	15.5
2002	546	40.4	13.5	24.4
2003	546	40.4	13.5	24.4
2004	549	41.4	13.3	22.8
2005	530	41.5	12.8	23.6
2006	532	35.5	15.0	24.1
2007	520	34.5	15.1	24.6
2008	513	38.4	13.4	24.6
2009	464	36.3	12.8	25.2
2010	445	37.0	12.0	28.3
2011	407	35.0	11.6	30.5
2012	620	47.5	13.0	36.8
2013	642	48.4	13.2	31.6
2014	628	49.0	12.7	32.8
2015	656	49.0	13.3	32.3
2016	676	46.0	14.6	28.4
2017	679	48.4	14.0	30.9
2018	703	47.5	14.7	35.6
2019	699	48.5	14.3	31.5
2020	675	47.4	14.2	29.8
2021	690	46.0	14.9	35.2
2022	722	45.5	15.8	31.2
2023	701	46.6	15.0	32.1
2024	724	44.2	16.3	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 Independence Junior Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$579 (3.7%)	$15,121 (96.3%)	$15,700

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence 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 166^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 181^st of 334 Middle schools	5.7%
Ranks 114^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 42^nd of 336 High schools	22.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Junior Senior High School)	67.7	66.3	1.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Community School District)	67.7	66.3	1.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Independence Junior Senior High School)	78.5	74.4	4.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Independence Community School District)	78.5	74.4	4.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Junior Senior High School)	65.1	74.5	9.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Community School District)	65.1	74.5	9.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Independence Junior Senior High School)	76.4	77.3	0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Independence Community School District)	76.4	77.3	0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Junior Senior High School)	75	88	13%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Community School District)	75	88	13%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Independence Junior Senior High School)	68.9	85.5	16.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Independence Community School District)	68.9	85.5	16.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Junior Senior High School)	82.1	84.8	2.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Community School District)	82.1	84.8	2.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Independence Junior Senior High School)	78.8	85.7	6.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Independence Community School District)	78.8	85.7	6.9%
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	699	701	0.3%
African American	7	2	71.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	6	2	66.7%
Hispanic	14	26	85.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	659	650	1.4%
Two or More Races	13	21	61.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	31.5%	32.1%	0.6%

Schools Near Independence 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 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
Independence Junior Senior High School	Public	7-12	700 20th Ave SW	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 334-7405	724	44	16.3	34.7%	661 (91.3%)	5 (0.7%)	26 (3.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.3%)	66.2	113^th of 338 public high schools	66.6%		78.5	42^nd of 336 public high schools	87.5%	71		72.9	75.3	76.4	78.0	85.2		64.8	70.8	71.7	74.8	83.5	60.7	63.3	$15,700	$579	$15,121
Jesup High School	Public	9-12	531 Prospect	Jesup	50648	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 827-1700	288	20	14.0	25.7%	276 (95.8%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	79.7	34^th of 338 public high schools	89.9%		66.7	101^st of 336 public high schools	69.9%	67				92.5	82.3	84.0				85.1	79.4	92.0		62.9	$13,563	$202	$13,361
East Buchanan High School	Public	9-12	414 5th St North	Winthrop	50682	Buchanan County	East Buchanan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 935-3367	179	17	10.5	33.5%	167 (93.3%)	3 (1.7%)	4 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.8%)	40.5	237^th of 338 public high schools	29.9%		48.2	197^th of 336 public high schools	41.4%	40				64.1	60.0	77.4				56.4	67.5	77.4		42.5	$15,562	$271	$15,292
Dunkerton High School	Public	6-12	509 Canfield	Dunkerton	50626	Black Hawk County	Dunkerton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 822-4295	208	15	13.9	38.9%	187 (89.9%)	2 (1.0%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.2%)	56	170^th of 338 public high schools	49.7%		50.3	185^th of 336 public high schools	44.9%	15	83.3	77.3	75.0	76.0	90.0	67.6	79.2	81.8	78.6	64.0	73.3	62.2	60.7	70.0	$15,242	$249	$14,993
Oelwein High School	Public	9-12	315 8th Ave SE	Oelwein	50662	Fayette County	Oelwein Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 283-2731	341	26	13.1	47.2%	293 (85.9%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)	20.5	293^rd of 338 public high schools	13.3%		21.3	290^th of 336 public high schools	13.7%	3				65.8	63.2	57.1				54.2	48.3	61.9		43.7	$18,811	$1,466	$17,345
North-Linn Senior High School	Public	9-12	3033 Lynx Drive	Troy Mills	52218	Linn County	North Linn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 224-3291	157	14	11.0	24.8%	153 (97.5%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	71.1	86^th of 338 public high schools	74.6%		68.6	93^rd of 336 public high schools	72.3%	7				100.0	84.1	84.6				87.9	75.0	64.1		61.4	$13,474	$183	$13,291
Union High School	Public	9-12	200 Adams St	La Porte City	50651	Black Hawk County	Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 342-2697	315	27	11.7	25.7%	283 (89.8%)	4 (1.3%)	18 (5.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	66.3	112^th of 338 public high schools	66.9%		55.1	163^rd of 336 public high schools	51.5%	51				75.4	82.1	79.1				73.9	73.8	79.1		66.7	$15,170	$348	$14,821
Wapsie Valley High School	Public	7-12	RR 2 2535 Viking Ave	Fairbank	50629	Buchanan County	Wapsie Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 638-6711	293	22	13.3	20.1%	283 (96.6%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	34.6	261^st of 338 public high schools	22.8%		53.8	167^th of 336 public high schools	50.3%	94		77.5	69.6	70.2	65.5	72.5		80.0	80.0	59.6	63.8	72.5	66.7	36.2	$13,502	$255	$13,248

Independence Junior Senior High School

Independence Community School District:

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Rank History for Independence Junior Senior High School

Rank History for Independence Junior Senior High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Independence Junior Senior High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence Junior Senior High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence Junior Senior High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Independence Junior Senior High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Junior Senior High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Independence Junior Senior High School