Iowa City High School

Q: Is Iowa City High School a good school?

Iowa City High School ranks 230 th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Iowa City High School is a public high school serving 1,599 students in grades 9-12 in the Iowa City Community School District. The school has a diverse student population, with 51.28% White, 19.14% African American, and 19.32% Hispanic students, as well as smaller percentages of Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and students of two or more races.

Academically, Iowa City High School performs below the district and state averages on ISASP test scores, with proficiency rates in the 60-70% range for 10th grade students, compared to higher rates at nearby schools like Liberty High School and West Senior High School. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, around 40%, which may contribute to the lower academic performance compared to more affluent neighboring schools.

In terms of statewide rankings, Iowa City High School has fluctuated between the 128th and 230th position out of Iowa high schools in recent years, with a SchoolDigger rating ranging from 1 to 3 stars out of 5. This is in contrast to the consistently higher rankings and 4-5 star ratings of Liberty High School and Solon High School, as well as the lower-performing Elizabeth Tate Alternative High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1900 Morningside Dr
Iowa City, IA 52245

(319) 688-1040

District: Iowa City Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
230^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,356

Feeder schools for Iowa City High School:

Elementary:	Bohumil Shimek Elementary School
	Grant Wood Elementary School
	Helen Lemme Elementary School
	Horace Mann Elementary School
	More...
	Lincoln Elementary School
	Longfellow Elementary School
	Mark Twain Elementary
	Robert Lucas Elementary School
Middle:	Southeast Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 1,606

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.5%

African American:

20.2%

Hispanic:

19.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42.9%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Iowa City High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Iowa City High School ranks worse than 68% of high schools in Iowa. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked high schools in the Iowa City Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 43.68. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Iowa City 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 Iowa City High School has the largest high school student body size in the Iowa City Community School District. Student population at Iowa City High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (50.5%), African American (20.2%), Hispanic (19.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Iowa City High School is 16.1. 2 high schools in the Iowa City Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Iowa City High School employs 99.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Iowa City High School is $15,356. 2 high schools in the Iowa City Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Iowa City High School 230^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Iowa City High School in the ranking list.)

Iowa City Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Iowa City Community School District 221^st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Iowa City High School.

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Rank History for Iowa City High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	65.38	130^th	351	63.0%
2013	66.81	108^th	351	69.2%
2014	54.59	168^th	322	47.8%
2015	44.75	220^th	324	32.1%
2016	54.35	161^st	320	49.7%
2017	35.35	249^th	325	23.4%
2018	45.26	216^th	320	32.5%
2019	54.35	157^th	327	52.0%
2021	54.43	161^st	327	50.8%
2022	61.20	128^th	332	61.4%
2023	49.54	190^th	336	43.5%
2024	43.68	230^th	338	32.0%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, February 6, 2015

The current (2015) principal's priorities are (1) be #1 and (2) be popular with students. "Do what is right" is not a priority. This administrative style has had a devastating effect on education, discipline, respect for teachers, and the ability of teachers to control classrooms at City High. Hopefully we'll see a new principal soon, and hopefully it will be someone who cares about education more than he cares about being loved by a bunch of teenagers. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Iowa City High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1241	21	30	18	8	n/a	n/a	0	1318
1989	1208	19	17	11	7	n/a	n/a	0	1262
1990	1171	32	25	8	13	n/a	n/a	0	1249
1991	1136	36	37	11	9	n/a	n/a	0	1229
1992	1158	36	29	16	5	n/a	n/a	0	1244
1993	1207	41	30	18	11	n/a	n/a	0	1307
1994	1218	47	26	20	6	n/a	n/a	0	1317
1995	1341	64	41	37	12	n/a	n/a	0	1495
1996	1341	64	41	37	12	n/a	n/a	0	1495
1997	1413	82	43	29	5	n/a	n/a	0	1572
1998	1433	79	40	33	4	n/a	n/a	0	1589
1999	1444	83	40	36	3	n/a	n/a	0	1606
2000	1525	111	39	35	2	n/a	n/a	0	1712
2001	1354	84	48	54	9	n/a	n/a	0	1549
2002	1320	104	48	47	7	n/a	n/a	0	1526
2003	1320	104	48	47	7	n/a	n/a	0	1526
2004	1261	139	44	68	10	n/a	n/a	0	1522
2005	1257	163	48	72	9	n/a	n/a	0	1549
2006	1144	154	44	69	9	n/a	n/a	0	1420
2007	1087	164	56	70	7	n/a	n/a	0	1384
2008	1129	248	59	80	5	n/a	n/a	0	1521
2009	967	209	56	96	2	n/a	n/a	0	1330
2010	970	229	66	119	5	0	0	0	1389
2011	979	221	57	135	6	0	0	0	1398
2012	953	201	48	169	4	0	20	0	1395
2013	939	210	49	163	3	1	31	0	1396
2014	985	255	52	200	2	2	40	0	1536
2015	950	286	65	231	2	2	56	0	1592
2016	960	307	66	243	4	1	69	0	1650
2017	945	332	75	269	5	0	75	0	1701
2018	895	290	67	264	5	0	79	0	1600
2019	895	285	53	273	6	1	68	0	1581
2020	868	277	50	289	5	1	76	0	1566
2021	862	303	41	289	4	1	72	0	1572
2022	844	278	42	293	3	1	84	12	1557
2023	820	306	40	309	3	1	93	27	1599
2024	811	324	39	311	1	2	88	30	1606

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 Iowa City High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1318	67.0	19.6	4.5
1989	1262	63.9	19.7	4.9
1990	1249	63.4	19.7	4.2
1991	1229	63.4	19.3	3.3
1992	1244	69.0	18.0	2.9
1993	1307	71.9	18.2	4.1
1994	1317	75.3	17.5	4.1
1995	1495	78.0	19.2	5.4
1996	1495	78.0	19.2	5.4
1997	1572	86.0	18.3	6.9
1998	1589	88.0	18.1	8.1
1999	1606	88.8	18.1	11.5
2000	1712	102.7	16.7	9.2
2001	1549	82.6	18.8	12.4
2002	1526	88.7	17.2	9.2
2003	1526	88.7	17.2	9.2
2004	1522	93.1	16.3	13.4
2005	1549	95.2	16.3	15.6
2006	1420	91.0	15.6	18.1
2007	1384	83.4	16.6	17.6
2008	1521	84.0	18.1	25.4
2009	1330	86.9	15.3	26.3
2010	1389	85.1	16.3	29.9
2011	1398	84.4	16.5	30.8
2012	1395	84.4	16.5	32
2013	1396	90.5	15.4	32.3
2014	1536	94.1	16.3	36.8
2015	1592	89.0	17.8	36.7
2016	1650	92.0	17.9	37.5
2017	1701	94.1	18.0	42.3
2018	1600	92.5	17.2	37.1
2019	1581	94.8	16.6	36.6
2020	1566	94.8	16.5	38.2
2021	1572	102.7	15.2	39.2
2022	1557	104.9	14.8	40.1
2023	1599	105.2	15.1	39.5
2024	1606	99.6	16.1	42.9

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 Iowa City High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1318	67.0	19.6	4.5
1989	1262	63.9	19.7	4.9
1990	1249	63.4	19.7	4.2
1991	1229	63.4	19.3	3.3
1992	1244	69.0	18.0	2.9
1993	1307	71.9	18.2	4.1
1994	1317	75.3	17.5	4.1
1995	1495	78.0	19.2	5.4
1996	1495	78.0	19.2	5.4
1997	1572	86.0	18.3	6.9
1998	1589	88.0	18.1	8.1
1999	1606	88.8	18.1	11.5
2000	1712	102.7	16.7	9.2
2001	1549	82.6	18.8	12.4
2002	1526	88.7	17.2	9.2
2003	1526	88.7	17.2	9.2
2004	1522	93.1	16.3	13.4
2005	1549	95.2	16.3	15.6
2006	1420	91.0	15.6	18.1
2007	1384	83.4	16.6	17.6
2008	1521	84.0	18.1	25.4
2009	1330	86.9	15.3	26.3
2010	1389	85.1	16.3	29.9
2011	1398	84.4	16.5	30.8
2012	1395	84.4	16.5	32
2013	1396	90.5	15.4	32.3
2014	1536	94.1	16.3	36.8
2015	1592	89.0	17.8	36.7
2016	1650	92.0	17.9	37.5
2017	1701	94.1	18.0	42.3
2018	1600	92.5	17.2	37.1
2019	1581	94.8	16.6	36.6
2020	1566	94.8	16.5	38.2
2021	1572	102.7	15.2	39.2
2022	1557	104.9	14.8	40.1
2023	1599	105.2	15.1	39.5
2024	1606	99.6	16.1	42.9

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 Iowa City High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$511 (3.3%)	$14,845 (96.7%)	$15,356

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Iowa City 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 157^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 190^th of 336 High schools	8.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City High School)	75.3	71.3	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	77.2	74	3.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City High School)	71	66.1	4.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	73.1	71.2	1.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City High School)	68.1	69.7	1.6%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa City Community School District)	67.7	69.9	2.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City High School)	72.4	65.3	7.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa City Community School District)	70.5	70.5
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	1581	1599	1.1%
African American	285	306	7.4%
American Indian	6	3	50%
Asian	53	40	24.5%
Hispanic	273	309	13.2%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	895	820	8.4%
Two or More Races	68	93	36.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.6%	39.5%	2.8%

Schools Near Iowa City 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
Iowa City High School	Public	9-12	1900 Morningside Dr	Iowa City	52245	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1040	1,606	100	16.1	42.9%	811 (50.5%)	324 (20.2%)	311 (19.4%)	39 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	88 (5.5%)	43.7	230^th of 338 public high schools	32.0%		49.5	190^th of 336 public high schools	43.5%	40				72.5	67.9	68.2				58.7	66.1	66.9		66.7	$15,356	$511	$14,845
Elizabeth Tate Alternative High School	Public	9-12	1528 Mall Drive	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1080	191	18	10.6	74.3%	56 (29.3%)	67 (35.1%)	38 (19.9%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (10.5%)	0.2	333^rd of 338 public high schools	1.5%		0.1	334^th of 336 public high schools	0.6%	1					7.7	22.9					7.7	21.6		15.4	$18,143	$196	$17,947
West Senior High School	Public	9-12	2901 Melrose Ave	Iowa City	52246	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1050	1,472	95	15.5	38.0%	688 (46.7%)	388 (26.4%)	161 (10.9%)	154 (10.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	72 (4.9%)	57.6	157^th of 338 public high schools	53.6%		61.6	127^th of 336 public high schools	62.2%	30				82.6	72.4	76.0				70.5	68.2	77.2		59.3	$14,737	$345	$14,391
Liberty High School	Public	9-12	1400 S. Dubuque Street	North Liberty	52317	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1210	1,228	73	16.7	24.9%	856 (69.7%)	153 (12.5%)	97 (7.9%)	31 (2.5%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (6.2%)	69.1	97^th of 338 public high schools	71.3%		69.6	89^th of 336 public high schools	73.5%	8				84.7	82.3	68.5				77.3	79.1	72.2		73.8	$16,180	$374	$15,807
West Branch High School	Public	9-12	900 W Main	West Branch	52358	Cedar County	West Branch Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 643-7216	257	21	12.4	20.2%	229 (89.1%)	3 (1.2%)	21 (8.2%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56.2	167^th of 338 public high schools	50.6%		61.1	128^th of 336 public high schools	61.9%	39				74.0	83.8	84.7				60.3	67.6	72.9		60.3	$18,875	$99	$18,775
Clear Creek Amana High School	Public	9-12	551 W Marengo Rd	Tiffin	52340	Johnson County	Clear Creek Amana Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 545-2361	778	53	14.5	28.0%	615 (79.0%)	46 (5.9%)	69 (8.9%)	10 (1.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (4.4%)	63.7	125^th of 338 public high schools	63.0%		62.3	125^th of 336 public high schools	62.8%					81.0	79.5	66.5				77.2	80.5	70.0		67.9	$30,158	$269	$29,889
Solon High School	Public	9-12	600 W. 5th Street	Solon	52333	Johnson County	Solon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 624-3401	489	31	15.9	6.5%	461 (94.3%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.9%)	87.7	10^th of 338 public high schools	97.0%		90.3	11^th of 336 public high schools	96.7%	1				89.5	88.5	88.1				86.3	88.5	87.1		81.1	$13,687	$243	$13,443
Lone Tree Middle-Senior High School	Public	6-12	303 S Devoe St	Lone Tree	52755	Johnson County	Lone Tree Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 629-4610	209	18	11.4	32.5%	189 (90.4%)	1 (0.5%)	16 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	37.1	249^th of 338 public high schools	26.3%		40.8	228^th of 336 public high schools	32.1%	21	57.7	77.1	45.5	64.0	73.0	73.3	76.9	62.9	45.5	36.0	64.9	70.0	40.9	52.8	$13,078	$319	$12,759
West Liberty High School	Public	9-12	310 West Maxson Ave.	West Liberty	52776	Muscatine County	West Liberty Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 627-2115	382	26	14.5	45.3%	154 (40.3%)	2 (0.5%)	218 (57.1%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	22.6	289^th of 338 public high schools	14.5%		28	274^th of 336 public high schools	18.5%	15				63.9	63.2	66.7				52.8	55.2	58.0		43.0	$14,944	$401	$14,543
Highland High School	Public	9-12	1715 Vine Avenue	Riverside	52327	Washington County	Highland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 648-2891	169	16	10.2	22.5%	147 (87.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	56	168^th of 338 public high schools	50.3%		59.1	139^th of 336 public high schools	58.6%	29				74.4	81.1	72.7				61.5	73.0	68.2		70.3	$15,774	$112	$15,662

Frequently Asked Questions about Iowa City High School

What is the racial makeup of Iowa City High School?

Students at Iowa City High School are 50% White, 20% African American, 19% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% Not Specified.

What district is Iowa City High School in?

Iowa City Community School District

Is Iowa City High School a good school?

Iowa City High School ranks 230^th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Iowa City High School?

Iowa City High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Bohumil Shimek Elementary School
Elementary : Grant Wood Elementary School
Elementary : Helen Lemme Elementary School
Elementary : Horace Mann Elementary School
Elementary : Lincoln Elementary School
Elementary : Longfellow Elementary School
Elementary : Mark Twain Elementary
Elementary : Robert Lucas Elementary School
Middle : Southeast Junior High School

How many students attend Iowa City High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,606 students attended Iowa City High School.

Rate Iowa City 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.