Ottumwa High School

Summary:

Ottumwa High School is a public high school in Ottumwa, Iowa, serving 1,317 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Ottumwa Community School District, which is ranked 288 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Ottumwa High School underperforms compared to the state average and nearby schools. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 69.3% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 73.8%. Similarly, only 55.6% of 10th-grade students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 66%. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 15% of Iowa high schools, placing 284 out of 338 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

Additionally, Ottumwa High School has a relatively high percentage of students (37.13%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families. The school's spending per student ($14,352 in 2018-2019) is also lower than nearby schools like Davis County Community High School ($15,057) and Pekin Community Junior/Senior High School ($14,808), which may contribute to its lower academic performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

501 E 2nd
Ottumwa, IA 52501

(641) 683-4444

District: Ottumwa Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
284^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,352

Feeder schools for Ottumwa High School:

Elementary:	Douma Elementary School
	Eisenhower Elementary School
	Horace Mann Elementary School
	James Elementary School
	More...
	Liberty Elementary School
	Pickwick Early Childhood Center
	Wilson Elementary School
Middle:	Evans Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.4

Number of students: 1,317

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.1%

Hispanic:

27.1%

Pacific Islander:

6.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ottumwa High School ranks worse than 84% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.51. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Ottumwa 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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ottumwa High School is $14,352.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Ottumwa High School 284^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Ottumwa High School in the ranking list.)

Ottumwa Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ottumwa Community School District 288^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ottumwa High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	22.12	311^th	351	11.4%
2013	22.22	313^th	351	10.8%
2014	17.85	288^th	322	10.6%
2015	8.25	304^th	324	6.2%
2016	14.81	287^th	320	10.3%
2017	36.27	244^th	325	24.9%
2018	19.92	286^th	320	10.6%
2019	26.15	270^th	327	17.4%
2021	21.02	284^th	327	13.1%
2022	17.79	291^st	332	12.3%
2023	21.20	291^st	336	13.4%
2024	23.51	284^th	338	16.0%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Ottumwa High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1497	23	12	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1536
1989	1394	23	14	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1433
1990	1357	22	14	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1397
1991	1316	22	15	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1354
1992	1364	25	16	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	1410
1993	1382	25	13	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	1426
1994	1376	22	9	7	3	n/a	n/a	0	1417
1995	1374	19	9	4	4	n/a	n/a	0	1410
1996	1374	19	9	4	4	n/a	n/a	0	1410
1997	1382	23	22	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	1435
1998	1336	30	22	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	1405
1999	1302	26	32	14	5	n/a	n/a	0	1379
2000	1273	21	35	19	3	n/a	n/a	0	1351
2001	1285	19	45	42	1	n/a	n/a	0	1392
2002	1223	17	58	77	4	n/a	n/a	0	1379
2003	1223	17	58	77	4	n/a	n/a	0	1379
2004	1308	21	22	106	4	n/a	n/a	0	1461
2005	1395	21	15	145	7	n/a	n/a	0	1583
2006	1347	30	15	178	8	n/a	n/a	0	1578
2007	1300	33	17	198	7	n/a	n/a	0	1555
2008	1210	30	22	206	6	n/a	n/a	0	1474
2009	1157	37	18	212	4	n/a	n/a	0	1428
2010	1170	25	12	104	51	2	27	0	1391
2011	1057	33	9	224	11	2	28	0	1364
2012	1034	29	6	238	8	2	27	0	1344
2013	999	41	13	236	7	4	32	0	1332
2014	957	41	18	261	8	2	24	0	1311
2015	888	50	17	261	14	6	27	0	1263
2016	860	62	20	281	12	10	23	0	1268
2017	830	61	19	284	12	13	20	0	1239
2018	828	82	17	305	12	10	21	0	1275
2019	776	75	19	323	10	24	23	0	1250
2020	766	75	21	350	5	32	33	0	1282
2021	744	80	21	350	4	60	32	0	1291
2022	773	79	37	368	3	88	30	0	1378
2023	726	82	38	357	1	83	29	1	1317

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 Ottumwa High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1536	100.8	15.2	17.5
1989	1433	102.8	13.9	1.5
1990	1397	102.8	13.5	15.2
1991	1354	72.0	18.8	13.9
1992	1410	81.0	17.4	12.6
1993	1426	77.5	18.4	11.2
1994	1417	77.5	18.3	10.4
1995	1410	82.5	17.1	13.1
1996	1410	82.5	17.1	13.1
1997	1435	83.5	17.2	13.4
1998	1405	84.0	16.7	17
1999	1379	84.0	16.4	18.5
2000	1351	88.0	15.4	20.9
2001	1392	84.1	16.6	10.8
2002	1379	86.1	16.0	43
2003	1379	86.1	16.0	43
2004	1461	84.2	17.4	23.4
2005	1583	96.0	16.5	42.3
2006	1578	99.0	15.9	42.9
2007	1555	97.5	15.9	47.7
2008	1474	92.5	15.9	31.3
2009	1428	93.4	15.3	29.4
2010	1391	94.6	14.7	32.8
2011	1364	88.0	15.5	42.6
2012	1344	85.3	15.7	46.4
2013	1332	82.4	16.1	51.5
2014	1311	80.3	16.3	50.9
2015	1263	80.0	15.7	49.5
2016	1268	80.0	15.8	45.9
2017	1239	77.6	15.9	42.9
2018	1275	71.5	17.8	38.5
2019	1250	74.1	16.8	43.4
2020	1282	73.4	17.4	43.6
2021	1291	76.4	16.8	17.4
2022	1378	80.8	17.0	43.9
2023	1317	80.1	16.4	37.1

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 Ottumwa High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1536	100.8	15.2	17.5
1989	1433	102.8	13.9	1.5
1990	1397	102.8	13.5	15.2
1991	1354	72.0	18.8	13.9
1992	1410	81.0	17.4	12.6
1993	1426	77.5	18.4	11.2
1994	1417	77.5	18.3	10.4
1995	1410	82.5	17.1	13.1
1996	1410	82.5	17.1	13.1
1997	1435	83.5	17.2	13.4
1998	1405	84.0	16.7	17
1999	1379	84.0	16.4	18.5
2000	1351	88.0	15.4	20.9
2001	1392	84.1	16.6	10.8
2002	1379	86.1	16.0	43
2003	1379	86.1	16.0	43
2004	1461	84.2	17.4	23.4
2005	1583	96.0	16.5	42.3
2006	1578	99.0	15.9	42.9
2007	1555	97.5	15.9	47.7
2008	1474	92.5	15.9	31.3
2009	1428	93.4	15.3	29.4
2010	1391	94.6	14.7	32.8
2011	1364	88.0	15.5	42.6
2012	1344	85.3	15.7	46.4
2013	1332	82.4	16.1	51.5
2014	1311	80.3	16.3	50.9
2015	1263	80.0	15.7	49.5
2016	1268	80.0	15.8	45.9
2017	1239	77.6	15.9	42.9
2018	1275	71.5	17.8	38.5
2019	1250	74.1	16.8	43.4
2020	1282	73.4	17.4	43.6
2021	1291	76.4	16.8	17.4
2022	1378	80.8	17.0	43.9
2023	1317	80.1	16.4	37.1

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 Ottumwa High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$688 (4.8%)	$13,665 (95.2%)	$14,352

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ottumwa 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 270^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 291^st of 336 High schools	4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Ottumwa High School)	63.2	60.8	2.4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Ottumwa Community School District)	63.2	58.4	4.8%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Ottumwa High School)	61.5	55.9	5.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Ottumwa Community School District)	61.5	53.2	8.3%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Ottumwa High School)	57.5	62.3	4.8%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Ottumwa Community School District)	57.5	56.4	1.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ottumwa High School)	61.6	67.4	5.8%
11th Grade Mathematics (Ottumwa Community School District)	61.6	59.5	2.1%
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	1250	1317	5.4%
African American	75	82	9.3%
American Indian	10	1	90%
Asian	19	38	100%
Hispanic	323	357	10.5%
Pacific Islander	24	83	245.8%
White	776	726	6.4%
Two or More Races	23	29	26.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.4%	37.1%	6.2%

Schools Near Ottumwa 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
Ottumwa High School	Public	9-12	501 E 2nd	Ottumwa	52501	Wapello County	Ottumwa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 683-4444	1,317	80	16.4	37.1%	726 (55.1%)	82 (6.2%)	357 (27.1%)	38 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	83 (6.3%)	29 (2.2%)	23.5	284^th of 338 public high schools	16.0%		21.2	291^st of 336 public high schools	13.4%	7			58.4	69.3	62.6			47.5	55.6	56.3		55.3	$14,352	$688	$13,665
Gateway High School	Public	9-12	907 Gateway Drive	Ottumwa	52501	Wapello County	Ottumwa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(641) 684-6597	187	4	52.0	60.4%	76 (40.6%)	11 (5.9%)	53 (28.3%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (22.5%)	3 (1.6%)	0.1	336^th of 338 public high schools	0.6%					(n/a)				37.5	17.1				26.3	10.5		0.0
Cardinal High School	Public	9-12	4045 Ashland Rd	Eldon	52554	Wapello County	Cardinal Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 652-7531	276	21	12.8	49.6%	250 (90.6%)	5 (1.8%)	13 (4.7%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	37.9	245^th of 338 public high schools	27.5%		38.4	237^th of 336 public high schools	29.5%	8			82.0	73.2	68.3			57.4	56.3	42.9		62.0	$15,215	$369	$14,847
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Junior/Senior High	Public	7-12	1301 Berdan St	Eddyville	52553	Wapello County	Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont Central School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 969-4288	423	30	14.2	35.2%	403 (95.3%)	4 (0.9%)	12 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	36	253^rd of 338 public high schools	25.1%		28.4	271^st of 336 public high schools	19.3%	18	76.3	73.7	81.9	76.8	72.2	70.0	63.2	49.3	46.4	51.9	63.2	55.4	$11,907	$211	$11,695
Pekin Community Junior/ Senior High School	Public	7-12	1062 Birch Ave	Packwood	52580	Jefferson County	Pekin Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 695-3705	292	18	16.3	29.1%	271 (92.8%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	8 (2.7%)	46.3	214^th of 338 public high schools	36.7%		46.3	205^th of 336 public high schools	39.0%	9	93.5	81.0	76.5	78.7	55.3	69.6	61.9	70.6	70.2	55.3	59.5	57.4	$14,808	$218	$14,591
Davis County Community High School	Public	9-12	503 E. Locust	Bloomfield	52537	Davis County	Davis County Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 664-2200	408	25	16.5	38.5%	387 (94.9%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	35.8	256^th of 338 public high schools	24.3%		29.2	267^th of 336 public high schools	20.5%	11			84.0	72.8	59.6			52.4	65.6	51.1		54.3	$15,057	$442	$14,614
DC Online	Public, Virtual	6-12	608 S. Washington	Bloomfield	62637	Davis County	Davis County Community School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(641) 664-2200	19	0		52.6%	18 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Ottumwa High School

How many students attend Ottumwa High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,317 students attended Ottumwa High School.

Is Ottumwa High School a good school?

Ottumwa High School ranks in the bottom 16.0% of Iowa high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Ottumwa High School?

Students at Ottumwa High School are 55% White, 27% Hispanic, 6% Pacific Islander, 6% African American, 3% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Ottumwa High School in?

Ottumwa Community School District

What schools feed into Ottumwa High School?

Ottumwa High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Douma Elementary School
Elementary : Eisenhower Elementary School
Elementary : Horace Mann Elementary School
Elementary : James Elementary School
Elementary : Liberty Elementary School
Elementary : Pickwick Early Childhood Center
Elementary : Wilson Elementary School
Middle : Evans Middle 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.