Spencer High School

Summary:

Spencer High School is a public high school serving 712 students in grades 9-12 in Spencer, Iowa. The school is part of the Spencer Community School District, which is ranked 130 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Spencer High School consistently outperforms the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were significantly higher than the state averages, with 83.9% proficient or better in 10th grade ELA, 88.1% in 11th grade ELA, and 80.4% in 9th grade Mathematics. The school's performance has been steadily improving, with its statewide ranking rising from 260th out of 320 Iowa high schools in 2017-2018 to 87th out of 338 in 2023-2024.

Compared to nearby schools, Spencer High School outperforms Spirit Lake High School and Sioux Central High School in academic performance, but Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School has shown exceptional performance, with 90.2% proficiency in 10th grade ELA and 87.8% in 10th grade Mathematics in 2022-2023. However, Spencer High School has a higher student-teacher ratio (17.4) compared to the nearby schools, which range from 10.6 to 17.3 students per teacher.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 800 E 3rd St
       Spencer, IA  51301


(712) 262-1700

District: Spencer Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
87th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,801 Help


Feeder schools for Spencer High School:

Elementary:    Fairview Park Elementary
    Johnson Elementary
    Lincoln Elementary School
Middle:    Spencer Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.4 Help
Number of students:  712

Racial breakdown:

White:
87.8%
Hispanic:
8.8%
African American:
1.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  40% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Spencer High School ranks better than 74.3% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.04. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Spencer High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87.8%), Hispanic (8.8%), African American (1.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 40% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Spencer High School is 17.4. (See more...)
Help
Compare Spencer High School employs 40.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spencer High School is $13,801.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Spencer High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Spencer High School 87th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Spencer High School in the ranking list.)

Spencer Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Spencer Community School District 130th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Spencer High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 61.16 158th 351 55.0%
2013 73.18 68th 351 80.6%
2014 71.74 89th 322 72.4%
2015 52.57 181st 324 44.1%
2016 45.93 202nd 320 36.9%
2017 62.25 136th 325 58.2%
2018 31.63 260th 320 18.8%
2019 67.24 109th 327 66.7%
2021 62.40 117th 327 64.2%
2022 72.23 77th 332 76.8%
2023 74.43 60th 336 82.1%
2024 71.04 87th 338 74.3%
See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Spencer High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Spencer High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 603 0 11 6 1 n/a n/a 0 621
1989 581 0 11 1 1 n/a n/a 0 594
1990 619 0 7 1 0 n/a n/a 0 627
1991 637 0 6 3 1 n/a n/a 0 647
1992 708 0 5 5 0 n/a n/a 0 718
1993 752 0 5 5 0 n/a n/a 0 762
1994 803 0 7 3 0 n/a n/a 0 813
1995 804 0 6 1 1 n/a n/a 0 812
1996 804 0 6 1 1 n/a n/a 0 812
1997 776 0 10 2 1 n/a n/a 0 789
1998 808 2 15 3 0 n/a n/a 0 828
1999 780 1 14 6 0 n/a n/a 0 801
2000 767 3 18 3 0 n/a n/a 0 791
2001 747 2 16 3 0 n/a n/a 0 768
2002 703 4 17 11 1 n/a n/a 0 736
2003 703 4 17 11 1 n/a n/a 0 736
2004 674 2 20 11 1 n/a n/a 0 708
2005 696 4 19 16 1 n/a n/a 0 736
2006 700 5 17 13 2 n/a n/a 0 737
2007 690 8 17 8 1 n/a n/a 0 724
2008 681 7 16 12 0 n/a n/a 0 716
2009 640 14 15 16 0 n/a n/a 0 685
2010 613 8 8 21 1 1 2 0 654
2011 609 8 9 22 2 0 4 0 654
2012 570 8 7 24 2 1 4 0 616
2013 559 6 9 21 2 1 8 0 606
2014 540 5 12 34 3 0 6 0 600
2015 542 3 8 31 2 0 11 0 597
2016 541 6 7 43 1 0 7 0 605
2017 512 5 5 48 2 0 7 0 579
2018 513 8 4 58 1 0 5 0 589
2019 539 12 5 62 0 0 5 0 623
2020 577 12 2 66 0 0 10 0 667
2021 608 15 1 74 2 0 9 0 709
2022 646 12 2 75 1 0 10 0 746
2023 625 11 3 63 1 0 9 0 712

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 Spencer High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 621 39.1 15.8 17.1
1989 594 39.8 14.9 17.2
1990 627 41.3 15.1 12
1991 647 41.8 15.4 10.5
1992 718 44.0 16.3 9.1
1993 762 46.0 16.6 11.4
1994 813 46.8 17.4 10.3
1995 812 49.9 16.3 8.4
1996 812 49.9 16.3 8.4
1997 789 51.1 15.4 6
1998 828 51.9 16.0 6.4
1999 801 51.9 15.4 12
2000 791 52.6 15.0 12.3
2001 768 56.1 13.7 10.4
2002 736 49.4 14.9 18.6
2003 736 49.4 14.9 18.6
2004 708 49.4 14.3 16.8
2005 736 48.2 15.3 21.6
2006 737 42.5 17.3 17.4
2007 724 45.0 16.1 19.6
2008 716 54.7 13.1 18.6
2009 685 39.8 17.2 22.9
2010 654 44.5 14.7 26.1
2011 654 40.0 16.3 27.4
2012 616 41.5 14.8 26.6
2013 606 41.2 14.6 30
2014 600 40.8 14.7 30.5
2015 597 40.0 14.9 34
2016 605 39.0 15.5 35.7
2017 579 38.7 14.9 30.2
2018 589 39.3 14.9 32.3
2019 623 39.6 15.7 36.9
2020 667 40.0 16.6 36.4
2021 709 41.5 17.0 37.8
2022 746 39.5 18.8 39
2023 712 40.7 17.4 40

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 Spencer High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 621 39.1 15.8 17.1
1989 594 39.8 14.9 17.2
1990 627 41.3 15.1 12
1991 647 41.8 15.4 10.5
1992 718 44.0 16.3 9.1
1993 762 46.0 16.6 11.4
1994 813 46.8 17.4 10.3
1995 812 49.9 16.3 8.4
1996 812 49.9 16.3 8.4
1997 789 51.1 15.4 6
1998 828 51.9 16.0 6.4
1999 801 51.9 15.4 12
2000 791 52.6 15.0 12.3
2001 768 56.1 13.7 10.4
2002 736 49.4 14.9 18.6
2003 736 49.4 14.9 18.6
2004 708 49.4 14.3 16.8
2005 736 48.2 15.3 21.6
2006 737 42.5 17.3 17.4
2007 724 45.0 16.1 19.6
2008 716 54.7 13.1 18.6
2009 685 39.8 17.2 22.9
2010 654 44.5 14.7 26.1
2011 654 40.0 16.3 27.4
2012 616 41.5 14.8 26.6
2013 606 41.2 14.6 30
2014 600 40.8 14.7 30.5
2015 597 40.0 14.9 34
2016 605 39.0 15.5 35.7
2017 579 38.7 14.9 30.2
2018 589 39.3 14.9 32.3
2019 623 39.6 15.7 36.9
2020 667 40.0 16.6 36.4
2021 709 41.5 17.0 37.8
2022 746 39.5 18.8 39
2023 712 40.7 17.4 40

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 Spencer High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $242 (1.8%) $13,560 (98.3%) $13,801

Data source: Iowa Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Spencer 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 109th of 327 High schoolsRanks 60th of 336 High schools
 15.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer High School)77.187.1
 10%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer Community School District)77.187.1
 10%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)74.372.9
 1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Spencer High School)72.178.7
 6.6%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Spencer Community School District)72.178.7
 6.6%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)67.167
 0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer High School)81.879.5
 2.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer Community School District)81.879.5
 2.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)71.468.7
 2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Spencer High School)74.276.6
 2.4%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Spencer Community School District)74.276.6
 2.4%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)66.967.3
 0.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students623712
 14.3%
African American1211
 8.3%
American Indian01
Asian53
 40%
Hispanic6263
 1.6%
Pacific Islander00
White539625
 16%
Two or More Races59
 80%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients36.9%40%
 3.1%


Schools Near Spencer High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Spencer High School

Students at Spencer High School are 88% White, 9% Hispanic, 2% African American, 1% Two or more races.

Spencer High School ranks 87th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Spencer High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Fairview Park Elementary
Elementary : Johnson Elementary
Elementary : Lincoln Elementary School
Middle : Spencer Middle School

In the 2022-23 school year, 712 students attended Spencer 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.





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