Storm Lake Middle School

Summary:

Storm Lake Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 5-8 in the Storm Lake Community School District in Storm Lake, Iowa. The school has a diverse student population, with a majority Hispanic student body (54% in 2022-2023), and has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa middle schools in recent years, with a 0-1 star rating from SchoolDigger.

Compared to nearby schools, Storm Lake Middle School has significantly lower academic performance, as measured by ISASP test scores. For example, in 2023-2024, the percentage of students proficient in English Language Arts ranged from 69-87% at the nearby schools, compared to only 39.9-59.1% at Storm Lake Middle School. The school also has a very high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 68-76% in recent years, much higher than the 24-46% rates at the nearby schools.

Despite the higher per-student spending of $12,357 at Storm Lake Middle School, the school has consistently struggled to improve student outcomes. This suggests that factors beyond just funding, such as socioeconomic challenges faced by the student population, may be contributing to the persistent low performance. Addressing these issues will likely require a multifaceted approach focused on improving educational equity and targeted interventions to support student learning.

Detail:

Public 5-8

1811 Hyland Drive
Storm Lake, IA 50588

(712) 732-8080

District: Storm Lake Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
327^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,357

Students who attend Storm Lake Middle School usually attend:

High:

Storm Lake High School

Feeder schools for Storm Lake Middle School:

Elementary:

Storm Lake Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 843

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

56.5%

White:

13.2%

Asian:

12.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 66.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Storm Lake Middle School ranks worse than 97% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.97. (See more...)

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 Student population at Storm Lake Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (56.5%), White (13.2%), Asian (12.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 66.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Storm Lake Middle School is 14.6. (See more...)

Compare Storm Lake Middle School employs 57.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Storm Lake Middle School is $12,357.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Storm Lake Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Storm Lake Middle School 327^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Storm Lake Middle School in the ranking list.)

Storm Lake Community School District:

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

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Rank History for Storm Lake Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	33.06	285^th	349	18.3%
2013	24.47	308^th	350	12.0%
2014	18.65	306^th	337	9.2%
2015	13.12	324^th	349	7.2%
2016	24.05	292^nd	343	14.9%
2017	12.72	300^th	327	8.3%
2018	16.16	288^th	318	9.4%
2019	26.81	271^st	342	20.8%
2021	28.98	260^th	324	19.8%
2022	20.57	287^th	337	14.8%
2023	12.89	308^th	334	7.8%
2024	2.97	327^th	337	3.0%

See the entire list of Iowa Middle 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 Storm Lake Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	199	0	7	1	0	n/a	n/a	207
1989	209	3	9	0	0	n/a	n/a	221
1990	254	2	9	4	0	n/a	n/a	269
1991	268	0	11	4	1	n/a	n/a	284
1992	248	2	19	9	1	n/a	n/a	279
1993	473	3	56	17	1	n/a	n/a	550
1994	456	6	53	22	1	n/a	n/a	538
1995	469	5	64	57	0	n/a	n/a	595
1996	469	5	64	57	0	n/a	n/a	595
1997	423	4	75	73	1	n/a	n/a	576
1998	406	5	80	86	0	n/a	n/a	577
1999	365	5	72	114	0	n/a	n/a	556
2000	357	4	78	130	0	n/a	n/a	569
2001	336	0	65	153	0	n/a	n/a	554
2002	323	1	89	220	0	n/a	n/a	633
2003	323	1	89	220	0	n/a	n/a	633
2004	302	4	93	259	0	n/a	n/a	658
2005	264	7	84	264	0	n/a	n/a	619
2006	260	17	74	289	0	n/a	n/a	640
2007	224	19	59	286	2	n/a	n/a	590
2008	196	26	44	301	0	n/a	n/a	567
2009	178	30	49	299	0	n/a	n/a	556
2010	166	24	44	321	1	8	5	569
2011	148	30	65	309	0	10	9	571
2012	138	34	74	330	0	9	7	592
2013	127	34	94	321	0	11	5	592
2014	121	37	126	326	0	17	5	632
2015	130	39	118	338	2	17	7	651
2016	126	39	142	366	1	24	10	708
2017	126	39	141	367	0	29	15	717
2018	122	38	124	342	0	35	11	672
2019	120	27	136	363	0	43	9	698
2020	121	40	137	366	1	43	11	719
2021	114	41	132	400	2	54	14	757
2022	112	48	135	413	3	66	12	789
2023	112	41	131	425	4	66	8	787
2024	111	31	109	476	3	99	14	843

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 Storm Lake Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	207	19.0	10.8	12.6
1989	221	18.4	12.0	23.1
1990	269	21.7	12.3	18.6
1991	284	21.4	13.2	16.2
1992	279	22.0	12.6	24.7
1993	550	34.9	15.8	24.7
1994	538	35.1	15.3	24.9
1995	595	37.8	15.7	28.9
1996	595	37.8	15.7	28.9
1997	576	37.4	15.4	27.4
1998	577	38.5	15.0	29.3
1999	556	39.7	14.0	40.8
2000	569	40.7	14.0	37.6
2001	554	37.7	14.7	42.2
2002	633	43.9	14.4	46.3
2003	633	43.9	14.4	46.3
2004	658	43.5	15.1	49.1
2005	619	38.4	16.1	52.7
2006	640	44.2	14.5	53
2007	590	45.7	12.9	60.7
2008	567	53.0	10.7	63.7
2009	556	47.4	11.7	61.9
2010	569	47.4	12.0	72.9
2011	571	40.4	14.1	73.9
2012	592	41.2	14.3	76.7
2013	592	42.7	13.8	79.7
2014	632	45.2	13.9	79.3
2015	651	49.0	13.2	75.3
2016	708	48.0	14.7	80.6
2017	717	49.3	14.5	75.7
2018	672	48.1	13.9	76
2019	698	51.3	13.6	76.2
2020	719	51.3	14.0	78.3
2021	757	54.0	14.0	76.1
2022	789	50.2	15.6	75.7
2023	787	51.2	15.3	68.6
2024	843	57.7	14.6	66.8

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 Storm Lake Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	207	19.0	10.8	12.6
1989	221	18.4	12.0	23.1
1990	269	21.7	12.3	18.6
1991	284	21.4	13.2	16.2
1992	279	22.0	12.6	24.7
1993	550	34.9	15.8	24.7
1994	538	35.1	15.3	24.9
1995	595	37.8	15.7	28.9
1996	595	37.8	15.7	28.9
1997	576	37.4	15.4	27.4
1998	577	38.5	15.0	29.3
1999	556	39.7	14.0	40.8
2000	569	40.7	14.0	37.6
2001	554	37.7	14.7	42.2
2002	633	43.9	14.4	46.3
2003	633	43.9	14.4	46.3
2004	658	43.5	15.1	49.1
2005	619	38.4	16.1	52.7
2006	640	44.2	14.5	53
2007	590	45.7	12.9	60.7
2008	567	53.0	10.7	63.7
2009	556	47.4	11.7	61.9
2010	569	47.4	12.0	72.9
2011	571	40.4	14.1	73.9
2012	592	41.2	14.3	76.7
2013	592	42.7	13.8	79.7
2014	632	45.2	13.9	79.3
2015	651	49.0	13.2	75.3
2016	708	48.0	14.7	80.6
2017	717	49.3	14.5	75.7
2018	672	48.1	13.9	76
2019	698	51.3	13.6	76.2
2020	719	51.3	14.0	78.3
2021	757	54.0	14.0	76.1
2022	789	50.2	15.6	75.7
2023	787	51.2	15.3	68.6
2024	843	57.7	14.6	66.8

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 Storm Lake Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$655 (5.3%)	$11,701 (94.7%)	$12,357

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Storm Lake Middle 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 271^st of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 308^th of 334 Middle schools	13%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Middle School)	52.8	34.9	17.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Community School District)	52.8	34.9	17.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Middle School)	54.5	38.3	16.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Community School District)	54.5	38.3	16.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Middle School)	60.8	51.4	9.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Community School District)	60.8	51.4	9.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Middle School)	62.2	40.3	21.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Community School District)	62.2	40.3	21.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Middle School)	66.9	61.7	5.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Community School District)	66.9	61.7	5.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Middle School)	69.3	43.2	26.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Community School District)	69.3	43.2	26.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Middle School)	49.2	61.6	12.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Storm Lake Community School District)	49.2	61.6	12.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Middle School)	57.7	64.4	6.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Storm Lake Community School District)	57.7	64.4	6.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	698	787	12.8%
African American	27	41	51.9%
American Indian	0	4
Asian	136	131	3.7%
Hispanic	363	425	17.1%
Pacific Islander	43	66	53.5%
White	120	112	6.7%
Two or More Races	9	8	11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	76.2%	68.6%	7.6%

Schools Near Storm Lake Middle 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 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Storm Lake Middle School	Public	5-8	1811 Hyland Drive	Storm Lake	50588	Buena Vista County	Storm Lake Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 732-8080	843	58	14.6	66.8%	111 (13.2%)	31 (3.7%)	476 (56.5%)	109 (12.9%)	3 (0.4%)	99 (11.7%)	14 (1.7%)	3	327^th of 337 public middle schools	3.0%		12.9	308^th of 334 public middle schools	7.8%	19		39.9	45.3	59.1	53.6		28.1	44.7	40.3	45.3	34.0	42.6	$12,357	$655	$11,701
Alta-Aurelia Middle School	Public	5-8	300 Ash St	Aurelia	51005	Cherokee County	Alta-Aurelia Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 434-5595	240	18	13.1	37.9%	185 (77.1%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (18.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	3 (1.3%)								(n/a)													$11,152	$94	$11,058
Newell-Fonda Middle School	Public	6-8	205 Clark St	Newell	50568	Buena Vista County	Newell-Fonda Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 272-3324	130	7	18.9	46.9%	101 (77.7%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (11.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.2%)	6 (4.6%)	51.4	191^st of 337 public middle schools	43.3%		38.1	234^th of 334 public middle schools	29.9%	43			85.7	84.0	73.2			75.0	80.0	58.5		61.0	$13,004	$715	$12,289
Schaller-Crestland Ridge View Middle School	Public	6-8	310 W Main	Early	50535	Sac County	Schaller-Crestland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 273-5192	141	9	14.9	50.4%	115 (81.6%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (12.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (5.0%)	2 (1.4%)	64.7	117^th of 337 public middle schools	65.3%		60.6	141^st of 334 public middle schools	57.8%	24			83.3	89.6	76.9			88.9	75.0	80.0		70.8	$13,560	$806	$12,754
Galva-Holstein Upper Elementary	Public	4-6	207 Noll	Galva	51020	Ida County	Galva-Holstein Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(712) 368-4353	108	6	16.7	39.8%	94 (87.0%)	2 (1.9%)	10 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)								(n/a)	86.4	67.9	91.2			93.2	64.3	91.2			57.1		$11,931	$176	$11,755
Sioux Central Middle School	Public	6-8	4440 U.S. Hwy 71	Sioux Rapids	50585	Buena Vista County	Sioux Central Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 283-2571	145	7	21.2	23.4%	106 (73.1%)	4 (2.8%)	22 (15.2%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	9 (6.2%)	60.1	147^th of 337 public middle schools	56.4%		68.3	96^th of 334 public middle schools	71.3%	51			78.6	85.1	80.0			73.8	76.6	75.6		68.9	$12,869	$350	$12,519
Cherokee Middle School	Public	5-8	206 E. Indian Street	Cherokee	51012	Cherokee County	Cherokee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 225-6750	356	23	15.7	39.3%	292 (82.0%)	4 (1.1%)	44 (12.4%)	5 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.8%)	62.3	138^th of 337 public middle schools	59.1%		39.3	230^th of 334 public middle schools	31.1%	92		76.1	70.4	87.3	80.0		84.1	76.5	75.9	78.8	71.6	77.6	$9,857	$255	$9,602

Frequently Asked Questions about Storm Lake Middle School

How many students attend Storm Lake Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 843 students attended Storm Lake Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Storm Lake Middle School attend?

Students who attend Storm Lake Middle School usually go on to attend Storm Lake High School

What district is Storm Lake Middle School in?

Storm Lake Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Storm Lake Middle School?

Students at Storm Lake Middle School are 56% Hispanic, 13% White, 13% Asian, 12% Pacific Islander, 4% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Is Storm Lake Middle School a good school?

Storm Lake Middle School ranks in the bottom 3.0% of Iowa middle schools.

Rate Storm Lake 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.