Hoover Middle School

Q: Is Hoover Middle School a good school?

Hoover Middle School ranks 226 th of 337 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Hoover Middle School is a public middle school located in Waterloo, Iowa, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 883 students. The school is part of the Waterloo Community School District, which is ranked 293 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Hoover Middle School consistently outperforms the Waterloo Community School District and the state of Iowa in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Hoover's 8th-grade students had 76.1% proficiency in English Language Arts, compared to 63% for the district and 77.5% for the state. In Mathematics, Hoover's 8th-grade students had 77.6% proficiency, compared to 63.3% for the district and 73.2% for the state. Additionally, Hoover Middle School has a more diverse student population compared to the nearby schools, with a racial makeup of 55.15% White, 20.84% African American, 8.15% Hispanic, 5.44% Asian, and 10.42% other races in the 2022-2023 school year.

Hoover Middle School also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 58.89% in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the nearby schools, which range from 15.81% to 90.95%. Despite these challenges, Hoover Middle School has maintained a consistent academic performance over the years, with its ranking among Iowa middle schools ranging from 171 to 238 out of 324 to 337 schools, and a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade. This suggests that the school has been able to effectively support its diverse and economically disadvantaged student population in achieving academic success.

Detail:

Public 6-8

630 Hillcrest Rd
Waterloo, IA 50701

(319) 433-2830

District: Waterloo Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
226^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,322

Students who attend Hoover Middle School usually attend:

High:

West High School

Feeder schools for Hoover Middle School:

Elementary:	Kingsley Elementary School
	Kittrell Elementary School
	Lou Henry Elementary School
	Orange Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 883

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.2%

African American:

20.8%

Hispanic:

8.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 58.9%

See top rated Iowa middle schools

Compare Hoover Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hoover Middle School ranks worse than 67.1% of middle schools in Iowa. It also ranks first among 4 ranked middle schools in the Waterloo Community School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.15. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Hoover Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Waterloo Community School District. Racial makeup is: White (55.2%), African American (20.8%), Hispanic (8.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 58.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Waterloo Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hoover Middle School is 15.5, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the Waterloo Community School District! (See more...)

Compare Hoover Middle School employs 56.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hoover Middle School is $12,322, which is the lowest among 4 middle schools in the Waterloo Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Hoover Middle School 226^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Hoover Middle School in the ranking list.)

Waterloo Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterloo Community School District 293^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Hoover Middle School.

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Rank History for Hoover Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	38.23	259^th	349	25.8%
2013	51.80	190^th	350	45.7%
2014	35.64	255^th	337	24.3%
2015	35.43	262^nd	349	24.9%
2016	38.86	238^th	343	30.6%
2017	44.27	212^th	327	35.2%
2018	44.20	202^nd	318	36.5%
2019	48.19	194^th	342	43.3%
2021	53.06	171^st	324	47.2%
2022	48.76	192^nd	337	43.0%
2023	37.39	238^th	334	28.7%
2024	42.15	226^th	337	32.9%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

75%

25%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, March 29, 2018

Lots of fights and people bringing weapons and the teachers don't help anyone. Close Quote

by a citizen
Saturday, January 6, 2018

Amazing place! Close Quote

by a citizen
Saturday, October 7, 2017

Amazing school for my kids! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hoover Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	471	54	21	3	1	n/a	n/a	550
1989	623	65	19	2	1	n/a	n/a	710
1990	643	53	22	6	0	n/a	n/a	724
1991	652	54	27	6	1	n/a	n/a	740
1992	665	51	32	7	1	n/a	n/a	756
1993	620	50	23	4	1	n/a	n/a	698
1994	590	51	19	6	1	n/a	n/a	667
1995	558	82	20	6	2	n/a	n/a	668
1996	558	82	20	6	2	n/a	n/a	668
1997	539	113	15	6	1	n/a	n/a	674
1998	512	102	20	5	1	n/a	n/a	640
1999	499	96	17	4	0	n/a	n/a	616
2000	515	64	16	14	1	n/a	n/a	610
2001	562	59	16	18	4	n/a	n/a	659
2002	600	92	15	19	1	n/a	n/a	727
2003	600	92	15	19	1	n/a	n/a	727
2004	564	99	12	34	0	n/a	n/a	709
2005	549	102	14	44	1	n/a	n/a	710
2006	515	96	12	42	4	n/a	n/a	669
2007	546	102	15	45	5	n/a	n/a	713
2008	574	90	15	47	7	n/a	n/a	733
2009	625	100	21	59	7	n/a	n/a	812
2010	636	60	18	60	4	3	38	819
2011	632	82	19	53	4	3	37	830
2012	590	96	20	42	3	3	39	793
2013	572	91	19	43	3	5	35	768
2014	557	100	25	51	2	3	34	772
2015	561	112	30	68	2	11	35	819
2016	586	105	28	68	0	13	44	844
2017	585	108	28	58	0	16	41	836
2018	588	135	34	68	0	18	73	916
2019	571	134	28	59	0	11	74	877
2020	553	146	29	65	1	7	79	880
2021	546	148	33	67	3	14	74	885
2022	515	147	47	59	3	11	72	854
2023	487	184	48	72	2	18	72	883

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 Hoover Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	550	41.5	13.2	13.5
1989	710	47.8	14.8	14.1
1990	724	48.7	14.8	10.4
1991	740	47.9	15.4	12.8
1992	756	48.0	15.7	11.8
1993	698	47.7	14.6	14
1994	667	39.6	16.8	11.2
1995	668	44.1	15.1	18
1996	668	44.1	15.1	18
1997	674	29.0	23.2	20.9
1998	640	27.0	23.7	24.4
1999	616	31.0	19.9	29.5
2000	610	24.0	25.4	24.3
2001	659	33.6	19.6	30.8
2002	727	69.1	10.5	34.5
2003	727	69.1	10.5	34.5
2004	709	45.3	15.7	34.4
2005	710	44.0	16.1	31.5
2006	669	45.5	14.7	30.5
2007	713	44.4	16.1	36.3
2008	733	46.5	15.8	35.9
2009	812	48.0	16.9	37.2
2010	819	53.3	15.3	38.1
2011	830	48.0	17.2	46.7
2012	793	48.1	16.4	48
2013	768	52.7	14.5	47
2014	772	50.5	15.2	50.5
2015	819	53.0	15.4	52.5
2016	844	54.0	15.6	51.5
2017	836	53.0	15.7	49.5
2018	916	54.6	16.7	48.1
2019	877	56.9	15.4	52.7
2020	880	56.9	15.4	54.7
2021	885	56.7	15.6	58.6
2022	854	54.9	15.5	58.2
2023	883	56.7	15.5	58.9

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 Hoover Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	550	41.5	13.2	13.5
1989	710	47.8	14.8	14.1
1990	724	48.7	14.8	10.4
1991	740	47.9	15.4	12.8
1992	756	48.0	15.7	11.8
1993	698	47.7	14.6	14
1994	667	39.6	16.8	11.2
1995	668	44.1	15.1	18
1996	668	44.1	15.1	18
1997	674	29.0	23.2	20.9
1998	640	27.0	23.7	24.4
1999	616	31.0	19.9	29.5
2000	610	24.0	25.4	24.3
2001	659	33.6	19.6	30.8
2002	727	69.1	10.5	34.5
2003	727	69.1	10.5	34.5
2004	709	45.3	15.7	34.4
2005	710	44.0	16.1	31.5
2006	669	45.5	14.7	30.5
2007	713	44.4	16.1	36.3
2008	733	46.5	15.8	35.9
2009	812	48.0	16.9	37.2
2010	819	53.3	15.3	38.1
2011	830	48.0	17.2	46.7
2012	793	48.1	16.4	48
2013	768	52.7	14.5	47
2014	772	50.5	15.2	50.5
2015	819	53.0	15.4	52.5
2016	844	54.0	15.6	51.5
2017	836	53.0	15.7	49.5
2018	916	54.6	16.7	48.1
2019	877	56.9	15.4	52.7
2020	880	56.9	15.4	54.7
2021	885	56.7	15.6	58.6
2022	854	54.9	15.5	58.2
2023	883	56.7	15.5	58.9

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 Hoover Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$288 (2.3%)	$12,033 (97.7%)	$12,322

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hoover 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 194^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 238^th of 334 Middle schools	14.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Hoover Middle School)	67.3	65.2	2.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	50.3	54.9	4.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Hoover Middle School)	64.8	65.2	0.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	53.2	60.1	6.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Hoover Middle School)	66.8	70.5	3.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	53.9	62.4	8.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Hoover Middle School)	68.9	68.5	0.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	57.5	57.6	0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Hoover Middle School)	71.2	75.7	4.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	58	63	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Hoover Middle School)	78.5	70.1	8.4%
8th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	65.3	61.6	3.7%
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	877	883	0.7%
African American	134	184	37.3%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	28	48	71.4%
Hispanic	59	72	22%
Pacific Islander	11	18	63.6%
White	571	487	14.7%
Two or More Races	74	72	2.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	52.7%	58.9%	6.2%

Schools Near Hoover 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 5th Grade	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 Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hoover Middle School	Public	6-8	630 Hillcrest Rd	Waterloo	50701	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 433-2830	883	57	15.5	58.9%	487 (55.2%)	184 (20.8%)	72 (8.2%)	48 (5.4%)	2 (0.2%)	18 (2.0%)	72 (8.2%)	42.2	226^th of 337 public middle schools	32.9%		37.4	238^th of 334 public middle schools	28.7%	12		71.2	72.5	76.1			74.7	64.8	77.6			59.8	$12,322	$288	$12,033
Central Middle School	Public	6-8	1350 Katoski Dr	Waterloo	50701	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2100	471	35	13.4	85.4%	121 (25.7%)	170 (36.1%)	76 (16.1%)	21 (4.5%)	1 (0.2%)	39 (8.3%)	43 (9.1%)	2.3	330^th of 337 public middle schools	2.1%		5.9	317^th of 334 public middle schools	5.1%	13		49.3	48.9	50.4			48.6	41.8	45.4			35.5	$16,022	$901	$15,120
George Washington Carver Academy	Public	6-8	1505 Logan Ave	Waterloo	50703	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2500	442	35	12.6	91.0%	69 (15.6%)	194 (43.9%)	100 (22.6%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (6.3%)	47 (10.6%)	3.8	324^th of 337 public middle schools	3.9%		5	319^th of 334 public middle schools	4.5%	5		50.4	56.1	49.3			48.9	43.9	54.5			35.8	$14,466	$860	$13,605
Bunger Middle School	Public	6-8	157 S Roosevelt Rd	Evansdale	50707	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 433-2550	431	36	11.8	75.4%	224 (52.0%)	79 (18.3%)	62 (14.4%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.0%)	47 (10.9%)	17.8	301^st of 337 public middle schools	10.7%		26.3	277^th of 334 public middle schools	17.1%	24		55.8	52.3	68.9			61.3	59.4	66.7			54.1	$14,500	$895	$13,604
Peet Junior High School	Public	7-9	525 E Seerley Blvd	Cedar Falls	50613	Black Hawk County	Cedar Falls Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 553-2710	670	49	13.6	26.6%	552 (82.4%)	36 (5.4%)	14 (2.1%)	25 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.9%)	36 (5.4%)	76.3	54^th of 337 public middle schools	84.0%		79.4	41^st of 334 public middle schools	87.7%	13			91.0	89.2	88.5			83.4	80.6	85.4		71.0	$12,622	$245	$12,377
Holmes Junior High School	Public	7-9	505 Holmes Dr	Cedar Falls	50613	Black Hawk County	Cedar Falls Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 553-2650	639	47	13.6	28.2%	539 (84.4%)	25 (3.9%)	18 (2.8%)	15 (2.3%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	37 (5.8%)	79.6	38^th of 337 public middle schools	88.7%		75.3	59^th of 334 public middle schools	82.3%	21			86.8	88.4	86.5			82.4	87.0	84.5		77.7	$13,002	$245	$12,757
Denver Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Longview Drive	Denver	50622	Bremer County	Denver Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 984-6041	207	10	21.0	14.5%	199 (96.1%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	90.4	4^th of 337 public middle schools	98.8%		92.4	1^st of 334 public middle schools	99.7%	3		97.6	95.8	90.3			95.2	90.1	91.9			79.0	$9,191	$24	$9,168
Dike-New Hartford Junior High School	Public	6-8	508 Beaver	New Hartford	50660	Butler County	Dike-New Hartford Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 983-2206	215	11	18.8	15.8%	204 (94.9%)	1 (0.5%)	4 (1.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.3%)								(n/a)													$12,362	$276	$12,086
Jesup Middle School	Public	5-8	531 Prospect	Jesup	50648	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 827-1700	252	16	15.9	20.6%	243 (96.4%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	66.8	108^th of 337 public middle schools	68.0%		80.9	33^rd of 334 public middle schools	90.1%	75	88.7	76.3	94.5	82.5		84.9	72.4	85.5	86.0		73.6	68.4	$9,239	$118	$9,121
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School	Public	5-8	501 Heritage Way	Waverly	50677	Bremer County	Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 352-3632	699	52	13.5	22.0%	632 (90.4%)	17 (2.4%)	25 (3.6%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (2.9%)	77.9	44^th of 337 public middle schools	86.9%		81	32^nd of 334 public middle schools	90.4%	12	72.6	84.1	88.2	87.4		84.7	86.6	77.5	83.5		73.2	82.4	$11,433	$283	$11,149

Frequently Asked Questions about Hoover Middle School

How many students attend Hoover Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 883 students attended Hoover Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Hoover Middle School attend?

Students who attend Hoover Middle School usually go on to attend West High School

What district is Hoover Middle School in?

Waterloo Community School District

Is Hoover Middle School a good school?

Hoover Middle School ranks 226^th of 337 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Hoover Middle School?

Students at Hoover Middle School are 55% White, 21% African American, 8% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander.

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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.