Waukee High School

Q: Is Waukee High School a good school?

Waukee High School ranks 135 th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Waukee High School is a public high school serving grades 10-12 in Waukee, Iowa, which is part of the Waukee Community School District. The school consistently outperforms the state average in academic assessments and has a diverse student population, with a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to nearby schools.

Waukee High School's academic performance is a standout, with 79.1% of 10th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 73.8%. The school also boasts a more diverse student body than many surrounding schools, with 67.03% White, 9.46% African American, 8.12% Hispanic, and 8.75% Asian students in the 2022-2023 school year. However, the school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 37th to 139th, suggesting that factors beyond just academic achievement may influence its performance.

Compared to nearby schools, Waukee High School has a higher student-teacher ratio of 15.3, which is lower than some other local schools but higher than the 9.2 ratio at Waukee Community School District's Northwest High School. Additionally, the school serves a relatively affluent student population, with only 24.13% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, lower than the state average and several nearby schools like Des Moines Independent Community School District's Hoover High School and Des Moines Independent Community School District's Roosevelt High School.

Detail:

Public 10-12

555 SE University Avenue
Waukee, IA 50263

(515) 987-5163

District: Waukee Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
135^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,035

Feeder schools for Waukee High School:

Elementary:	Brookview Elementary School
	Eason Elementary School
	Maple Grove Elementary School
	Woodland Hills Elementary School
Middle:	South Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

Number of students: 1,268

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.0%

African American:

9.5%

Asian:

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 24.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Waukee High School ranks better than 60.1% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.03. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Waukee 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 Waukee High School is $13,035.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Waukee High School 135^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Waukee High School in the ranking list.)

Waukee Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waukee Community School District 44^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Waukee High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	80.14	37^th	351	89.5%
2013	78.01	37^th	351	89.5%
2014	81.19	36^th	322	88.8%
2015	78.26	46^th	324	85.8%
2016	83.74	31^st	320	90.3%
2017	74.00	69^th	325	78.8%
2018	70.57	91^st	320	71.6%
2019	76.19	54^th	327	83.5%
2021	79.88	37^th	327	88.7%
2022	59.92	139^th	332	58.1%
2023	71.07	78^th	336	76.8%
2024	62.03	135^th	338	60.1%

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 Waukee High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	311	9	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	326
1989	272	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	275
1990	252	0	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	255
1991	250	1	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	256
1992	255	1	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	259
1993	294	0	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	299
1994	285	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	290
1995	369	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	373
1996	369	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	373
1997	388	3	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	394
1998	444	1	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	452
1999	488	4	6	2	0	n/a	n/a	500
2000	522	1	7	2	0	n/a	n/a	532
2001	581	2	10	1	0	n/a	n/a	594
2002	681	7	13	6	0	n/a	n/a	707
2003	681	7	13	6	0	n/a	n/a	707
2004	791	15	15	10	0	n/a	n/a	831
2005	625	18	11	13	0	n/a	n/a	667
2006	675	22	13	15	1	n/a	n/a	726
2007	768	24	12	24	2	n/a	n/a	830
2008	771	26	18	23	4	n/a	n/a	842
2009	849	23	24	21	4	n/a	n/a	921
2010	800	18	17	34	3	0	23	895
2011	888	22	16	37	0	1	26	990
2012	1033	27	23	33	1	0	30	1147
2013	1109	42	34	49	1	0	33	1268
2014	1264	54	50	56	2	0	30	1456
2015	1307	62	47	62	3	1	41	1523
2016	1435	52	79	61	4	1	53	1685
2017	1482	60	90	76	4	1	58	1771
2018	1590	80	111	92	5	1	62	1941
2019	1689	91	116	111	6	2	66	2081
2020	1725	109	139	120	6	2	65	2166
2021	1779	130	150	139	5	1	73	2277
2022	813	102	98	82	3	0	56	1154
2023	850	120	111	103	3	1	80	1268

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 Waukee High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	326	23.5	13.8	2.8
1989	275	24.7	11.1	1.8
1990	255	22.0	11.5	1.6
1991	256	22.5	11.3	3.5
1992	259	24.0	10.7	3.9
1993	299	24.0	12.5	2.3
1994	290	25.8	11.2	2.4
1995	373	30.0	12.4	4.6
1996	373	30.0	12.4	4.6
1997	394	30.0	13.1	3.6
1998	452	36.0	12.6	2.9
1999	500	40.5	12.3	5.4
2000	532	46.0	11.6	4.7
2001	594	49.0	12.1	4
2002	707	62.5	11.3	5.7
2003	707	62.5	11.3	5.7
2004	831	60.2	13.8	7.3
2005	667	51.5	13.0	7.2
2006	726	55.8	13.0	8.5
2007	830	55.5	15.0	7.5
2008	842	58.9	14.3	10.7
2009	921	61.6	15.0	8.1
2010	895	60.1	14.8	11.4
2011	990	62.0	15.9	12.6
2012	1147	69.6	16.4	10.1
2013	1268	85.5	14.8	12.5
2014	1456	88.1	16.5	15.3
2015	1523	99.0	15.3	15
2016	1685	106.0	15.8	12.9
2017	1771	108.5	16.3	14.7
2018	1941	113.8	17.0	15.2
2019	2081	121.6	17.1	16.5
2020	2166	125.7	17.2	16.2
2021	2277	129.8	17.5	14.6
2022	1154	125.4	9.2	21.2
2023	1268	82.3	15.3	24.1

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 Waukee High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	326	23.5	13.8	2.8
1989	275	24.7	11.1	1.8
1990	255	22.0	11.5	1.6
1991	256	22.5	11.3	3.5
1992	259	24.0	10.7	3.9
1993	299	24.0	12.5	2.3
1994	290	25.8	11.2	2.4
1995	373	30.0	12.4	4.6
1996	373	30.0	12.4	4.6
1997	394	30.0	13.1	3.6
1998	452	36.0	12.6	2.9
1999	500	40.5	12.3	5.4
2000	532	46.0	11.6	4.7
2001	594	49.0	12.1	4
2002	707	62.5	11.3	5.7
2003	707	62.5	11.3	5.7
2004	831	60.2	13.8	7.3
2005	667	51.5	13.0	7.2
2006	726	55.8	13.0	8.5
2007	830	55.5	15.0	7.5
2008	842	58.9	14.3	10.7
2009	921	61.6	15.0	8.1
2010	895	60.1	14.8	11.4
2011	990	62.0	15.9	12.6
2012	1147	69.6	16.4	10.1
2013	1268	85.5	14.8	12.5
2014	1456	88.1	16.5	15.3
2015	1523	99.0	15.3	15
2016	1685	106.0	15.8	12.9
2017	1771	108.5	16.3	14.7
2018	1941	113.8	17.0	15.2
2019	2081	121.6	17.1	16.5
2020	2166	125.7	17.2	16.2
2021	2277	129.8	17.5	14.6
2022	1154	125.4	9.2	21.2
2023	1268	82.3	15.3	24.1

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 Waukee High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$231 (1.8%)	$12,804 (98.2%)	$13,035

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Waukee 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 54^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 78^th of 336 High schools	6.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Waukee High School)	86.5	84	2.5%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Waukee Community School District)	86.5	83.4	3.1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Waukee High School)	79	73.5	5.5%
10th Grade Mathematics (Waukee Community School District)	79	76.2	2.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Waukee High School)	79.7	78.8	0.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Waukee Community School District)	79.7	79.4	0.3%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Waukee High School)	74.1	74.7	0.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Waukee Community School District)	74.1	77.1	3%
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	2081	1268	39.1%
African American	91	120	31.9%
American Indian	6	3	50%
Asian	116	111	4.3%
Hispanic	111	103	7.2%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	1689	850	49.7%
Two or More Races	66	80	21.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	16.5%	24.1%	7.7%

Schools Near Waukee 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 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Waukee High School	Public	10-12	555 SE University Avenue	Waukee	50263	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5163	1,268	82	15.3	24.1%	850 (67.0%)	120 (9.5%)	103 (8.1%)	111 (8.8%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	80 (6.3%)	62	135^th of 338 public high schools	60.1%		71.1	78^th of 336 public high schools	76.8%	57		79.1	76.8		74.5	71.8	63.9	$13,035	$231	$12,804
Northwest High School	Public	10-12	655 NW 10th ST	Waukee	50263	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5161	1,427	0	85.8	13.5%	1,130 (79.2%)	60 (4.2%)	109 (7.6%)	60 (4.2%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	65 (4.6%)	76.4	51^st of 338 public high schools	84.9%		74.5	59^th of 336 public high schools	82.4%	8		85.4	83.0		81.7	75.6	72.0
Valley High School	Public	10-12	3650 Woodland Ave	West Des Moines	50266	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-4000	2,152	120	17.9	36.1%	1,306 (60.7%)	227 (10.5%)	392 (18.2%)	112 (5.2%)	3 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	109 (5.1%)	46.7	212^th of 338 public high schools	37.3%		55.2	162^nd of 336 public high schools	51.8%	50		74.1	70.3		66.8	68.2	56.9	$15,551	$791	$14,760
Dallas Center-Grimes High School	Public	9-12	2555 W 1st St	Grimes	50111	Polk County	Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 986-9747	978	56	17.3	17.9%	859 (87.8%)	35 (3.6%)	47 (4.8%)	17 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (2.0%)	65.7	116^th of 338 public high schools	65.7%		76.4	49^th of 336 public high schools	85.4%	67	81.8	80.8	82.7	70.5	74.2	74.5	61.6	$12,103	$211	$11,892
Van Meter High School	Public	9-12	520 1st Ave	Van Meter	50261	Dallas County	Van Meter Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 996-2221	292	21	13.7	7.5%	272 (93.2%)	3 (1.0%)	11 (3.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	91.9	5^th of 338 public high schools	98.5%		93.3	4^th of 336 public high schools	98.8%	1	98.7	97.0	93.6	80.5	86.4	93.6	83.3	$14,547	$514	$14,033
Johnston Senior High School	Public	10-12	6500 NW 100th Street	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 278-0449	1,790	90	19.8	23.0%	1,241 (69.3%)	197 (11.0%)	142 (7.9%)	124 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	86 (4.8%)	75.9	53^rd of 338 public high schools	84.3%		78.5	43^rd of 336 public high schools	87.2%	10		87.1	79.6		80.3	77.4	72.5	$11,440	$378	$11,061
Walnut Creek Campus	Public	9-12	1020 8th Street	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6480	147	14	10.5	68.7%	79 (53.7%)	24 (16.3%)	28 (19.0%)	3 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (8.8%)	1.2	328^th of 338 public high schools	3.0%		4	325^th of 336 public high schools	3.3%	3	50.0	47.2	39.3	10.0	22.2	17.9	28.6	$18,513	$197	$18,315
ADM Senior High School	Public	9-12	801 Nile Kinnick Dr S	Adel	50003	Dallas County	Adel DeSoto Minburn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 993-4584	651	38	17.1	18.6%	597 (91.7%)	7 (1.1%)	30 (4.6%)	6 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.2%)	92.2	4^th of 338 public high schools	98.8%		91.5	8^th of 336 public high schools	97.6%	4	94.5	95.2	93.8	86.6	86.3	90.7	86.7	$13,069	$279	$12,789
Urbandale High School	Public	9-12	7111 Aurora Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 457-6800	1,347	91	14.7	36.4%	923 (68.5%)	83 (6.2%)	185 (13.7%)	76 (5.6%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	72 (5.3%)	34.3	263^rd of 338 public high schools	22.2%		43.5	219^th of 336 public high schools	34.8%	44	74.8	70.7	62.7	57.0	64.7	56.8	51.7	$11,428	$388	$11,040
Hoover High School	Public	9-12	4800 Aurora Ave	Des Moines	50310	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-7300	991	46	21.4	78.1%	207 (20.9%)	312 (31.5%)	230 (23.2%)	172 (17.4%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	62 (6.3%)	4.8	321^st of 338 public high schools	5.0%		7.8	316^th of 336 public high schools	6.0%	5	42.2	55.6	48.3	28.8	43.1	38.9	38.1	$17,790	$689	$17,101

Frequently Asked Questions about Waukee High School

What schools feed into Waukee High School?

Waukee High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Brookview Elementary School
Elementary : Eason Elementary School
Elementary : Maple Grove Elementary School
Elementary : Woodland Hills Elementary School
Middle : South Middle School

What district is Waukee High School in?

Waukee Community School District

How many students attend Waukee High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,268 students attended Waukee High School.

Is Waukee High School a good school?

Waukee High School ranks 135^th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Waukee High School?

Students at Waukee High School are 67% White, 9% African American, 9% Asian, 8% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

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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.