Western Dubuque High School

Summary:

Western Dubuque High School is a public high school in Epworth, Iowa, serving around 920 students in grades 9-12 and part of the Western Dubuque Community School District, which is ranked 47th out of 309 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

The school consistently performs well on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) exams, with significantly higher percentages of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to state averages. For example, 87.7% of 10th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 73.8%. The school has a relatively low percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 22-24% over the past few years, suggesting it serves a more affluent community. Western Dubuque High School has a strong track record of high rankings among Iowa high schools, consistently placing in the top 30 or top 100 schools in the state over the past decade, and received a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2023-2024 school year.

When comparing Western Dubuque High School to nearby high schools, such as Cascade Junior-Senior High School and Maquoketa Valley Senior High School, it becomes clear that Western Dubuque is a high-performing school, with generally higher proficiency rates, especially in Mathematics and Science. In contrast, the nearby Dubuque Community School District, which includes Dubuque Senior High School and Hempstead High School, has a significantly higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, around 36-38%, compared to Western Dubuque High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

302 5th Ave SW
Epworth, IA 52045

(563) 258-4030

District: Western Dubuque Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
29^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,456

Feeder schools for Western Dubuque High School:

Elementary:	Dyersville Elementary School
	Epworth Elementary School
	Farley Elementary School
	Peosta Elementary School
Middle:	Drexler Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.0

Number of students: 897

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.4%

Hispanic:

2.2%

Two or more races:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 21.7%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Western Dubuque High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Western Dubuque High School ranks better than 91.4% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 81.02. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (94.4%), Hispanic (2.2%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 21.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Western Dubuque High School is 16. (See more...)

Compare Western Dubuque High School employs 56 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Western Dubuque High School is $13,456.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Western Dubuque High School 29^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Western Dubuque High School in the ranking list.)

Western Dubuque Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Western Dubuque Community School District 47^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Western Dubuque High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	63.56	144^th	351	59.0%
2013	63.97	134^th	351	61.8%
2014	71.70	91^st	322	71.7%
2015	52.64	178^th	324	45.1%
2016	31.50	248^th	320	22.5%
2017	50.95	191^st	325	41.2%
2018	67.42	108^th	320	66.3%
2019	82.13	26^th	327	92.0%
2021	83.15	30^th	327	90.8%
2022	72.41	75^th	332	77.4%
2023	67.58	99^th	336	70.5%
2024	81.02	29^th	338	91.4%

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 Western Dubuque High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	790	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	791
1989	761	0	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	765
1990	773	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	774
1991	752	0	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	756
1992	750	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	752
1993	732	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	733
1994	787	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	789
1995	788	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	791
1996	788	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	791
1997	826	3	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	832
1998	844	3	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	849
1999	818	0	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	824
2000	793	0	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	797
2001	782	0	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	788
2002	723	0	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	726
2003	723	0	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	726
2004	713	1	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	721
2005	718	3	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	726
2006	734	5	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	745
2007	727	7	4	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	746
2008	745	15	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	770
2009	702	10	6	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	726
2010	713	14	2	11	0	0	7	0	747
2011	720	17	2	14	0	2	6	0	761
2012	762	8	7	10	0	1	8	0	796
2013	756	6	6	9	0	1	10	0	788
2014	769	9	7	9	0	0	13	0	807
2015	821	10	5	14	0	0	15	0	865
2016	842	12	3	22	0	0	19	0	898
2017	887	16	4	23	0	0	14	0	944
2018	870	15	2	25	0	1	17	0	930
2019	841	13	3	25	0	2	18	0	902
2020	842	9	3	25	0	1	21	0	901
2021	863	11	1	22	0	2	24	0	923
2022	869	14	1	24	1	1	25	0	935
2023	851	12	1	31	0	2	23	0	920
2024	847	5	2	20	1	1	20	1	897

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 Western Dubuque High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	791	56.0	14.1	16.6
1989	765	5.5	139.0	1.6
1990	774	59.0	13.1	14
1991	756	56.5	13.3	13.6
1992	752	54.0	13.9	14.4
1993	733	50.8	14.4	14.5
1994	789	55.5	14.2	13.2
1995	791	53.2	14.9	10.6
1996	791	53.2	14.9	10.6
1997	832	56.4	14.8	13.6
1998	849	52.0	16.3	15
1999	824	52.0	15.8	20.3
2000	797	53.0	15.0	18.3
2001	788	54.9	14.4	22.7
2002	726	54.5	13.3	17.2
2003	726	54.5	13.3	17.2
2004	721	51.0	14.1	18.4
2005	726	48.5	15.0	20.7
2006	745	52.3	14.2	20.3
2007	746	51.7	14.4	19.3
2008	770	52.0	14.8	21.4
2009	726	51.2	14.2	19.7
2010	747	50.6	14.7	23.7
2011	761	49.0	15.5	24.3
2012	796	51.6	15.4	24.5
2013	788	52.2	15.0	28.9
2014	807	48.3	16.6	21.3
2015	865	52.0	16.6	20.8
2016	898	54.0	16.6	24.4
2017	944	59.0	15.9	25.1
2018	930	57.6	16.1	26.6
2019	902	58.5	15.4	29
2020	901	57.8	15.5	27
2021	923	56.9	16.2	24.4
2022	935	57.9	16.1	22.7
2023	920	57.9	15.8	22.4
2024	897	56.0	16.0	21.7

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 Western Dubuque High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	791	56.0	14.1	16.6
1989	765	5.5	139.0	1.6
1990	774	59.0	13.1	14
1991	756	56.5	13.3	13.6
1992	752	54.0	13.9	14.4
1993	733	50.8	14.4	14.5
1994	789	55.5	14.2	13.2
1995	791	53.2	14.9	10.6
1996	791	53.2	14.9	10.6
1997	832	56.4	14.8	13.6
1998	849	52.0	16.3	15
1999	824	52.0	15.8	20.3
2000	797	53.0	15.0	18.3
2001	788	54.9	14.4	22.7
2002	726	54.5	13.3	17.2
2003	726	54.5	13.3	17.2
2004	721	51.0	14.1	18.4
2005	726	48.5	15.0	20.7
2006	745	52.3	14.2	20.3
2007	746	51.7	14.4	19.3
2008	770	52.0	14.8	21.4
2009	726	51.2	14.2	19.7
2010	747	50.6	14.7	23.7
2011	761	49.0	15.5	24.3
2012	796	51.6	15.4	24.5
2013	788	52.2	15.0	28.9
2014	807	48.3	16.6	21.3
2015	865	52.0	16.6	20.8
2016	898	54.0	16.6	24.4
2017	944	59.0	15.9	25.1
2018	930	57.6	16.1	26.6
2019	902	58.5	15.4	29
2020	901	57.8	15.5	27
2021	923	56.9	16.2	24.4
2022	935	57.9	16.1	22.7
2023	920	57.9	15.8	22.4
2024	897	56.0	16.0	21.7

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 Western Dubuque High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$147 (1.1%)	$13,310 (98.9%)	$13,456

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Western Dubuque 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 26^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 99^th of 336 High schools	21.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Western Dubuque High School)	86.3	73.7	12.6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Western Dubuque Community School District)	86.4	74.7	11.7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Western Dubuque High School)	79.7	73.7	6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Western Dubuque Community School District)	81.7	74	7.7%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Western Dubuque High School)	83.6	76.1	7.5%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Western Dubuque Community School District)	83.6	75.4	8.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Western Dubuque High School)	81	82.9	1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Western Dubuque Community School District)	81.9	82.8	0.9%
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	902	920	2%
African American	13	12	7.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	25	31	24%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	841	851	1.2%
Two or More Races	18	23	27.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29%	22.4%	6.7%

Schools Near Western Dubuque 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 6th Grade	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 6th 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
Western Dubuque High School	Public	9-12	302 5th Ave SW	Epworth	52045	Dubuque County	Western Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 258-4030	897	56	16.0	21.7%	847 (94.4%)	5 (0.6%)	20 (2.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	20 (2.2%)	81	29^th of 338 public high schools	91.4%		67.6	99^th of 336 public high schools	70.5%	70				86.0	87.7	82.0				77.6	84.4	81.0		79.7	$13,456	$147	$13,310
Cascade Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	505 Johnson St NW	Cascade	52033	Dubuque County	Western Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 258-7114	381	32	12.0	30.4%	342 (89.8%)	5 (1.3%)	25 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.6%)	81.9	24^th of 338 public high schools	92.9%		73.7	64^th of 336 public high schools	81.0%	40	88.9	91.7	88.7	83.6	83.6	89.7	91.1	93.8	88.7	81.8	83.6	89.7	79.2	73.8	$17,184	$110	$17,075
Hempstead High School	Public	9-12	3715 Pennsylvania Ave	Dubuque	52002	Dubuque County	Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 552-5200	1,549	102	15.2	36.2%	1,187 (76.6%)	120 (7.7%)	83 (5.4%)	21 (1.4%)	2 (0.1%)	65 (4.2%)	69 (4.5%)	39.9	239^th of 338 public high schools	29.3%		47.6	199^th of 336 public high schools	40.8%	40				71.5	63.2	64.3				65.6	64.4	67.0		60.3	$14,575	$123	$14,453
Dubuque Online School	Public, Virtual	6-12	2300 Chaney Rd	Dubuque	52001	Dubuque County	Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(563) 552-3000	242	11	21.8	5.4%	186 (76.9%)	23 (9.5%)	20 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (4.1%)	1	329^th of 338 public high schools	2.7%					(n/a)			75.0	46.2	45.5	37.3			33.3	34.6	27.3	19.2	33.3	24.2
Dubuque Senior High School	Public	9-12	1800 Clarke Dr	Dubuque	52001	Dubuque County	Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 552-5500	1,466	131	11.2	37.4%	1,075 (73.3%)	152 (10.4%)	95 (6.5%)	10 (0.7%)	2 (0.1%)	40 (2.7%)	85 (5.8%)	45.1	219^th of 338 public high schools	35.2%		47.9	198^th of 336 public high schools	41.1%	21				68.4	71.2	64.9				67.6	71.5	65.8		60.6	$15,535	$392	$15,143
Monticello High School	Public	9-12	850 East Oak Street	Monticello	52310	Jones County	Monticello Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 465-3000	337	26	12.8	27.9%	302 (89.6%)	7 (2.1%)	16 (4.7%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	36	252^nd of 338 public high schools	25.4%		53	173^rd of 336 public high schools	48.5%	79				80.6	58.5	66.7				76.4	47.6	65.4		46.3	$22,482	$310	$22,171
Maquoketa Valley Senior High School	Public	9-12	107 South St	Delhi	52223	Delaware County	Maquoketa Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 922-2091	211	18	11.5	26.1%	202 (95.7%)	2 (0.9%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	77.9	43^rd of 338 public high schools	87.3%		73.5	65^th of 336 public high schools	80.7%	22				83.3	92.6	88.4				70.0	83.3	69.8		83.3	$16,346	$544	$15,802

Frequently Asked Questions about Western Dubuque High School

Is Western Dubuque High School a good school?

Yes. Western Dubuque High School ranks in the top 8.6% of Iowa high schools.

What schools feed into Western Dubuque High School?

Western Dubuque High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Dyersville Elementary School
Elementary : Epworth Elementary School
Elementary : Farley Elementary School
Elementary : Peosta Elementary School
Middle : Drexler Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Western Dubuque High School?

Students at Western Dubuque High School are 94% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Western Dubuque High School in?

Western Dubuque Community School District

How many students attend Western Dubuque High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 897 students attended Western Dubuque 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.