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Needs Improvement

#1270 of 1,280 schools in IA

Burlington Community High School

High School · Burlington Comm School District · Burlington, IA

A high school in Burlington, IA where students score 15 points below what's typical for similar communities.

421 Terrace Dr, Burlington, IA 52601

  • Math 39% vs IA 67% (2025)
  • Reading 62% vs IA 74% (2025)
  • 75.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress1.6Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.37 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics2.3Needs Improvement25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency38.9% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency61.9% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-27.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-15.2 pts
Overall Proficiency50% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)65% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-15.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile7th
College Readiness3.1Needs Improvement30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate75%
AP Participation5.1%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment2.0Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.3:1
District spending per student$14,619
Chronic Absenteeism64.1%

Students at Burlington Community High School score 50% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 65%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency39%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
67%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency62%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
74%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 22 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 50% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
72%
ELA
73%
2010
Math
76%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
89%
ELA
86%
2012
Math
76%
ELA
84%
2013
Math
76%
ELA
71%
2014
Math
72%
ELA
71%
2015
Math
68%
ELA
71%
2016
Math
65%
ELA
69%
2017
Math
57%
ELA
60%
2018
Math
47%
ELA
60%
2019
Math
47%
ELA
60%
2020*
Math
45%
ELA
64%
2021*
Math
45%
ELA
64%
2022
Math
39%
ELA
56%
2025
Math
39%
ELA
62%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 35 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

54%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Burlington Community High School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 51Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 15Minimal Transit
  • Bike 40Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,261/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Burlington), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$57,123

Median home value

$125,500

Median rent

$921/mo

College educated

23.5%

Homeownership

71.2%

Poverty rate

14.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 52601; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
5.1% participation·State avg: 1.7 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics19sports offered
9 boys'·10 girls'·39 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Burlington Notre DamePrivate · tuition5.7privatePK–120.3 mi400Compare →
Burlington Notre Dame Jr/sr High SchoolPrivate · tuition6.1private6–120.3 mi233Compare →
West Burlington Arnold Jr./sr. High SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.16–121.6 mi463Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Burlington Comm School District

Schools in district
8
Rank in district
#8 of 8
District spending per student
$14,619NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
24.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Burlington Community High School is listed in Burlington Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Burlington Community High School

Burlington Community High School is a public high school in Burlington, IA, part of Burlington Comm School District, serving approximately 1,090 students in grades 9th-12th with a 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,270 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Burlington Community High School

What grades does Burlington Community High School serve?

Burlington Community High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Burlington Community High School?

Burlington Community High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,090 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Burlington Community High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Burlington Community High School is 17.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Burlington Community High School rank in IA?

Burlington Community High School ranks #1,270 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Burlington Community High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Burlington Community High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Burlington Community High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Burlington Community High School has 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Burlington Community High School a charter school?

No, Burlington Community High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Burlington Community High School a Title I school?

No, Burlington Community High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Burlington Community High School?

54.0% of students at Burlington Community High School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,090
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
63
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Des Moines County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
64.1%
4-Year Graduation
75.0%
Area population (ZIP 52601)
27,465
Area average commute
18.2 min
Area median age
43.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ISASP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ISASP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 52601; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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