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Very Good

#499 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 39% in state

Denison High School

High School · Denison Comm School District · Denison, IA

A Denison Comm School District high school where students score 11 points above what's typical for similar communities.

819 N 16th St, Denison, IA 51442

  • Math 70% vs IA 67% (2025)
  • Reading 79% vs IA 74% (2025)
  • 92.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress7.6Very Good25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.4 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics7.7Very Good25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency70.3% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency78.6% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+3.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+1.5 pts
Overall Proficiency74% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)63% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+11.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile66th
College Readiness8.5Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate92%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment2.9Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18:1
District spending per student$12,865
Chronic Absenteeism28.5%

Students at Denison High School score 74% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 63%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency70%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
67%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency79%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
74%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 11 points since 2020, reaching 75% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
77%
2013
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2014
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2015
Math
92%
ELA
77%
2016
Math
87%
ELA
77%
2017
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2018
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2019
Math
62%
ELA
72%
2020*
Math
59%
ELA
69%
2021*
Math
59%
ELA
69%
2022
Math
61%
ELA
71%
2025
Math
70%
ELA
79%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 72% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 75% (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

58.3%

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 Denison 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 22Car-Dependent
  • Bike 29Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated971/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Denison), 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

$64,399

Median home value

$146,200

Median rent

$763/mo

College educated

18%

Homeownership

75.9%

Poverty rate

19.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 51442; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

0 from verified nearby records

No verified same-level alternatives

The available nearby set has no same-level school with a verified grade span.

Denison Comm School District

Schools in district
4
Rank in district
#3 of 4
District spending per student
$12,865NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Denison High School

Denison High School is a public high school in Denison, IA, part of Denison Comm School District, serving approximately 773 students in grades 9th-12th with a 18:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 out of 10 and ranks #499 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 72% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Denison High School

What grades does Denison High School serve?

Denison High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Denison High School?

Denison High School has an enrollment of approximately 773 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Denison High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Denison High School is 18:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Denison High School rank in IA?

Denison High School ranks #499 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Denison High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Denison High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.0 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 Denison High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Denison High School has 72% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 75% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Denison High School a charter school?

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

Is Denison High School a Title I school?

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

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

58.3% of students at Denison 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
773
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
Teachers (FTE)
43
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Crawford County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
28.5%
4-Year Graduation
92.0%
Area population (ZIP 51442)
9,586
Area average commute
14.8 min
Area median age
36.3
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 51442; 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

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