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Very Good

#360 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 28% in state

Harlan Community Middle School

Middle School · Harlan Comm School District · Harlan, IA

A middle school in Harlan, IA where students score 11 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2108 Durant St, Harlan, IA 51537

  • Math 86% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • Reading 83% vs IA 77% (2025)
  • 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.6Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.12 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.2Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency85.7% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency83% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+13.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+9.3 pts
Overall Proficiency84% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)73% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+11.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile87th
Resources & Environment3.5Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17.1:1
District spending per student$12,544
Chronic Absenteeism23%

Students at Harlan Community Middle School score 84% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 73%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency86%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency83%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
77%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 9 points since 2020, reaching 84% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
84%
ELA
80%
2010
Math
88%
ELA
89%
2011
Math
85%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
84%
ELA
76%
2013
Math
84%
ELA
82%
2014
Math
86%
ELA
80%
2015
Math
84%
ELA
81%
2016
Math
90%
ELA
84%
2017
Math
93%
ELA
84%
2018
Math
83%
ELA
84%
2019
Math
83%
ELA
84%
2020*
Math
70%
ELA
81%
2021*
Math
70%
ELA
81%
2022
Math
76%
ELA
84%
2025
Math
86%
ELA
83%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 83% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 82% (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

39.9%

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 Harlan Community Middle 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 23Car-Dependent
  • Bike 23Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low153/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$62,353

Median home value

$161,800

Median rent

$854/mo

College educated

23.9%

Homeownership

73.3%

Poverty rate

8.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 51537; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

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.

Harlan Comm School District

Schools in district
4
Rank in district
#1 of 4
District spending per student
$12,544NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Harlan Community Middle School

Harlan Community Middle School is a public middle school in Harlan, IA, part of Harlan Comm School District, serving approximately 343 students in grades 6th-8th with a 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10 and ranks #360 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 83% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Harlan Community Middle School

What grades does Harlan Community Middle School serve?

Harlan Community Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Harlan Community Middle School?

Harlan Community Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 343 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Harlan Community Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Harlan Community Middle School is 17.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Harlan Community Middle School rank in IA?

Harlan Community Middle School ranks #360 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Harlan Community Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Harlan Community Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 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 Harlan Community Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Harlan Community Middle School has 83% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Harlan Community Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Harlan Community Middle School a Title I school?

No, Harlan Community Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Harlan Community Middle School?

39.9% of students at Harlan Community Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
343
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
20
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Shelby County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.0%
Area population (ZIP 51537)
6,480
Area average commute
14.6 min
Area median age
44.2
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 51537; 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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