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#952 of 1,280 schools in IA

John Adams Middle School

Middle School · Mason City Comm School District · Mason City, IA

A Mason City Comm School District middle school serving grades 7th – 8th.

29 S Illinois Ave, Mason City, IA 50401

  • Math 66% vs IA 74% (2025)
  • Reading 68% vs IA 78% (2025)
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.2Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.18 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.6Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency66.2% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency67.7% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg-6.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-8.1 pts
Overall Proficiency67% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)65% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+2.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile39th
Resources & Environment6.2Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.2:1
District spending per student$15,155
Chronic Absenteeism36.3%

Students at John Adams Middle School score 67% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 64%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency66%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
74%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency68%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
78%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 17 points since 2020, reaching 67% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
76%
ELA
72%
2010
Math
70%
ELA
74%
2011
Math
68%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
66%
ELA
61%
2013
Math
80%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
80%
ELA
73%
2015
Math
75%
ELA
73%
2016
Math
79%
ELA
70%
2017
Math
66%
ELA
62%
2018
Math
56%
ELA
64%
2019
Math
56%
ELA
64%
2020*
Math
46%
ELA
54%
2021*
Math
46%
ELA
54%
2022
Math
40%
ELA
58%
2025
Math
66%
ELA
68%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 65% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 66% (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 33 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

55.7%

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 John Adams 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 50Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 19Minimal Transit
  • Bike 52Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,561/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Mason City), 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

$63,807

Median home value

$134,100

Median rent

$868/mo

College educated

21.9%

Homeownership

68.2%

Poverty rate

10%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50401; 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

2 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
North Iowa Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.6PK–121.0 mi71Compare →
Newman CatholicPrivate · tuition5.4PK–123.7 mi554Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Mason City Comm School District

Schools in district
9
Rank in district
#5 of 9
District spending per student
$15,155NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

John Adams Middle School is listed in Mason City Comm School District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About John Adams Middle School

John Adams Middle School is a public middle school in Mason City, IA, part of Mason City Comm School District, serving approximately 463 students in grades 7th-8th with a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.2 out of 10 and ranks #952 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 65% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about John Adams Middle School

What grades does John Adams Middle School serve?

John Adams Middle School serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend John Adams Middle School?

John Adams Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 463 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at John Adams Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at John Adams Middle School is 13.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does John Adams Middle School rank in IA?

John Adams Middle School ranks #952 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is John Adams Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

John Adams Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.2 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 John Adams Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, John Adams Middle School has 65% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is John Adams Middle School a charter school?

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

Is John Adams Middle School a Title I school?

No, John Adams Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for John Adams Middle School?

55.7% of students at John Adams 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
7th – 8th
Enrollment
463
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Cerro Gordo County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
36.3%
Area population (ZIP 50401)
28,818
Area average commute
13.9 min
Area median age
42.5
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 50401; 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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