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Excellent

#70 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 5% in state

North Union High School

High School · North Union Comm School District · Armstrong, IA

A North Union Comm School District high school where students score 18 points above what's typical for similar communities.

PO BOX 75 600 4th Ave, Armstrong, IA 50514

  • Math 77% vs IA 67% (2025)
  • Reading 92% vs IA 74% (2025)
  • 90%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress7.4Very Good25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.46 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics9.4Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency77.1% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency92% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+10.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+14.9 pts
Overall Proficiency85% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)67% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+17.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile91th
College Readiness9.1Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate90%+
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment8.1Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio11.6:1
District spending per student$14,855
Chronic Absenteeism31.7%

Students at North Union High School score 85% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 67%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency77%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
67%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency92%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
74%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 13 points since 2020, reaching 85% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
72%
2010
Math
87%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
90%
ELA
70%
2012
Math
85%
ELA
85%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
65%
2014
Math
85%
ELA
85%
2015
Math
85%
ELA
75%
2016
Math
65%
ELA
65%
2017
Math
65%
ELA
65%
2018
Math
45%
ELA
85%
2019
Math
45%
ELA
85%
2020*
Math
62%
ELA
82%
2021*
Math
62%
ELA
82%
2022
Math
57%
ELA
77%
2025
Math
77%
ELA
92%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 71% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 79% (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

51.1%

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 North Union 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 21Car-Dependent
  • Bike 37Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low21/100K

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

$70,550

Median home value

$128,600

Median rent

$611/mo

College educated

15.7%

Homeownership

83.8%

Poverty rate

5.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50514; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Athletics2sports offered
1 boys'·1 girls'·2 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
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.

North Union Comm School District

Schools in district
2
Rank in district
#2 of 2
District spending per student
$14,855NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
15.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About North Union High School

North Union High School is a public high school in Armstrong, IA, part of North Union Comm School District, serving approximately 186 students in grades 9th-12th with a 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 out of 10 and ranks #70 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about North Union High School

What grades does North Union High School serve?

North Union High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend North Union High School?

North Union High School has an enrollment of approximately 186 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at North Union High School?

The student-teacher ratio at North Union High School is 11.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does North Union High School rank in IA?

North Union High School ranks #70 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is North Union High School's MySchoolScout rating?

North Union High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 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 North Union High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, North Union High School has 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is North Union High School a charter school?

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

Is North Union High School a Title I school?

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

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

51.1% of students at North Union 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
186
Student-Teacher Ratio
11.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
16
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Rural
County
Emmet County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.7%
4-Year Graduation
90%+
Area population (ZIP 50514)
1,190
Area median age
55.1
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 50514; 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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