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#643 of 1,280 schools in IA

Spirit Lake Middle School

Middle School · Spirit Lake Comm School District · Spirit Lake, IA

A Spirit Lake Comm School District middle school serving grades 5th – 8th.

2701 Hill Avenue, Spirit Lake, IA 51360

  • Math 79% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • Reading 79% vs IA 75% (2025)
  • 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.4Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.45 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics6.7Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency79.1% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency78.5% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+7.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+7.8 pts
Overall Proficiency79% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)81% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected-2.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile52th
Resources & Environment4.6Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.8:1
District spending per student$11,816
Chronic Absenteeism16.2%

Students at Spirit Lake Middle School score 79% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 81%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency79%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency79%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
75%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 6 points since 2020, reaching 79% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
85%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
87%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
85%
ELA
80%
2012
Math
83%
ELA
80%
2013
Math
87%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
89%
ELA
80%
2015
Math
87%
ELA
80%
2016
Math
88%
ELA
83%
2017
Math
86%
ELA
79%
2018
Math
82%
ELA
75%
2019
Math
82%
ELA
75%
2020*
Math
70%
ELA
75%
2021*
Math
70%
ELA
75%
2022
Math
86%
ELA
77%
2025
Math
79%
ELA
79%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 82% (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 38 test records from IA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

24.2%

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 Spirit Lake 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 26Car-Dependent
  • Bike 37Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,746/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Spirit Lake), 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

$77,464

Median home value

$256,000

Median rent

$1,005/mo

College educated

34.8%

Homeownership

73.8%

Poverty rate

6.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 51360; 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.

Spirit Lake Comm School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#2 of 3
District spending per student
$11,816NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Spirit Lake Middle School

Spirit Lake Middle School is a public middle school in Spirit Lake, IA, part of Spirit Lake Comm School District, serving approximately 364 students in grades 5th-8th with a 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10 and ranks #643 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 82% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Spirit Lake Middle School

What grades does Spirit Lake Middle School serve?

Spirit Lake Middle School serves students in grades 5th through 8th.

How many students attend Spirit Lake Middle School?

Spirit Lake Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 364 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Spirit Lake Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Spirit Lake Middle School is 15.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Spirit Lake Middle School rank in IA?

Spirit Lake Middle School ranks #643 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Spirit Lake Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Spirit Lake Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 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 Spirit Lake Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Spirit Lake Middle School has 82% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Spirit Lake Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Spirit Lake Middle School a Title I school?

No, Spirit Lake Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Spirit Lake Middle School?

24.2% of students at Spirit Lake 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
5th – 8th
Enrollment
364
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
23
Type
regular
Setting
Remote Town
County
Dickinson County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
16.2%
Area population (ZIP 51360)
8,561
Area average commute
15.4 min
Area median age
48.6
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 51360; 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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