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Excellent

#68 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 5% in state

Union Middle School

Middle School · Union Comm School District · Dysart, IA

An Union Comm School District middle school where students score 3 points above what's typical for similar communities.

505 West, Dysart, IA 52224

  • Math 80% vs IA 73% (2025)
  • Reading 88% vs IA 77% (2025)
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.7Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change+0.54 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.3Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency79.9% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency87.6% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+7.4 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+13.9 pts
Overall Proficiency84% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)81% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+3.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile74th
Resources & Environment7.4Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.6:1
District spending per student$13,149
Chronic Absenteeism24.9%

Students at Union Middle School score 84% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 81%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency80%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
73%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency88%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
77%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

↑ Improving

Proficiency has improved 8 points since 2020, reaching 84% in 2025, across a 17-year record (2009–2025).

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
73%
2010
Math
74%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
69%
ELA
64%
2012
Math
71%
ELA
61%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
70%
2014
Math
85%
ELA
75%
2015
Math
83%
ELA
74%
2016
Math
83%
ELA
72%
2017
Math
83%
ELA
74%
2018
Math
78%
ELA
63%
2019
Math
78%
ELA
63%
2020*
Math
76%
ELA
75%
2021*
Math
76%
ELA
75%
2022
Math
75%
ELA
80%
2025
Math
80%
ELA
88%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 78% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 74% (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

25.9%

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 Union 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 40Car-Dependent
  • Bike 49Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Low239/100K

Powered byWalk Score

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

$72,917

Median home value

$168,800

Median rent

$718/mo

College educated

25.6%

Homeownership

83.7%

Poverty rate

10.6%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 52224; 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.

Union Comm School District

Schools in district
4
Rank in district
#3 of 4
District spending per student
$13,149NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Union Middle School

Union Middle School is a public middle school in Dysart, IA, part of Union Comm School District, serving approximately 189 students in grades 6th-8th with a 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 out of 10 and ranks #68 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 74% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Union Middle School

What grades does Union Middle School serve?

Union Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Union Middle School?

Union Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 189 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Union Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Union Middle School is 12.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Union Middle School rank in IA?

Union Middle School ranks #68 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Union Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Union Middle 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 Union Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Union Middle School has 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 74% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Union Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Union Middle School a Title I school?

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

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

25.9% of students at Union 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
189
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
15
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Tama County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
24.9%
Area population (ZIP 52224)
1,954
Area average commute
21.8 min
Area median age
42.4
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 52224; 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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