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Very Good

#412 of 1,280 schools in IA

Top 32% in state

Van Meter High School

High School · Van Meter Comm School District · Van Meter, IA

A Van Meter Comm School District high school serving grades 9th – 12th.

PO BOX 257 520 1st Ave, Van Meter, IA 50261

  • Math 89% vs IA 67% (2025)
  • Reading 95% vs IA 74% (2025)
  • 90%+ 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress9.8Excellent25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change+0.69 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics8.7Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency88.6% (2025 ISASP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency94.9% (2025 ISASP)
Math vs. State Avg+22.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+17.8 pts
Overall Proficiency92% (2025 ISASP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)90% (model expectation from 2025 ISASP)
vs. Expected+1.6 pts
Adjusted Percentile80th
College Readiness7.1Very Good30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate90%+
AP Participation25.9%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.3Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.5:1
District spending per student$9,683
Chronic Absenteeism27.2%

Students at Van Meter High School score 92% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 90%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ISASP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IA average.

Math Proficiency89%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
67%(2025 ISASP)
ELA Proficiency95%(2025 ISASP)
School
State
74%(2025 ISASP)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is up 12 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 92% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
87%
ELA
83%
2013
Math
90%
ELA
89%
2014
Math
91%
ELA
87%
2015
Math
90%
ELA
87%
2016
Math
91%
ELA
88%
2017
Math
92%
ELA
92%
2018
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2019
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2020*
Math
87%
ELA
92%
2021*
Math
87%
ELA
92%
2022
Math
82%
ELA
91%
2025
Math
89%
ELA
95%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 87% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 88% (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

8.2%

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 Van Meter 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 22Car-Dependent
  • Bike 12Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Low110/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Van Meter), 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

$150,341

Median home value

$318,600

Median rent

$979/mo

College educated

41.3%

Homeownership

84.5%

Poverty rate

1.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 50261; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs1AP course offered
25.9% participation·State avg: 1.7 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics16sports offered
8 boys'·8 girls'·16 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

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.

Van Meter Comm School District

Schools in district
3
Rank in district
#2 of 3
District spending per student
$9,683NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
1.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

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

About Van Meter High School

Van Meter High School is a public high school in Van Meter, IA, part of Van Meter Comm School District, serving approximately 305 students in grades 9th-12th with a 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.4 out of 10 and ranks #412 of 1,280 schools in IA. State assessment records show 87% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 88% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Van Meter High School

What grades does Van Meter High School serve?

Van Meter High School serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Van Meter High School?

Van Meter High School has an enrollment of approximately 305 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Van Meter High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Van Meter High School is 14.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Van Meter High School rank in IA?

Van Meter High School ranks #412 of 1,280 schools in IA.

What is Van Meter High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Van Meter High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.4 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 Van Meter High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Van Meter High School has 87% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 88% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Van Meter High School a charter school?

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

Is Van Meter High School a Title I school?

No, Van Meter High School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Van Meter High School?

8.2% of students at Van Meter 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
305
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
21
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Dallas County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
27.2%
4-Year Graduation
90%+
Area population (ZIP 50261)
3,105
Area average commute
21.7 min
Area median age
40.3
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 50261; 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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