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A+

Decorah Community School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Decorah.

Decorah’s School Grade A+ better than 96% of Iowa school districts

Students
1,522
Schools
5
Spent per student
$14,147
IA $13,713
Students per teacher
13:1
Free or reduced lunch
24%
Debt
$5M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Decorah Community School District

  • Its letter, A+: results better than 96% of Iowa districts
  • Math proficiency 17 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 17 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 10 pts above the state
  • 13 students per teacher
  • Debt of $5M, about $3,313 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A+: better than 96% of the 326 Iowa school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well above the state, 2021–22
A+
GraduationFour-year graduation well above the state, class of 2023
A−
The town it serves, and its School Grade
A+Decorah 7,417

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Decorah. Grade by grade →

K–2John Cline Elementary SchoolThis district
3–4Carrie Lee ElementaryThis district
5–8Decorah Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Decorah High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. IA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency81%
State average 63.8% · 1,089 students tested
Reading / language arts87%
State average 69.7% · 1,089 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)95–100%
State average 87.5% · 148 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$14,147 per student · 3% above IA
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 34%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 50%State 44%Federal 6%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
1,588’20
1,588’21
1,589’22
1,568’23
1,522’24

Down 4.2% since 2020–21.

Students
White 89%Hispanic 7%Two or more races 2%Black <1%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

5 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Iowa’s other public schools.

West Side Elementary School
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Decorah
20 students10:1
John Cline Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–2 · Decorah
300 students12:1
Carrie Lee Elementary
Elementary · Grades 3–4 · Decorah
B+
215 students13:1
Decorah Middle School
Middle · Grades 5–8 · Decorah
A
432 students12:1
Decorah High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Decorah
A+
555 students14:1

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Iowa.