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A+

Denver Community School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12

Serves Denver.

Denver’s School Grade A+ better than 100% of Iowa school districts

Students
1,007
Schools
4
Spent per student
$11,213
IA $13,713
Students per teacher
15:1
Free or reduced lunch
12%
Debt
$21M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Denver Community School District

  • Its letter, A+: results better than 100% of Iowa districts
  • Math proficiency 28 pts above the state
  • Reading proficiency 22 pts above the state
  • Graduation rate 10 pts above the state
  • Spends 18% less per student than the IA average
  • 15 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 7.2% since 2020–21
  • Debt of $21M, about $20,847 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

A+: better than 100% 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+Denver 1,954

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Denver. Grade by grade →

K–5Denver Elementary School - Lincoln Street BuildingThis district
6–8Denver Middle SchoolThis district
9–12Denver Senior High SchoolThis district

Test scores vs. IA

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency92%
State average 63.8% · 610 students tested
Reading / language arts92%
State average 69.7% · 610 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)95–100%
State average 87.5% · 61 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
$11,213 per student · 18% below IA
Spending
Classroom instruction 62%Support & administration 34%Other 4%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 43%State 55%Federal 3%

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

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

Enrollment over time
939’20
965’21
995’22
979’23
1,007’24

Up 7.2% since 2020–21.

Students
White 96%Hispanic 2%Two or more races 2%Asian <1%Black <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

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

Denver Early Elementary School
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Denver
60 students14:1
Denver Elementary School - Lincoln Street Building
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Denver
A+
431 students15:1
Denver Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Denver
A+
238 students20:1
Denver Senior High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Denver
A+
278 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.