Cardinal High School

Q: Is Cardinal High School a good school?

Cardinal High School ranks 245 th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Cardinal High School is a public high school located in Eldon, Iowa, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 276 students. The school is part of the Cardinal Community School District, which is ranked 255 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Cardinal High School has a lower student-teacher ratio (12.8) compared to nearby schools, which range from 15.3 to 16.5, the school's academic performance is a concern. Cardinal High School's test scores in English Language Arts and Mathematics are generally lower than the state averages and the nearby schools, such as Fairfield High School and Davis County Community High School. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 35.94% to 52.63% over the past three years, which is higher than the nearby schools.

Cardinal High School's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, from 151 out of 325 Iowa high schools in 2016-2017 to 245 out of 338 in 2023-2024, suggesting the school is struggling to keep up with the performance of other high schools in the state. While the nearby schools also face challenges, with most of them ranked in the bottom half of Iowa high schools and having relatively low test scores compared to the state averages, Cardinal High School appears to be underperforming compared to its peers, which warrants further investigation and targeted interventions to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4045 Ashland Rd
Eldon, IA 52554

(641) 652-7531

District: Cardinal Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
245^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,215

Feeder schools for Cardinal High School:

Elementary:	Cardinal Elementary
Middle:	Cardinal Junior High

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 277

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.1%

Hispanic:

4.3%

Two or more races:

1.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Cardinal High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2017 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.79. (See more...)

Compare Details Cardinal High School ranks worse than 72.5% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.88. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Cardinal High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (92.1%), Hispanic (4.3%), two or more races (1.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 48% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cardinal High School is 12.3. (See more...)

Compare Cardinal High School employs 22.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cardinal High School is $15,215.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Cardinal High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Cardinal High School 245^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Cardinal High School in the ranking list.)

Cardinal Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cardinal Community School District 255^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cardinal High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	36.95	267^th	349	23.5%
2013	23.20	309^th	350	11.7%
2014	7.82	324^th	337	3.9%
2015	19.48	312^th	349	10.6%
2016	19.09	311^th	343	9.3%
2017	19.79	292^nd	327	10.7%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Cardinal High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	14.79	325^th	351	7.4%
2013	48.66	222^nd	351	36.8%
2014	11.39	297^th	322	7.8%
2015	54.72	169^th	324	47.8%
2016	46.93	197^th	320	38.4%
2017	59.48	151^st	325	53.5%
2018	21.82	283^rd	320	11.6%
2019	22.71	283^rd	327	13.5%
2021	12.52	302^nd	327	7.6%
2022	20.16	287^th	332	13.6%
2023	38.36	237^th	336	29.5%
2024	37.88	245^th	338	27.5%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cardinal High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	291	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	291
1989	245	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	245
1990	233	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	233
1991	209	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	210
1992	229	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	230
1993	206	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	209
1994	311	1	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	315
1995	293	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	294
1996	293	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	294
1997	291	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	294
1998	290	1	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	298
1999	296	1	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	300
2000	308	1	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	312
2001	275	1	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	285
2002	338	2	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	348
2003	338	2	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	348
2004	345	3	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	354
2005	345	2	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	355
2006	349	3	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	356
2007	358	2	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	363
2008	351	1	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	359
2009	334	3	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	351
2010	351	1	0	9	0	5	1	367
2011	341	1	0	11	0	4	1	358
2012	325	0	1	10	1	4	0	341
2013	319	0	1	15	2	4	0	341
2014	346	0	2	10	0	0	4	362
2015	313	0	2	14	0	0	3	332
2016	317	1	1	15	1	0	6	341
2017	336	2	1	12	1	0	6	358
2018	202	0	0	7	1	0	4	214
2019	221	3	2	8	1	0	2	237
2020	232	3	1	13	2	0	4	255
2021	241	7	0	12	2	0	4	266
2022	255	5	1	10	1	0	9	281
2023	250	5	1	13	1	0	6	276
2024	255	4	1	12	0	0	5	277

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cardinal High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	291	19.0	15.3	24.7
1989	245	1.8	136.1	19.2
1990	233	17.5	13.3	27.5
1991	210	17.5	12.0	21
1992	230	19.0	12.1	18.7
1993	209	17.7	11.8	16.3
1994	315	24.8	12.7	21.6
1995	294	25.5	11.5	26.9
1996	294	25.5	11.5	26.9
1997	294	21.3	13.8	20.7
1998	298	23.2	12.8	25.2
1999	300	26.0	11.5	39.3
2000	312	24.0	13.0	31.1
2001	285	26.7	10.7	33.3
2002	348	30.0	11.6	32.2
2003	348	30.0	11.6	32.2
2004	354	28.5	12.4	34.7
2005	355	32.0	11.1	43.1
2006	356	33.0	10.8	38.8
2007	363	27.3	13.3	40.2
2008	359	30.0	12.0	46.5
2009	351	27.0	13.0	42.7
2010	367	26.0	14.1	45.8
2011	358	24.2	14.7	48.3
2012	341	26.7	12.7	50.4
2013	341	23.0	14.8	50.7
2014	362	24.1	14.9	58
2015	332	24.0	13.8	58.7
2016	341	24.0	14.2	56
2017	358	21.9	16.3	51.4
2018	214	13.7	15.5	55.6
2019	237	22.4	10.5	53.6
2020	255	21.9	11.6	54.5
2021	266	17.4	15.2	52.6
2022	281	21.4	13.1	35.9
2023	276	21.4	12.8	49.6
2024	277	22.4	12.3	48

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Cardinal High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	291	19.0	15.3	24.7
1989	245	1.8	136.1	19.2
1990	233	17.5	13.3	27.5
1991	210	17.5	12.0	21
1992	230	19.0	12.1	18.7
1993	209	17.7	11.8	16.3
1994	315	24.8	12.7	21.6
1995	294	25.5	11.5	26.9
1996	294	25.5	11.5	26.9
1997	294	21.3	13.8	20.7
1998	298	23.2	12.8	25.2
1999	300	26.0	11.5	39.3
2000	312	24.0	13.0	31.1
2001	285	26.7	10.7	33.3
2002	348	30.0	11.6	32.2
2003	348	30.0	11.6	32.2
2004	354	28.5	12.4	34.7
2005	355	32.0	11.1	43.1
2006	356	33.0	10.8	38.8
2007	363	27.3	13.3	40.2
2008	359	30.0	12.0	46.5
2009	351	27.0	13.0	42.7
2010	367	26.0	14.1	45.8
2011	358	24.2	14.7	48.3
2012	341	26.7	12.7	50.4
2013	341	23.0	14.8	50.7
2014	362	24.1	14.9	58
2015	332	24.0	13.8	58.7
2016	341	24.0	14.2	56
2017	358	21.9	16.3	51.4
2018	214	13.7	15.5	55.6
2019	237	22.4	10.5	53.6
2020	255	21.9	11.6	54.5
2021	266	17.4	15.2	52.6
2022	281	21.4	13.1	35.9
2023	276	21.4	12.8	49.6
2024	277	22.4	12.3	48

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cardinal High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$369 (2.4%)	$14,847 (97.6%)	$15,215

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cardinal High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 283^rd of 327 High schools	Ranks 237^th of 336 High schools	16%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Cardinal High School)	81.1	69.8	11.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Cardinal Community School District)	81.1	69.8	11.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Cardinal High School)	45.3	50.8	5.5%
10th Grade Mathematics (Cardinal Community School District)	45.3	50.8	5.5%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Cardinal High School)	58.6	75	16.4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Cardinal Community School District)	58.6	75	16.4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Cardinal High School)	40.7	60.3	19.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Cardinal Community School District)	40.7	60.3	19.6%
11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	66.9	67.3	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	237	276	16.5%
African American	3	5	66.7%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	8	13	62.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	221	250	13.1%
Two or More Races	2	6	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.6%	49.6%	3.9%

Schools Near Cardinal High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)					ISASP Mathematics (2024)					ISASP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cardinal High School	Public	9-12	4045 Ashland Rd	Eldon	52554	Wapello County	Cardinal Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 652-7531	277	22	12.3	48.0%	255 (92.1%)	4 (1.4%)	12 (4.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	37.9	245^th of 338 public high schools	27.5%		38.4	237^th of 336 public high schools	29.5%	8			82.0	73.2	68.3			57.4	56.3	42.9		62.0	$15,215	$369	$14,847
Ottumwa High School	Public	9-12	501 E 2nd	Ottumwa	52501	Wapello County	Ottumwa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 683-4444	1,239	82	15.1	45.0%	636 (51.3%)	92 (7.4%)	364 (29.4%)	35 (2.8%)	1 (0.1%)	92 (7.4%)	18 (1.5%)	23.5	284^th of 338 public high schools	16.0%		21.2	291^st of 336 public high schools	13.4%	7			58.4	69.3	62.6			47.5	55.6	56.3		55.3	$14,352	$688	$13,665
Gateway High School	Public	9-12	907 Gateway Drive	Ottumwa	52501	Wapello County	Ottumwa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(641) 684-6597	230	6	37.0	69.1%	118 (51.3%)	16 (7.0%)	54 (23.5%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (14.8%)	6 (2.6%)	0.1	336^th of 338 public high schools	0.6%					(n/a)				37.5	17.1				26.3	10.5		0.0
Pekin Community Junior/ Senior High School	Public	7-12	1062 Birch Ave	Packwood	52580	Jefferson County	Pekin Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 695-3705	287	20	14.2	42.5%	268 (93.4%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.8%)	46.3	214^th of 338 public high schools	36.7%		46.3	205^th of 336 public high schools	39.0%	9	93.5	81.0	76.5	78.7	55.3	69.6	61.9	70.6	70.2	55.3	59.5	57.4	$14,808	$218	$14,591
Fairfield High School	Public	9-12	605 E Broadway	Fairfield	52556	Jefferson County	Fairfield Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 472-2059	445	28	15.9	43.1%	370 (83.1%)	11 (2.5%)	27 (6.1%)	9 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.1%)	44	227^th of 338 public high schools	32.8%		24.7	280^th of 336 public high schools	16.7%	53			76.9	78.0	58.0			66.7	67.0	54.5		59.6	$14,744	$133	$14,611
Davis County Community High School	Public	9-12	503 E. Locust	Bloomfield	52537	Davis County	Davis County Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 664-2200	374	24	15.4	47.1%	354 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.1%)	35.8	256^th of 338 public high schools	24.3%		29.2	267^th of 336 public high schools	20.5%	11			84.0	72.8	59.6			52.4	65.6	51.1		54.3	$15,057	$442	$14,614
DC Online	Public, Virtual	6-12	608 S. Washington	Bloomfield	62637	Davis County	Davis County Community School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(641) 664-2200	30	0		43.3%	29 (96.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Cardinal High School

How many students attend Cardinal High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 277 students attended Cardinal High School.

What district is Cardinal High School in?

Cardinal Community School District

Is Cardinal High School a good school?

Cardinal High School ranks 245^th of 338 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Cardinal High School?

Students at Cardinal High School are 92% White, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Cardinal High School?

Cardinal High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cardinal Elementary
Middle : Cardinal Junior High

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.