Mason City High School

Summary:

Mason City High School is a public high school in Mason City, Iowa, serving 956 students in grades 9-12 and part of the Mason City Community School District, which is ranked 265 out of 309 districts in the state.

The school's academic performance, as measured by the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), is consistently below the state average across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of 10th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts (55.5%) and Mathematics (46.6%) was significantly lower than the state averages of 73.8% and 66%, respectively. The school's statewide ranking has dropped from 203 out of 324 Iowa high schools in 2014-2015 to 298 out of 338 in 2023-2024. Compared to nearby schools like Rockford Junior-Senior High School and Central Springs High School, Mason City High School's academic performance is generally lower.

Mason City High School has a diverse student population, with 8.37% African American, 12.03% Hispanic, and 1.88% Asian students in the 2022-2023 school year. However, the school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 38.6% in 2021-2022 to 47.46% in 2020-2021. The Mason City Virtual Academy, a public virtual high school within the same district, has mixed academic performance compared to the high school, outperforming in some areas but underperforming in others.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1700 4th St. SE
       Mason City, IA  50401


(641) 421-4431

District: Mason City Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
298th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,496 Help


Feeder schools for Mason City High School:

Elementary:    Harding Elementary School
    Hoover Elementary School
    Jefferson Elementary School
    Roosevelt Elementary School
Middle:    John Adams Middle School
    Lincoln Intermediate

Student/teacher ratio:  17.9 Help
Number of students:  967

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.6%
Hispanic:
13.7%
African American:
7.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  45.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Mason City High School ranks worse than 88.2% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.7. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Mason City High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (70.6%), Hispanic (13.7%), African American (7.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 45.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mason City High School is 17.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Mason City High School employs 53.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mason City High School is $16,496.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Mason City High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Mason City High School 298th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Mason City High School in the ranking list.)

Mason City Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mason City Community School District 265th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Mason City High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2012 56.10 186th 351 47.0%
2013 41.37 262nd 351 25.4%
2014 28.73 261st 322 18.9%
2015 47.96 203rd 324 37.3%
2016 29.33 252nd 320 21.3%
2017 26.89 269th 325 17.2%
2018 36.98 252nd 320 21.3%
2019 35.63 242nd 327 26.0%
2021 21.16 283rd 327 13.5%
2022 16.66 298th 332 10.2%
2023 15.32 298th 336 11.3%
2024 17.70 298th 338 11.8%
See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Mason City High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Mason City High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1451 19 12 41 0 n/a n/a 0 1523
1989 1254 21 9 33 2 n/a n/a 0 1319
1990 1200 12 15 35 2 n/a n/a 0 1264
1991 1189 7 11 35 0 n/a n/a 0 1242
1992 1250 7 10 27 1 n/a n/a 0 1295
1993 1244 13 12 30 0 n/a n/a 0 1299
1994 1224 21 14 36 0 n/a n/a 0 1295
1995 1251 20 15 46 0 n/a n/a 0 1332
1996 1251 20 15 46 0 n/a n/a 0 1332
1997 1281 17 16 44 2 n/a n/a 0 1360
1998 1234 18 17 41 1 n/a n/a 0 1311
1999 1191 20 22 54 1 n/a n/a 0 1288
2000 1191 26 19 59 2 n/a n/a 0 1297
2001 1186 40 21 54 1 n/a n/a 0 1302
2002 1270 37 23 66 2 n/a n/a 0 1398
2003 1270 37 23 66 2 n/a n/a 0 1398
2004 1129 33 26 71 2 n/a n/a 0 1261
2005 1137 33 31 69 2 n/a n/a 0 1272
2006 1117 31 26 78 1 n/a n/a 0 1253
2007 1081 32 31 71 1 n/a n/a 0 1216
2008 1009 34 27 71 3 n/a n/a 0 1144
2009 989 40 26 75 3 n/a n/a 0 1133
2010 999 34 26 74 2 0 1 0 1136
2011 962 36 19 79 4 0 5 0 1105
2012 919 37 16 65 5 0 15 0 1057
2013 886 42 12 73 5 0 24 0 1042
2014 852 36 13 79 4 1 23 0 1008
2015 838 36 14 83 3 1 25 0 1000
2016 844 44 13 88 4 0 9 0 1002
2017 820 54 17 92 2 0 1 0 986
2018 799 59 23 103 3 1 3 0 991
2019 814 66 21 103 3 4 6 0 1017
2020 781 92 15 94 2 7 8 0 999
2021 761 93 16 94 2 11 7 0 984
2022 720 82 15 96 1 8 8 0 930
2023 707 80 18 115 6 17 13 0 956
2024 683 71 22 132 8 30 15 6 967

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 Mason City High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1523 93.0 16.3 11.6
1989 1319 92.5 14.2 11.7
1990 1264 89.3 14.1 10.8
1991 1242 84.6 14.6 12.4
1992 1295 85.0 15.2 12.7
1993 1299 86.1 15.1 12.9
1994 1295 73.1 17.7 11.8
1995 1332 80.0 16.7 12.7
1996 1332 80.0 16.7 12.7
1997 1360 82.0 16.6 12.9
1998 1311 80.3 16.3 13.6
1999 1288 80.7 16.0 21
2000 1297 78.5 16.5 20.5
2001 1302 77.0 16.9 26.2
2002 1398 79.3 17.6 21.5
2003 1398 79.3 17.6 21.5
2004 1261 80.6 15.6 25.2
2005 1272 81.5 15.6 25.5
2006 1253 77.5 16.2 28.1
2007 1216 75.3 16.1 27.5
2008 1144 74.2 15.4 26.5
2009 1133 74.3 15.2 29
2010 1136 68.2 16.6 31.3
2011 1105 57.0 19.3 33.4
2012 1057 60.4 17.4 37.7
2013 1042 62.8 16.5 37.6
2014 1008 61.1 16.4 40.4
2015 1000 57.0 17.5 43.8
2016 1002 56.0 17.8 41.8
2017 986 58.1 16.9 40.3
2018 991 56.7 17.4 40.4
2019 1017 57.2 17.7 40.3
2020 999 60.6 16.4 45.9
2021 984 60.0 16.4 47.5
2022 930 61.2 15.1 38.6
2023 956 56.7 16.8 45.5
2024 967 53.8 17.9 45.1

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 Mason City High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1523 93.0 16.3 11.6
1989 1319 92.5 14.2 11.7
1990 1264 89.3 14.1 10.8
1991 1242 84.6 14.6 12.4
1992 1295 85.0 15.2 12.7
1993 1299 86.1 15.1 12.9
1994 1295 73.1 17.7 11.8
1995 1332 80.0 16.7 12.7
1996 1332 80.0 16.7 12.7
1997 1360 82.0 16.6 12.9
1998 1311 80.3 16.3 13.6
1999 1288 80.7 16.0 21
2000 1297 78.5 16.5 20.5
2001 1302 77.0 16.9 26.2
2002 1398 79.3 17.6 21.5
2003 1398 79.3 17.6 21.5
2004 1261 80.6 15.6 25.2
2005 1272 81.5 15.6 25.5
2006 1253 77.5 16.2 28.1
2007 1216 75.3 16.1 27.5
2008 1144 74.2 15.4 26.5
2009 1133 74.3 15.2 29
2010 1136 68.2 16.6 31.3
2011 1105 57.0 19.3 33.4
2012 1057 60.4 17.4 37.7
2013 1042 62.8 16.5 37.6
2014 1008 61.1 16.4 40.4
2015 1000 57.0 17.5 43.8
2016 1002 56.0 17.8 41.8
2017 986 58.1 16.9 40.3
2018 991 56.7 17.4 40.4
2019 1017 57.2 17.7 40.3
2020 999 60.6 16.4 45.9
2021 984 60.0 16.4 47.5
2022 930 61.2 15.1 38.6
2023 956 56.7 16.8 45.5
2024 967 53.8 17.9 45.1

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 Mason City High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $408 (2.5%) $16,086 (97.5%) $16,496

Data source: Iowa Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mason City 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 242nd of 327 High schoolsRanks 298th of 336 High schools
 14.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Mason City High School)6555.1
 9.9%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Mason City Community School District)6556
 9%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)74.372.9
 1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Mason City High School)64.554.2
 10.3%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Mason City Community School District)64.153.9
 10.2%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)67.167
 0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Mason City High School)67.663.7
 3.9%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Mason City Community School District)66.260.5
 5.7%
   11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)71.468.7
 2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Mason City High School)6363.3
 0.3%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Mason City Community School District)61.155.8
 5.3%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)66.967.3
 0.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1017956
 6%
African American6680
 21.2%
American Indian36
 100%
Asian2118
 14.3%
Hispanic103115
 11.7%
Pacific Islander417
 325%
White814707
 13.1%
Two or More Races613
 116.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients40.3%45.5%
 5.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Mason City High School

Mason City High School ranks in the bottom 11.8% of Iowa high schools.

Students at Mason City High School are 71% White, 14% Hispanic, 7% African American, 3% Pacific Islander, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 967 students attended Mason City High School.


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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.





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