Oelwein High School

Summary:

Oelwein High School is a public high school in Oelwein, Iowa, serving 314 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Oelwein Community School District, which is ranked 303 out of 309 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Oelwein High School consistently underperforms compared to state averages on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 63.2% in 10th grade English Language Arts (vs. 73.8% state average), 48.3% in 10th grade Math (vs. 66% state average), and 43.7% in 10th grade Science (vs. 59.5% state average). The school's statewide ranking has also declined over the years, from 198 out of 325 Iowa high schools in 2016-2017 to 293 out of 338 in 2023-2024.

Oelwein High School faces additional challenges, including a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 45.54% to 52.93% over the past few years. When compared to nearby high schools, such as Jesup High School, East Buchanan High School, Sumner-Fredericksburg High School, and Dunkerton High School, Oelwein High School generally performs worse academically, with lower proficiency rates and lower statewide rankings.

Detail:

Public 9-12

315 8th Ave SE
Oelwein, IA 50662

(319) 283-2731

District: Oelwein Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
293^rd of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,811

Feeder schools for Oelwein High School:

Elementary:	Little Husky Learning Center
	Wings Park Elementary School
Middle:	Oelwein Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 341

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.9%

Hispanic:

7.6%

Two or more races:

5.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.2%

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Compare Oelwein High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Oelwein High School ranks worse than 86.7% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.49. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Oelwein 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 (85.9%), Hispanic (7.6%), two or more races (5.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Oelwein High School is 13.1. (See more...)

Compare Oelwein High School employs 25.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Oelwein High School is $18,811.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Oelwein High School 293^rd of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Oelwein High School in the ranking list.)

Oelwein Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Oelwein Community School District 303^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Oelwein High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	38.71	263^rd	351	25.1%
2013	33.85	285^th	351	18.8%
2014	37.36	242^nd	322	24.8%
2015	45.98	214^th	324	34.0%
2016	64.62	109^th	320	65.9%
2017	49.88	198^th	325	39.1%
2018	33.20	257^th	320	19.7%
2019	18.89	292^nd	327	10.7%
2021	22.68	278^th	327	15.0%
2022	22.98	276^th	332	16.9%
2023	21.25	290^th	336	13.7%
2024	20.49	293^rd	338	13.3%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Oelwein High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	396	0	2	9	0	n/a	n/a	407
1989	358	1	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	365
1990	341	2	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	350
1991	471	1	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	482
1992	507	1	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	517
1993	531	0	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	536
1994	500	0	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	508
1995	522	2	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	532
1996	522	2	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	532
1997	528	0	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	535
1998	541	0	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	549
1999	559	0	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	569
2000	544	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	547
2001	487	1	4	5	1	n/a	n/a	498
2002	457	1	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	463
2003	457	1	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	463
2004	451	3	2	8	4	n/a	n/a	468
2005	448	6	7	7	3	n/a	n/a	471
2006	494	9	4	16	4	n/a	n/a	527
2007	511	9	3	13	1	n/a	n/a	537
2008	454	8	4	7	1	n/a	n/a	474
2009	420	12	5	12	0	n/a	n/a	449
2010	383	2	0	5	0	0	18	408
2011	350	1	0	13	0	0	21	385
2012	373	3	0	11	4	0	16	407
2013	366	6	0	17	4	0	24	417
2014	346	7	0	20	4	0	23	400
2015	334	8	0	20	3	0	20	385
2016	324	6	1	27	1	0	22	381
2017	326	3	1	23	1	0	22	376
2018	309	3	1	26	2	0	21	362
2019	312	5	1	25	2	0	20	365
2020	300	7	1	22	2	0	21	353
2021	322	7	1	24	1	0	21	376
2022	297	7	1	25	1	0	20	351
2023	270	3	2	21	0	0	18	314
2024	293	1	2	26	0	0	19	341

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 Oelwein High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	407	30.6	13.3	14
1989	365	30.6	11.9	14
1990	350	30.6	11.4	12.9
1991	482	33.6	14.3	14.9
1992	517	41.0	12.6	12
1993	536	35.3	15.2	14.7
1994	508	34.0	14.9	12.6
1995	532	34.0	15.6	9.2
1996	532	34.0	15.6	9.2
1997	535	33.6	15.9	16.1
1998	549	38.1	14.4	14
1999	569	35.5	16.0	25.5
2000	547	33.6	16.3	24.7
2001	498	34.8	14.3	26.5
2002	463	32.8	14.1	31.3
2003	463	32.8	14.1	31.3
2004	468	33.3	14.1	36.3
2005	471	35.5	13.3	34.8
2006	527	35.6	14.8	35.9
2007	537	41.0	13.1	38.2
2008	474	35.5	13.4	36.9
2009	449	35.6	12.6	36.5
2010	408	31.3	13.0	38.2
2011	385	28.0	13.7	41.8
2012	407	24.1	16.8	42.5
2013	417	24.6	16.8	52
2014	400	26.9	14.8	53
2015	385	26.0	14.8	49.1
2016	381	25.0	15.2	48.8
2017	376	27.3	13.7	49.2
2018	362	26.3	13.7	52.8
2019	365	26.8	13.6	56.2
2020	353	25.4	13.8	56.9
2021	376	25.2	14.9	52.9
2022	351	25.6	13.7	49
2023	314	27.1	11.5	45.5
2024	341	25.9	13.1	47.2

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 Oelwein High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	407	30.6	13.3	14
1989	365	30.6	11.9	14
1990	350	30.6	11.4	12.9
1991	482	33.6	14.3	14.9
1992	517	41.0	12.6	12
1993	536	35.3	15.2	14.7
1994	508	34.0	14.9	12.6
1995	532	34.0	15.6	9.2
1996	532	34.0	15.6	9.2
1997	535	33.6	15.9	16.1
1998	549	38.1	14.4	14
1999	569	35.5	16.0	25.5
2000	547	33.6	16.3	24.7
2001	498	34.8	14.3	26.5
2002	463	32.8	14.1	31.3
2003	463	32.8	14.1	31.3
2004	468	33.3	14.1	36.3
2005	471	35.5	13.3	34.8
2006	527	35.6	14.8	35.9
2007	537	41.0	13.1	38.2
2008	474	35.5	13.4	36.9
2009	449	35.6	12.6	36.5
2010	408	31.3	13.0	38.2
2011	385	28.0	13.7	41.8
2012	407	24.1	16.8	42.5
2013	417	24.6	16.8	52
2014	400	26.9	14.8	53
2015	385	26.0	14.8	49.1
2016	381	25.0	15.2	48.8
2017	376	27.3	13.7	49.2
2018	362	26.3	13.7	52.8
2019	365	26.8	13.6	56.2
2020	353	25.4	13.8	56.9
2021	376	25.2	14.9	52.9
2022	351	25.6	13.7	49
2023	314	27.1	11.5	45.5
2024	341	25.9	13.1	47.2

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 Oelwein High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,466 (7.8%)	$17,345 (92.2%)	$18,811

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Oelwein 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 292^nd of 327 High schools	Ranks 290^th of 336 High schools	3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Oelwein High School)	50.6	59.8	9.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Oelwein Community School District)	50.6	62	11.4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Oelwein High School)	51.2	61	9.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Oelwein Community School District)	51.2	57	5.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Oelwein High School)	62.2	49.3	12.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Oelwein Community School District)	62.2	47.3	14.9%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Oelwein High School)	62.2	66.2	4%
11th Grade Mathematics (Oelwein Community School District)	62.2	54.8	7.4%
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	365	314	14%
African American	5	3	40%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	1	2	100%
Hispanic	25	21	16%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	312	270	13.5%
Two or More Races	20	18	10%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	56.2%	45.5%	10.6%

Schools Near Oelwein 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 6th Grade	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 6th 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
Oelwein High School	Public	9-12	315 8th Ave SE	Oelwein	50662	Fayette County	Oelwein Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 283-2731	341	26	13.1	47.2%	293 (85.9%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)	20.5	293^rd of 338 public high schools	13.3%		21.3	290^th of 336 public high schools	13.7%	3				65.8	63.2	57.1				54.2	48.3	61.9		43.7	$18,811	$1,466	$17,345
West Central Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	305 Pember	Maynard	50655	Fayette County	West Central Community School District	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 637-2283	85	16	5.3	52.9%	77 (90.6%)	1 (1.2%)	5 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.4%)	17.6	300^th of 338 public high schools	11.2%		45.7	208^th of 336 public high schools	38.1%	92				52.0	65.0	68.4				52.0	40.0	57.9		35.0	$18,474	$307	$18,165
Wapsie Valley High School	Public	7-12	RR 2 2535 Viking Ave	Fairbank	50629	Buchanan County	Wapsie Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 638-6711	293	22	13.3	20.1%	283 (96.6%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	34.6	261^st of 338 public high schools	22.8%		53.8	167^th of 336 public high schools	50.3%	94		77.5	69.6	70.2	65.5	72.5		80.0	80.0	59.6	63.8	72.5	66.7	36.2	$13,502	$255	$13,248
Starmont High School	Public	9-12	3202 40th St	Arlington	50606	Fayette County	Starmont Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 933-4598	181	18	10.0	57.5%	171 (94.5%)	2 (1.1%)	5 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	62.9	128^th of 338 public high schools	62.1%		38.1	240^th of 336 public high schools	28.6%	112				87.0	72.7	76.6				71.7	72.7	76.6		57.6	$18,632	$658	$17,974
Independence Junior Senior High School	Public	7-12	700 20th Ave SW	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 334-7405	724	44	16.3	34.7%	661 (91.3%)	5 (0.7%)	26 (3.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.3%)	66.2	113^th of 338 public high schools	66.6%		78.5	42^nd of 336 public high schools	87.5%	71		72.9	75.3	76.4	78.0	85.2		64.8	70.8	71.7	74.8	83.5	60.7	63.3	$15,700	$579	$15,121
Dunkerton High School	Public	6-12	509 Canfield	Dunkerton	50626	Black Hawk County	Dunkerton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 822-4295	208	15	13.9	38.9%	187 (89.9%)	2 (1.0%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (7.2%)	56	170^th of 338 public high schools	49.7%		50.3	185^th of 336 public high schools	44.9%	15	83.3	77.3	75.0	76.0	90.0	67.6	79.2	81.8	78.6	64.0	73.3	62.2	60.7	70.0	$15,242	$249	$14,993
Jesup High School	Public	9-12	531 Prospect	Jesup	50648	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 827-1700	288	20	14.0	25.7%	276 (95.8%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	79.7	34^th of 338 public high schools	89.9%		66.7	101^st of 336 public high schools	69.9%	67				92.5	82.3	84.0				85.1	79.4	92.0		62.9	$13,563	$202	$13,361
East Buchanan High School	Public	9-12	414 5th St North	Winthrop	50682	Buchanan County	East Buchanan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 935-3367	179	17	10.5	33.5%	167 (93.3%)	3 (1.7%)	4 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.8%)	40.5	237^th of 338 public high schools	29.9%		48.2	197^th of 336 public high schools	41.4%	40				64.1	60.0	77.4				56.4	67.5	77.4		42.5	$15,562	$271	$15,292
Sumner-Fredericksburg High School	Public	9-12	802 West Sixth Street	Sumner	50674	Bremer County	Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 578-3341	245	20	12.2	31.0%	220 (89.8%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.4%)	49.8	193^rd of 338 public high schools	42.9%		55.9	159^th of 336 public high schools	52.7%	34				57.1	70.3	72.2				59.5	78.1	72.2		64.1	$15,045	$72	$14,973

Frequently Asked Questions about Oelwein High School

What schools feed into Oelwein High School?

Oelwein High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Little Husky Learning Center
Elementary : Wings Park Elementary School
Middle : Oelwein Middle School

What district is Oelwein High School in?

Oelwein Community School District

How many students attend Oelwein High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 341 students attended Oelwein High School.

What is the racial makeup of Oelwein High School?

Students at Oelwein High School are 86% White, 8% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

Is Oelwein High School a good school?

Oelwein High School ranks in the bottom 13.3% of Iowa high schools.

Rate Oelwein 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.