South Tama County High School

Summary:

South Tama County High School is a public high school in Tama, Iowa, serving 472 students in grades 9-12 and part of the South Tama County School District, which is ranked 272 out of 309 districts in the state.

The school has a diverse student population, with 48.73% White, 34.53% Hispanic, and 10.59% Native American students. Academically, South Tama County High School's performance on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) is generally below the state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, the school's proficiency rates range from 44.7% to 77.2% in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 70.2% to 74.9%. In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates range from 40.4% to 56.7%, compared to the state averages of 63.3% to 66%. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 39.04% to 57.02% over the past few years, indicating a relatively high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Grinnell Community Senior High School and Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Junior-Senior High School, South Tama County High School generally performs worse academically, with significantly higher proficiency rates in both English Language Arts and Mathematics at the nearby schools. Despite the higher spending per student and relatively lower student-teacher ratio at South Tama County High School, the school's academic performance lags behind, suggesting that factors beyond just funding and staffing levels may be contributing to the school's challenges.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1715 Harding St
Tama, IA 52339

(641) 484-4345

District: South Tama County

SchoolDigger Rank:
297^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,283

Feeder schools for South Tama County High School:

Elementary:	South Tama County Elementary School
Middle:	South Tama County Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 448

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.0%

Hispanic:

34.8%

American Indian:

7.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.9%

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Compare South Tama County High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Tama County High School ranks worse than 87.9% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.12. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South Tama County 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 (50%), Hispanic (34.8%), American Indian (7.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Tama County High School is 16.5. (See more...)

Compare South Tama County High School employs 27 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Tama County High School is $16,283.

Schooldigger Rankings:

South Tama County High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks South Tama County High School 297^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See South Tama County High School in the ranking list.)

South Tama County:

SchoolDigger ranks South Tama County 272^nd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Tama County High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	27.37	300^th	351	14.5%
2013	29.70	301^st	351	14.2%
2014	20.68	283^rd	322	12.1%
2015	27.12	265^th	324	18.2%
2016	8.87	300^th	320	6.3%
2017	24.31	278^th	325	14.5%
2018	37.12	250^th	320	21.9%
2019	16.73	299^th	327	8.6%
2021	16.13	293^rd	327	10.4%
2022	7.72	317^th	332	4.5%
2023	11.94	307^th	336	8.6%
2024	18.12	297^th	338	12.1%

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 South Tama County High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	539	1	5	3	79	n/a	n/a	0	627
1989	462	0	4	1	88	n/a	n/a	0	555
1990	448	1	10	2	78	n/a	n/a	0	539
1991	384	1	6	4	65	n/a	n/a	0	460
1992	409	1	6	6	70	n/a	n/a	0	492
1993	403	0	4	13	67	n/a	n/a	0	487
1994	430	0	3	11	69	n/a	n/a	0	513
1995	437	2	0	16	56	n/a	n/a	0	511
1996	437	2	0	16	56	n/a	n/a	0	511
1997	436	3	3	17	55	n/a	n/a	0	514
1998	402	3	3	28	63	n/a	n/a	0	499
1999	402	3	5	34	72	n/a	n/a	0	516
2000	404	1	6	33	69	n/a	n/a	0	513
2001	390	2	7	33	78	n/a	n/a	0	510
2002	353	7	4	40	73	n/a	n/a	0	477
2003	353	7	4	40	73	n/a	n/a	0	477
2004	346	7	5	68	72	n/a	n/a	0	498
2005	331	7	2	57	65	n/a	n/a	0	462
2006	307	9	2	67	87	n/a	n/a	0	472
2007	317	5	3	68	87	n/a	n/a	0	480
2008	323	10	3	66	90	n/a	n/a	0	492
2009	316	7	4	72	98	n/a	n/a	0	497
2010	297	7	4	84	59	0	0	0	451
2011	267	6	2	98	69	0	1	0	443
2012	245	4	2	106	51	0	1	0	409
2013	239	7	1	117	44	1	1	0	410
2014	220	6	2	127	55	0	1	0	411
2015	232	7	2	136	66	0	1	0	444
2016	235	7	4	134	63	0	2	0	445
2017	233	3	4	146	58	1	2	0	447
2018	254	1	1	151	57	2	6	0	472
2019	250	4	1	149	60	2	8	0	474
2020	234	3	1	155	51	1	10	0	455
2021	246	3	4	173	42	3	13	0	484
2022	227	5	3	160	45	1	15	0	456
2023	230	4	2	163	50	1	22	0	472
2024	224	5	3	156	35	1	23	1	448

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 South Tama County High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	627	34.9	17.9	15.3
1989	555	30.3	18.3	17.3
1990	539	30.3	17.7	13.4
1991	460	32.6	14.1	14.8
1992	492	30.0	16.4	18.7
1993	487	34.4	14.2	20.3
1994	513	32.6	15.7	19.7
1995	511	33.0	15.5	14.1
1996	511	33.0	15.5	14.1
1997	514	33.7	15.3	16.9
1998	499	33.1	15.1	17.2
1999	516	32.5	15.9	24.4
2000	513	36.5	14.1	27.3
2001	510	35.1	14.5	26.7
2002	477	38.4	12.4	27.7
2003	477	38.4	12.4	27.7
2004	498	39.9	12.5	40.8
2005	462	38.9	11.9	34.6
2006	472	36.0	13.1	38.3
2007	480	39.4	12.2	34.6
2008	492	38.6	12.7	33.5
2009	497	40.0	12.4	34.2
2010	451	38.5	11.7	36.8
2011	443	36.7	12.0	35
2012	409	35.1	11.6	38.6
2013	410	31.9	12.8	39.8
2014	411	31.7	12.9	48.7
2015	444	32.0	13.8	55
2016	445	32.0	13.9	54.4
2017	447	33.6	13.3	50.1
2018	472	31.1	15.1	48.9
2019	474	33.7	14.0	50.6
2020	455	33.5	13.5	54.7
2021	484	34.1	14.1	57
2022	456	33.8	13.4	39
2023	472	30.2	15.6	53.8
2024	448	27.0	16.5	56.9

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 South Tama County High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	627	34.9	17.9	15.3
1989	555	30.3	18.3	17.3
1990	539	30.3	17.7	13.4
1991	460	32.6	14.1	14.8
1992	492	30.0	16.4	18.7
1993	487	34.4	14.2	20.3
1994	513	32.6	15.7	19.7
1995	511	33.0	15.5	14.1
1996	511	33.0	15.5	14.1
1997	514	33.7	15.3	16.9
1998	499	33.1	15.1	17.2
1999	516	32.5	15.9	24.4
2000	513	36.5	14.1	27.3
2001	510	35.1	14.5	26.7
2002	477	38.4	12.4	27.7
2003	477	38.4	12.4	27.7
2004	498	39.9	12.5	40.8
2005	462	38.9	11.9	34.6
2006	472	36.0	13.1	38.3
2007	480	39.4	12.2	34.6
2008	492	38.6	12.7	33.5
2009	497	40.0	12.4	34.2
2010	451	38.5	11.7	36.8
2011	443	36.7	12.0	35
2012	409	35.1	11.6	38.6
2013	410	31.9	12.8	39.8
2014	411	31.7	12.9	48.7
2015	444	32.0	13.8	55
2016	445	32.0	13.9	54.4
2017	447	33.6	13.3	50.1
2018	472	31.1	15.1	48.9
2019	474	33.7	14.0	50.6
2020	455	33.5	13.5	54.7
2021	484	34.1	14.1	57
2022	456	33.8	13.4	39
2023	472	30.2	15.6	53.8
2024	448	27.0	16.5	56.9

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 South Tama County High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$413 (2.5%)	$15,869 (97.5%)	$16,283

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Tama County 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 299^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 307^th of 336 High schools	0.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (South Tama County High School)	62.3	57.3	5%
10th Grade English Language Arts (South Tama County)	62.3	57.3	5%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (South Tama County High School)	50.4	44.8	5.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (South Tama County)	50.4	44.8	5.6%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (South Tama County High School)	62.5	57.1	5.4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (South Tama County)	62.5	57.1	5.4%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (South Tama County High School)	52.6	54.6	2%
11th Grade Mathematics (South Tama County)	52.6	54.6	2%
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	474	472	0.4%
African American	4	4
American Indian	60	50	16.7%
Asian	1	2	100%
Hispanic	149	163	9.4%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	250	230	8%
Two or More Races	8	22	175%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.6%	53.8%	3.2%

Schools Near South Tama County 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
South Tama County High School	Public	9-12	1715 Harding St	Tama	52339	Tama County	South Tama County	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 484-4345	448	27	16.5	56.9%	224 (50.0%)	5 (1.1%)	156 (34.8%)	3 (0.7%)	35 (7.8%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.1%)	18.1	297^th of 338 public high schools	12.1%		11.9	307^th of 336 public high schools	8.6%	10			77.2	54.6	44.7			52.2	56.7	40.4		43.3	$16,283	$413	$15,869
GMG Secondary School	Public	7-12	306 Park Street	Garwin	50632	Tama County	GMG Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 499-2005	210	20	10.5	43.8%	186 (88.6%)	8 (3.8%)	7 (3.3%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.4%)	48.5	203^rd of 338 public high schools	39.9%		54.5	164^th of 336 public high schools	51.2%	39	66.7	81.5	67.6	72.4	83.3	45.5	40.7	50.0	65.5	77.8	63.0	62.1	$14,599	$177	$14,421
East Marshall Senior High School	Public	9-12	201 N Franklin	Le Grand	50142	Marshall County	East Marshall Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 479-2785	235	19	12.5	33.2%	204 (86.8%)	3 (1.3%)	17 (7.2%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.4%)	47.8	209^th of 338 public high schools	38.2%		50.3	187^th of 336 public high schools	44.3%	22			78.6	73.8	73.3			80.4	57.4	63.3		53.3	$15,810	$216	$15,593
North Tama High School	Public	7-12	605 Walnut	Traer	50675	Tama County	North Tama County Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 478-2265	198	20	10.0	40.4%	176 (88.9%)	4 (2.0%)	9 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.5%)	48.4	205^th of 338 public high schools	39.3%		40.3	229^th of 336 public high schools	31.8%	24	75.9	72.7	59.0	86.7	87.5	51.7	48.5	38.5	70.0	78.1	51.5	60.0	$15,071	$555	$14,517
Marshalltown High School	Public	9-12	1602 S 2nd Ave	Marshalltown	50158	Marshall County	Marshalltown Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 754-1130	1,613	101	15.9	71.9%	492 (30.5%)	45 (2.8%)	926 (57.4%)	85 (5.3%)	12 (0.7%)	12 (0.7%)	40 (2.5%)	17.6	299^th of 338 public high schools	11.5%		14.2	302^nd of 336 public high schools	10.1%	3			60.8	62.8	66.1			45.0	49.1	56.9		42.7	$14,964	$447	$14,517
Marshalltown Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual	7-12	1002 South 3rd Avenue	Marshalltown	50158	Marshall County	Marshalltown Community School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(641) 754-1000	78	2	35.7	75.6%	33 (42.3%)	1 (1.3%)	33 (42.3%)	3 (3.8%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (9.0%)	0.6	330^th of 338 public high schools	2.4%		5.8	320^th of 336 public high schools	4.8%	10					33.3					25.0
Belle Plaine Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	610 13th Ave South	Belle Plaine	52208	Benton County	Belle Plaine Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 444-3720	203	20	10.3	43.3%	191 (94.1%)	3 (1.5%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.0%)	52.5	179^th of 338 public high schools	47.0%		58.8	140^th of 336 public high schools	58.3%	39	69.8	73.3	69.7	85.7	81.5	69.8	63.3	51.5	64.3	74.1	50.0	67.9	$15,770	$267	$15,504
Grinnell Community Senior High School	Public	9-12	1333 Sunset St	Grinnell	50112	Poweshiek County	Grinnell-Newburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 236-2720	486	33	14.9	32.1%	433 (89.1%)	11 (2.3%)	26 (5.3%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.1%)	78.4	39^th of 338 public high schools	88.5%		69.8	86^th of 336 public high schools	74.4%	47			86.8	86.8	75.5			77.4	81.0	78.7		81.1	$14,271	$399	$13,871
Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	1090 Jackson St	Brooklyn	52211	Poweshiek County	Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 522-7058	258	17	15.3	35.3%	244 (94.6%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.9%)	51.6	185^th of 338 public high schools	45.3%		47.5	200^th of 336 public high schools	40.5%	15	83.3	88.9	87.2	80.0	77.8	75.0	80.0	64.1	68.0	64.4	73.3	44.0	$15,368	$55	$15,313

Frequently Asked Questions about South Tama County High School

How many students attend South Tama County High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 448 students attended South Tama County High School.

What is the racial makeup of South Tama County High School?

Students at South Tama County High School are 50% White, 35% Hispanic, 8% American Indian, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools feed into South Tama County High School?

South Tama County High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : South Tama County Elementary School
Middle : South Tama County Middle School

What district is South Tama County High School in?

South Tama County

Is South Tama County High School a good school?

South Tama County High School ranks in the bottom 12.1% of Iowa high schools.

Rate South Tama County 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.