Van Meter High School

Summary:

Van Meter High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 292 students, located in the Van Meter Community School District, which is ranked 4th out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Van Meter High School consistently outperforms the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had 97% of 10th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 73.8%. Similarly, the school had 86.4% of 10th graders proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 66%. This exceptional academic performance has earned the school a ranking among the top high schools in Iowa, reaching the #1 spot in the 2020-2021 school year and consistently ranking in the top 10 since then.

While Van Meter High School's student population is relatively homogeneous, with over 93% of students identifying as White, the school has a low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 4.59% to 9.16% over the past three school years. This is significantly lower than the nearby West Des Moines Community School District, which had a 68.71% free and reduced lunch rate in 2022-2023 at Walnut Creek Campus. This suggests that Van Meter High School serves a relatively affluent community, which may have implications for the school's resources and the educational experiences it can provide to its students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

520 1st Ave
Van Meter, IA 50261

(515) 996-2221

District: Van Meter Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
5^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,547

Feeder schools for Van Meter High School:

Elementary:	Van Meter Elementary School
Middle:	Van Meter Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.1

Number of students: 305

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.5%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Two or more races:

2.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 8.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Van Meter 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 85.17. (See more...)

Compare Details Van Meter High School ranks better than 98.5% of high schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 91.92. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Van Meter 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 (91.5%), Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (2.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 8.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Van Meter High School is 14.1. (See more...)

Compare Van Meter High School employs 21.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Van Meter High School is $14,547.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Van Meter High School 5^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Van Meter High School in the ranking list.)

Van Meter Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Van Meter Community School District 4^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Van Meter High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	76.73	41^st	349	88.3%
2013	83.23	16^th	350	95.4%
2014	91.60	2^nd	337	99.4%
2015	83.14	22^nd	349	93.7%
2016	78.01	48^th	343	86.0%
2017	85.17	11^th	327	96.6%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Van Meter High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	45.48	242^nd	351	31.1%
2013	78.01	38^th	351	89.2%
2014	67.63	113^th	322	64.9%
2015	77.76	49^th	324	84.9%
2016	84.08	28^th	320	91.3%
2017	81.09	32^nd	325	90.2%
2018	79.49	29^th	320	90.9%
2019	80.24	38^th	327	88.4%
2021	94.55	1^st	327	99.7%
2022	90.92	8^th	332	97.6%
2023	93.31	4^th	336	98.8%
2024	91.92	5^th	338	98.5%

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 Van Meter High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	169	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	172
1989	162	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	165
1990	166	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	166
1991	172	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	173
1992	191	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	194
1993	184	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	187
1994	182	0	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	186
1995	203	0	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	212
1996	203	0	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	212
1997	208	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	211
1998	197	0	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	208
1999	219	0	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	226
2000	219	0	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	224
2001	222	1	4	5	1	n/a	n/a	233
2002	221	5	2	4	1	n/a	n/a	233
2003	221	5	2	4	1	n/a	n/a	233
2004	213	3	3	3	2	n/a	n/a	224
2005	225	2	2	3	1	n/a	n/a	233
2006	243	3	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	250
2007	247	4	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	257
2008	270	5	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	281
2009	281	5	6	4	1	n/a	n/a	297
2010	298	1	0	5	1	3	0	308
2011	304	1	1	5	1	3	1	316
2012	347	2	0	5	0	4	1	359
2013	352	2	1	7	0	3	2	367
2014	359	2	3	8	0	0	2	374
2015	369	3	2	9	1	0	2	386
2016	381	3	2	10	1	0	0	397
2017	391	2	1	10	2	0	1	407
2018	242	1	1	5	2	0	0	251
2019	239	0	0	5	2	0	1	247
2020	230	0	0	8	2	0	2	242
2021	239	1	0	7	2	0	2	251
2022	267	1	1	7	2	0	5	283
2023	272	3	1	11	0	0	5	292
2024	279	3	2	11	1	1	8	305

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 Van Meter High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	172	15.5	11.0	31.4
1989	165	1.6	103.1	16.4
1990	166	15.6	10.6	0
1991	173	17.6	9.8	12.1
1992	194	21.0	9.2	9.3
1993	187	17.8	10.5	10.7
1994	186	17.8	10.4	14.5
1995	212	20.7	10.2	11.8
1996	212	20.7	10.2	11.8
1997	211	18.3	11.5	11.4
1998	208	22.3	9.3	11.1
1999	226	22.4	10.1	10.2
2000	224	20.5	10.9	8.5
2001	233	20.8	11.2	8.2
2002	233	20.0	11.7	6.9
2003	233	20.0	11.7	6.9
2004	224	20.0	11.2	4.9
2005	233	19.7	11.8	6.9
2006	250	20.9	12.0	9.2
2007	257	22.4	11.5	8.2
2008	281	22.9	12.3	12.1
2009	297	24.2	12.3	10.4
2010	308	20.9	14.7	11.4
2011	316	20.0	15.8	12.7
2012	359	21.7	16.5	15
2013	367	23.0	15.9	14.7
2014	374	25.3	14.7	13.4
2015	386	27.0	14.2	10.6
2016	397	26.0	15.2	11.6
2017	407	29.3	13.8	10.3
2018	251	29.1	8.6	9.2
2019	247	25.5	9.6	10.5
2020	242	22.7	10.6	9.1
2021	251	21.6	11.6	9.2
2022	283	20.3	13.9	4.6
2023	292	21.3	13.7	7.5
2024	305	21.5	14.1	8.2

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 Van Meter High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	172	15.5	11.0	31.4
1989	165	1.6	103.1	16.4
1990	166	15.6	10.6	0
1991	173	17.6	9.8	12.1
1992	194	21.0	9.2	9.3
1993	187	17.8	10.5	10.7
1994	186	17.8	10.4	14.5
1995	212	20.7	10.2	11.8
1996	212	20.7	10.2	11.8
1997	211	18.3	11.5	11.4
1998	208	22.3	9.3	11.1
1999	226	22.4	10.1	10.2
2000	224	20.5	10.9	8.5
2001	233	20.8	11.2	8.2
2002	233	20.0	11.7	6.9
2003	233	20.0	11.7	6.9
2004	224	20.0	11.2	4.9
2005	233	19.7	11.8	6.9
2006	250	20.9	12.0	9.2
2007	257	22.4	11.5	8.2
2008	281	22.9	12.3	12.1
2009	297	24.2	12.3	10.4
2010	308	20.9	14.7	11.4
2011	316	20.0	15.8	12.7
2012	359	21.7	16.5	15
2013	367	23.0	15.9	14.7
2014	374	25.3	14.7	13.4
2015	386	27.0	14.2	10.6
2016	397	26.0	15.2	11.6
2017	407	29.3	13.8	10.3
2018	251	29.1	8.6	9.2
2019	247	25.5	9.6	10.5
2020	242	22.7	10.6	9.1
2021	251	21.6	11.6	9.2
2022	283	20.3	13.9	4.6
2023	292	21.3	13.7	7.5
2024	305	21.5	14.1	8.2

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 Van Meter High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$514 (3.5%)	$14,033 (96.5%)	$14,547

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Meter 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 38^th of 327 High schools	Ranks 4^th of 336 High schools	10.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Van Meter High School)	88.7	93.4	4.7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Van Meter Community School District)	88.7	93.4	4.7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Van Meter High School)	67.9	90.8	22.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Van Meter Community School District)	67.9	90.8	22.9%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Van Meter High School)	87.1	88.8	1.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Van Meter Community School District)	87.1	88.8	1.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Van Meter High School)	85.5	86.3	0.8%
11th Grade Mathematics (Van Meter Community School District)	85.5	86.3	0.8%
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	247	292	18.2%
African American	0	3
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	5	11	120%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	239	272	13.8%
Two or More Races	1	5	400%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	10.5%	7.5%	3%

Schools Near Van Meter 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 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Van Meter High School	Public	9-12	520 1st Ave	Van Meter	50261	Dallas County	Van Meter Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 996-2221	305	22	14.1	8.2%	279 (91.5%)	3 (1.0%)	11 (3.6%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.6%)	91.9	5^th of 338 public high schools	98.5%		93.3	4^th of 336 public high schools	98.8%	1	98.7	97.0	93.6	80.5	86.4	93.6	83.3	$14,547	$514	$14,033
ADM Senior High School	Public	9-12	801 Nile Kinnick Dr S	Adel	50003	Dallas County	Adel DeSoto Minburn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 993-4584	682	40	17.0	20.4%	627 (91.9%)	5 (0.7%)	25 (3.7%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	13 (1.9%)	92.2	4^th of 338 public high schools	98.8%		91.5	8^th of 336 public high schools	97.6%	4	94.5	95.2	93.8	86.6	86.3	90.7	86.7	$13,069	$279	$12,789
Waukee High School	Public	10-12	555 SE University Avenue	Waukee	50263	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5163	1,345	78	17.2	23.5%	858 (63.8%)	134 (10.0%)	115 (8.6%)	124 (9.2%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	107 (8.0%)	62	135^th of 338 public high schools	60.1%		71.1	78^th of 336 public high schools	76.8%	57		79.1	76.8		74.5	71.8	63.9	$13,035	$231	$12,804
Northwest High School	Public	10-12	655 NW 10th ST	Waukee	50263	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5161	1,524	73	20.9	13.7%	1,183 (77.6%)	77 (5.1%)	104 (6.8%)	68 (4.5%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	88 (5.8%)	76.4	51^st of 338 public high schools	84.9%		74.5	59^th of 336 public high schools	82.4%	8		85.4	83.0		81.7	75.6	72.0
Earlham Senior High School	Public	9-12	535 N Chestnut Ave	Earlham	50072	Madison County	Earlham Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 758-2235	208	16	13.1	14.9%	190 (91.3%)	2 (1.0%)	10 (4.8%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	65.9	115^th of 338 public high schools	66.0%		58.3	149^th of 336 public high schools	55.7%	34	89.8	74.1	83.3	81.6	64.8	83.3	61.1	$13,628	$119	$13,509
Valley High School	Public	10-12	3650 Woodland Ave	West Des Moines	50266	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-4000	2,111	123	17.1	26.7%	1,226 (58.1%)	244 (11.6%)	405 (19.2%)	110 (5.2%)	3 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	121 (5.7%)	46.7	212^th of 338 public high schools	37.3%		55.2	162^nd of 336 public high schools	51.8%	50		74.1	70.3		66.8	68.2	56.9	$15,551	$791	$14,760
Walnut Creek Campus	Public	9-12	1020 8th Street	West Des Moines	50265	Polk County	West Des Moines Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 633-6480	165	14	11.7	52.1%	89 (53.9%)	26 (15.8%)	29 (17.6%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (10.9%)	1.2	328^th of 338 public high schools	3.0%		4	325^th of 336 public high schools	3.3%	3	50.0	47.2	39.3	10.0	22.2	17.9	28.6	$18,513	$197	$18,315
Dallas Center-Grimes High School	Public	9-12	2555 W 1st St	Grimes	50111	Polk County	Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 986-9747	1,027	58	17.5	18.2%	880 (85.7%)	47 (4.6%)	53 (5.2%)	18 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	28 (2.7%)	65.7	116^th of 338 public high schools	65.7%		76.4	49^th of 336 public high schools	85.4%	67	81.8	80.8	82.7	70.5	74.2	74.5	61.6	$12,103	$211	$11,892
Johnston Senior High School	Public	10-12	6500 NW 100th Street	Johnston	50131	Polk County	Johnston Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 278-0449	1,771	85	20.8	24.7%	1,202 (67.9%)	187 (10.6%)	143 (8.1%)	138 (7.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (5.1%)	75.9	53^rd of 338 public high schools	84.3%		78.5	43^rd of 336 public high schools	87.2%	10		87.1	79.6		80.3	77.4	72.5	$11,440	$378	$11,061
Urbandale High School	Public	9-12	7111 Aurora Avenue	Urbandale	50322	Polk County	Urbandale Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 457-6800	1,311	93	14.0	34.3%	856 (65.3%)	91 (6.9%)	206 (15.7%)	78 (5.9%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (5.6%)	34.3	263^rd of 338 public high schools	22.2%		43.5	219^th of 336 public high schools	34.8%	44	74.8	70.7	62.7	57.0	64.7	56.8	51.7	$11,428	$388	$11,040

Frequently Asked Questions about Van Meter High School

What district is Van Meter High School in?

Van Meter Community School District

Is Van Meter High School a good school?

Yes! Van Meter High School is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 5^th of 338 Iowa high schools.

What schools feed into Van Meter High School?

Van Meter High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Van Meter Elementary School
Middle : Van Meter Middle School

How many students attend Van Meter High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 305 students attended Van Meter High School.

What is the racial makeup of Van Meter High School?

Students at Van Meter High School are 91% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

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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.