Expo Alternative Learning Center

Summary:

Expo Alternative Learning Center is a public high school located in Waterloo, Iowa, serving grades 6-12 with a total enrollment of 609 students. The school is part of the Waterloo Community School District, which is ranked 293 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Expo Alternative Learning Center consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in Iowa, with a statewide rank between 319-335 out of 320-338 high schools over the past 10 years. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are significantly lower than the Waterloo Community School District and the state of Iowa averages. Additionally, Expo Alternative Learning Center has an exceptionally high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 84.73% to 87.79% over the past three school years, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families. The school also has a relatively high student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.3 to 20.5 over the past three school years, which is higher than the nearby high schools, such as West High School and East High School.

Despite the higher spending per student at Expo Alternative Learning Center, which is $14,570 compared to $13,055 at West High School and $15,126 at East High School, the school's academic performance remains poor, suggesting that simply allocating more resources may not be the sole solution to improving student outcomes. The combination of a high percentage of students from low-income families and persistent low academic performance may indicate that Expo Alternative Learning Center faces significant challenges in addressing the unique needs of its student body.

Detail:

Public 6-12

1410 Independence Ave
Waterloo, IA 50703

(319) 433-1930

District: Waterloo Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
335^th of 338 Iowa High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,570

Student/teacher ratio: 18.0

Number of students: 578

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.1%

African American:

35.8%

Two or more races:

13.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Expo Alternative Learning Center ranks worse than 100% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 0.11. (See more...)

Compare Details Expo Alternative Learning Center ranks worse than 99.1% of high schools in Iowa. It also ranks last among 3 ranked high schools in the Waterloo Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 0.14. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Expo Alternative Learning Center 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 Expo Alternative Learning Center has the smallest high school student body size in the Waterloo Community School District. Student population at Expo Alternative Learning Center is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.1%), African American (35.8%), two or more races (13.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 81.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Waterloo Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Expo Alternative Learning Center is 18. 1 high schools in the Waterloo Community School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Expo Alternative Learning Center employs 32 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Expo Alternative Learning Center is $14,570. 1 high schools in the Waterloo Community School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Expo Alternative Learning Center was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Expo Alternative Learning Center 337^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Expo Alternative Learning Center in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Expo Alternative Learning Center 335^th of 338 Iowa public high schools. (See Expo Alternative Learning Center in the ranking list.)

Waterloo Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterloo Community School District 293^rd of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Expo Alternative Learning Center

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	0.14	348^th	349	0.3%
2013	0.05	350^th	350	0.0%
2017	5.14	318^th	327	2.8%
2022	3.58	330^th	337	2.1%
2023	0.17	333^rd	334	0.3%
2024	0.11	337^th	337	0.0%

See the entire list of Iowa High School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Expo Alternative Learning Center

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	0.41	345^th	351	1.7%
2013	0.06	348^th	351	0.9%
2014	0.00	321^st	322	0.3%
2015	0.02	321^st	324	0.9%
2016	0.00	320^th	320	0.0%
2017	0.09	319^th	325	1.8%
2018	0.00	319^th	320	0.3%
2019	0.10	323^rd	327	1.2%
2021	0.05	324^th	327	0.9%
2022	1.86	328^th	332	1.2%
2023	0.39	332^nd	336	1.2%
2024	0.14	335^th	338	0.9%

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 Expo Alternative Learning Center

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2011	183	130	0	19	1	1	6	340
2012	223	159	0	30	3	0	14	429
2013	204	162	1	44	3	0	20	434
2014	248	193	1	40	2	0	22	506
2015	250	167	1	40	3	0	28	489
2016	230	178	2	42	2	0	29	483
2017	189	188	3	38	1	0	32	451
2018	185	156	2	32	1	0	35	411
2019	199	176	3	41	2	2	37	460
2020	205	189	1	57	0	5	40	497
2021	197	166	2	55	0	3	46	469
2022	268	249	3	82	3	10	73	688
2023	229	226	2	61	1	10	80	609
2024	226	207	2	54	2	11	76	578

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 Expo Alternative Learning Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	340	25.4	13.3	68.8
2012	429	33.6	12.7	73.9
2013	434	39.4	10.9	81.1
2014	506	41.9	12.0	79.2
2015	489	36.0	13.5	81
2016	483	35.0	13.8	71
2017	451	32.3	13.9	83.1
2018	411	31.2	13.1	56
2019	460	30.1	15.2	76.7
2020	497	30.6	16.2	75.9
2021	469	30.6	15.3	87.6
2022	688	33.5	20.5	87.8
2023	609	33.6	18.1	84.7
2024	578	32.0	18.0	81.5

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 Expo Alternative Learning Center

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	340	25.4	13.3	68.8
2012	429	33.6	12.7	73.9
2013	434	39.4	10.9	81.1
2014	506	41.9	12.0	79.2
2015	489	36.0	13.5	81
2016	483	35.0	13.8	71
2017	451	32.3	13.9	83.1
2018	411	31.2	13.1	56
2019	460	30.1	15.2	76.7
2020	497	30.6	16.2	75.9
2021	469	30.6	15.3	87.6
2022	688	33.5	20.5	87.8
2023	609	33.6	18.1	84.7
2024	578	32.0	18.0	81.5

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 Expo Alternative Learning Center

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$546 (3.7%)	$14,023 (96.2%)	$14,570

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Expo Alternative Learning Center

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 323^rd of 327 High schools	Ranks 332^nd of 336 High schools	0%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
8th Grade English Language Arts (Expo Alternative Learning Center)	50	36.8	13.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	58	63	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Expo Alternative Learning Center)	38.9	30	8.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	65.3	61.6	3.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Expo Alternative Learning Center)	25	41.3	16.3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	58.2	59.3	1.1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	74.3	72.9	1.4%
10th Grade Mathematics (Expo Alternative Learning Center)	21.5	18.2	3.3%
10th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	54.1	52	2.1%
10th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	67.1	67	0.1%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Expo Alternative Learning Center)	37.7	36.5	1.2%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Waterloo Community School District)	59.3	58.6	0.7%
11th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	71.4	68.7	2.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Expo Alternative Learning Center)	9.7	21.2	11.5%
11th Grade Mathematics (Waterloo Community School District)	49.3	55.5	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	460	609	32.4%
African American	176	226	28.4%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	3	2	33.3%
Hispanic	41	61	48.8%
Pacific Islander	2	10	400%
White	199	229	15.1%
Two or More Races	37	80	116.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	76.7%	84.7%	8%

Schools Near Expo Alternative Learning Center

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
Expo Alternative Learning Center	Public	6-12	1410 Independence Ave	Waterloo	50703	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-1930	578	32	18.0	81.5%	226 (39.1%)	207 (35.8%)	54 (9.3%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	11 (1.9%)	76 (13.1%)	0.1	335^th of 338 public high schools	0.9%		0.4	332^nd of 336 public high schools	1.2%	3			23.1	30.8	28.0	35.4			30.8	13.0	15.7	12.2	25.0	18.2	$14,570	$546	$14,023
East High School	Public	9-12	214 High St	Waterloo	50703	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 433-2400	1,013	52	19.3	73.6%	383 (37.8%)	324 (32.0%)	166 (16.4%)	6 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	36 (3.6%)	96 (9.5%)	7.6	316^th of 338 public high schools	6.5%		7.2	318^th of 336 public high schools	5.4%	2				50.2	55.9	49.2				43.0	50.0	45.1		34.0	$15,126	$451	$14,674
West High School	Public	9-12	425 E Ridgeway Ave	Waterloo	50702	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 433-2700	1,713	99	17.2	62.5%	806 (47.1%)	361 (21.1%)	260 (15.2%)	85 (5.0%)	5 (0.3%)	77 (4.5%)	119 (6.9%)	29.5	271^st of 338 public high schools	19.8%		31.6	263^rd of 336 public high schools	21.7%	8				68.5	68.7	65.9				51.3	64.5	54.6		52.5	$13,055	$432	$12,622
Cedar Falls High School	Public	10-12	1015 Division St	Cedar Falls	50613	Black Hawk County	Cedar Falls Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 553-2500	1,336	94	14.2	23.6%	1,120 (83.8%)	50 (3.7%)	42 (3.1%)	40 (3.0%)	2 (0.1%)	6 (0.4%)	76 (5.7%)	74.8	64^th of 338 public high schools	81.1%		76.8	48^th of 336 public high schools	85.7%	16					81.5	77.8					79.6	79.2		78.4	$13,835	$301	$13,534
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
Hudson High School	Public	7-12	245 S Washington	Hudson	50643	Black Hawk County	Hudson Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 988-4226	368	28	13.1	22.8%	318 (86.4%)	4 (1.1%)	24 (6.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.4%)	83.3	19^th of 338 public high schools	94.4%		84.3	24^th of 336 public high schools	92.9%	5		82.7	78.7	86.7	83.6	90.2		70.7	85.1	78.3	80.3	91.8	59.6	80.3	$13,977	$58	$13,919
Denver Senior High School	Public	9-12	800 Longview Drive	Denver	50622	Bremer County	Denver Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 984-5639	273	18	14.8	11.0%	261 (95.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.5%)	95	2^nd of 338 public high schools	99.4%		94.8	2^nd of 336 public high schools	99.4%					97.1	97.1	98.5				89.7	89.9	94.1		94.2	$14,874	$81	$14,794
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
Janesville Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	505 Barrick Rd	Janesville	50647	Bremer County	Janesville Consolidated School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 987-2581	226	14	16.3	17.3%	214 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.7%)	77	47^th of 338 public high schools	86.1%		69.8	85^th of 336 public high schools	74.7%	38	80.6	83.3	93.3	86.5	78.3	92.9	77.4	73.8	86.7	75.7	78.3	85.7	93.3	60.9	$12,726	$87	$12,639
Union High School	Public	9-12	200 Adams St	La Porte City	50651	Black Hawk County	Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 342-2697	315	27	11.7	25.7%	283 (89.8%)	4 (1.3%)	18 (5.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	66.3	112^th of 338 public high schools	66.9%		55.1	163^rd of 336 public high schools	51.5%	51				75.4	82.1	79.1				73.9	73.8	79.1		66.7	$15,170	$348	$14,821

Frequently Asked Questions about Expo Alternative Learning Center

Is Expo Alternative Learning Center a good school?

Expo Alternative Learning Center ranks in the bottom 0.9% of Iowa high schools.

How many students attend Expo Alternative Learning Center?

In the 2023-24 school year, 578 students attended Expo Alternative Learning Center.

What district is Expo Alternative Learning Center in?

Waterloo Community School District

What is the racial makeup of Expo Alternative Learning Center?

Students at Expo Alternative Learning Center are 39% White, 36% African American, 13% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic, 2% Pacific Islander.

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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.