Enrollment
1,490
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Dubuque, IA
Dubuque Senior High School
Federal NCES profile for Dubuque Senior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 190948000604
👥 S:T ratio 56
📚 AP courses 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 57
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dubuque Senior High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #6 of 18
- public schools in Dubuque · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11:1
- small classes for Iowa
- 30.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Dubuque Senior High School has class sizes smaller than 87% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dubuque Senior High School ranks #6 of 18 public schools in Dubuque, IA.
School address
District: Dubuque Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190948000604 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
135.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.8%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-15% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dubuque Senior High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dubuque Senior High School
Dubuque Senior High School is a large high school in Dubuque, Iowa, enrolling 1,490 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11:1, Dubuque Senior High School is leaner than roughly 87% of Iowa schools and 26% under the state's 14.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 30.8% lands close to the Iowa typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,490 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Among 44 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and African American (11%) (diversity index 45/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 14 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 213 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Dubuque's high schools, it stands alongside Hempstead High School (1,499 students): Dubuque Senior High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11:1 vs 13.8:1).
Dubuque Comm School District also operates Hempstead High School (1,499 students) and Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School (1,081 students) alongside Dubuque Senior High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Dubuque Senior High School compares
Dubuque Senior High School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11:1 | ▼ 26% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.8% | ▼ 15% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,490 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11:1
Leaner classes than 83% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,490
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 13% in Iowa - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
41.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,854
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors7.0 FTE
Per 213 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
54
in-school suspensions + 113 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 72.8%
African American 10.6%
Two or More 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 3.3%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 72.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 45.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 45.0, Dubuque Senior High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 14
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dubuque Comm School District, which includes Dubuque Senior High School.
$13,854
Per student
+8%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 50.4%
Federal 14.4%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Dubuque Senior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hempstead High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington Middle School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carver Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dubuque Senior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,499
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,081
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 584
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 568
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 499
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar high schools in Dubuque
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,490 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dubuque Senior High School's federal record.
- Compare Dubuque Senior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Dubuque Comm School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Dubuque Senior High School
How many students attend Dubuque Senior High School?
Dubuque Senior High School has 1,490 students enrolled. It is a high school in Dubuque, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dubuque Senior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Dubuque Senior High School is 11:1, which is 26% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 30% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dubuque Senior High School?
30.8% of students at Dubuque Senior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dubuque Senior High School?
The largest demographic group at Dubuque Senior High School is White at 72.8% of enrollment, in Dubuque, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dubuque Senior High School?
Dubuque Senior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Dubuque Senior High School rank among public schools in Dubuque?
By Resource Investment Index, Dubuque Senior High School ranks #6 of 18 public schools in Dubuque, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Dubuque on the city page.
Is Dubuque Senior High School a good school?
Dubuque Senior High School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Dubuque Comm School District?
Besides Dubuque Senior High School, Dubuque Comm School District also operates Hempstead High School (1,499 students), Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School (1,081 students), and George Washington Middle School (584 students). See the Dubuque Comm School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.