Enrollment
765
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Fort Dodge, IA
Fort Dodge Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Fort Dodge Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 191182002197
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fort Dodge Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Iowa schools.
- #6 of 7
- public schools in Fort Dodge · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 55.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Fort Dodge Middle School has class sizes larger than 84% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fort Dodge Middle School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Fort Dodge, IA.
School address
District: Fort Dodge Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191182002197 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+53% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fort Dodge Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fort Dodge Middle School
Fort Dodge Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Fort Dodge, Iowa, enrolling 765 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 55.7% of students qualify for free meals, 53% above the Iowa average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 93% of state schools at 765 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 70 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #60, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (67%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 383 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 20.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 333 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 765 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Fort Dodge Comm School District also operates Fort Dodge High School (1,020 students) and Duncombe Elementary School (438 students) alongside Fort Dodge Middle 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 Fort Dodge Middle School compares
Fort Dodge Middle 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 | 17:1 | ▲ 15% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.7% | ▲ 53% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 765 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
765
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 53% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 84% in Iowa - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
41.8%
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
$12,309
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $12,854
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 383 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
216
in-school suspensions + 117 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 28.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 43.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 66.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Two or More 9.0%
African American 7.5%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 66.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.3, Fort Dodge Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Dodge Comm School District, which includes Fort Dodge Middle School.
$12,309
Per student
-4%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.4%
State 48.2%
Federal 20.4%
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 Fort Dodge Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Dodge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Duncombe Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Early Childhood Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Butler Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cooper Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fort Dodge Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,020
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 438
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 376
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 328
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 231
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
Similar middle 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 (~765 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fort Dodge Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Fort Dodge Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge Middle School
How many students attend Fort Dodge Middle School?
Fort Dodge Middle School has 765 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Fort Dodge, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fort Dodge Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Fort Dodge Middle School is 17:1, which is 15% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fort Dodge Middle School?
55.7% of students at Fort Dodge Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fort Dodge Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Fort Dodge Middle School is White at 66.9% of enrollment, in Fort Dodge, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fort Dodge Middle School?
Fort Dodge Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Fort Dodge Middle School rank among public schools in Fort Dodge?
By Resource Investment Index, Fort Dodge Middle School ranks #6 of 7 public schools in Fort Dodge, 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 Fort Dodge on the city page.
Is Fort Dodge Middle School a good school?
Fort Dodge Middle School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Iowa schools. 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 Fort Dodge Comm School District?
Besides Fort Dodge Middle School, Fort Dodge Comm School District also operates Fort Dodge High School (1,020 students), Duncombe Elementary School (438 students), and Early Childhood Center (376 students). See the Fort Dodge 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.