Enrollment
1,820
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Johnston, IA
Johnston Senior High School
Federal NCES profile for Johnston Senior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 191545000927
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 85
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 19
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Johnston Senior High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Iowa schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Iowa.
- #8 of 8
- public schools in Johnston · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.4:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 20.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Johnston Senior High School has class sizes larger than 94% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Johnston Senior High School ranks #8 of 8 public schools in Johnston, IA.
School address
District: Johnston Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191545000927 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
89.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+38% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.7%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Johnston Senior High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Johnston Senior High School
Johnston Senior High School is a large high school in Johnston, Iowa, enrolling 1,820 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.4:1 is larger than about 94% of Iowa schools and 38% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,820 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 25 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #24, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and African American (11%) (diversity index 51/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 17 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 404 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Johnston Comm School District also operates Johnston Middle School (1,161 students) and Summit Middle School (1,118 students) alongside Johnston 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 Johnston Senior High School compares
Johnston 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 | 20.4:1 | ▲ 38% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.7% | ▼ 43% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,820 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,820
Bigger than 98% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 38% above state mean
Top 94% in Iowa - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
35.1%
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
$11,756
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
Counselors4.5 FTE
Per 404 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 79 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 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 68.1%
African American 10.8%
Asian 8.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.8%
Two or More 5.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 68.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.9, Johnston Senior High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 17
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Johnston Comm School District, which includes Johnston Senior High School.
$11,756
Per student
-9%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.6%
State 45.8%
Federal 7.6%
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 Johnston Senior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Summit Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Henry a Wallace Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Timber Ridge Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Horizon Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Johnston Senior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,118
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 840
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 667
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
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 (~1,820 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Johnston Senior High School's federal record.
- Compare Johnston Senior High School against another school. Compare schools
- Johnston 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 Johnston Senior High School
How many students attend Johnston Senior High School?
Johnston Senior High School has 1,820 students enrolled. It is a high school in Johnston, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Johnston Senior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Johnston Senior High School is 20.4:1, which is 38% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 30% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Johnston Senior High School?
20.7% of students at Johnston Senior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Johnston Senior High School?
The largest demographic group at Johnston Senior High School is White at 68.1% of enrollment, in Johnston, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Johnston Senior High School?
Johnston Senior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical 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 Johnston Senior High School rank among public schools in Johnston?
By Resource Investment Index, Johnston Senior High School ranks #8 of 8 public schools in Johnston, 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 Johnston on the city page.
Is Johnston Senior High School a good school?
Johnston Senior High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Johnston Comm School District?
Besides Johnston Senior High School, Johnston Comm School District also operates Johnston Middle School (1,161 students), Summit Middle School (1,118 students), and Henry a Wallace Elementary School (840 students). See the Johnston 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.