Enrollment
851
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Storm Lake, IA
Storm Lake High School
Federal NCES profile for Storm Lake High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 192739001601
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Storm Lake High School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #4 of 5
- public schools in Storm Lake · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.5:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 53.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Storm Lake High School has class sizes larger than 91% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Storm Lake High School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Storm Lake, IA.
School address
District: Storm Lake Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192739001601 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.5:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.2%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Storm Lake High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Storm Lake High School
Storm Lake High School is a higher-need, large high school in Storm Lake, Iowa, enrolling 851 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.5:1 is larger than about 91% of Iowa schools and 25% above the 14.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 53.2% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Iowa, bigger than 94% of state schools at 851 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 61 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #49, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and White (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 448 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Storm Lake's high schools, it stands alongside St Lake/Ia Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College Hs (50 students): Storm Lake High School is larger than that campus by headcount.
Storm Lake Comm School District also operates Storm Lake Elementary (822 students) and Storm Lake Middle School (651 students) alongside Storm Lake 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 Storm Lake High School compares
Storm Lake 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 | 18.5:1 | ▲ 25% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.2% | ▲ 46% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 851 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.5:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
851
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.5:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 91% in Iowa - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.5%
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
$12,490
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
Counselors1.9 FTE
Per 448 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 56.4%
White 14.6%
Asian 13.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 8.7%
African American 4.8%
Two or More 2.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.3, Storm Lake High School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Storm Lake Comm School District, which includes Storm Lake High School.
$12,490
Per student
-3%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.1%
State 57.8%
Federal 14.1%
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 Storm Lake High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Lake Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Storm Lake Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Storm Lake Early Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Early Childhood Ctr | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| St Lake/Ia Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College Hs | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
Comparisons are relative to Storm Lake High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 822
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 651
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 3/100
- Enrollment
- 122
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 50
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 65/100
Similar high schools in Storm Lake
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 (~851 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Storm Lake High School's federal record.
- Compare Storm Lake High School against another school. Compare schools
- Storm Lake 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 Storm Lake High School
How many students attend Storm Lake High School?
Storm Lake High School has 851 students enrolled. It is a high school in Storm Lake, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Storm Lake High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Storm Lake High School is 18.5:1, which is 25% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Storm Lake High School?
53.2% of students at Storm Lake High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Storm Lake High School?
The largest demographic group at Storm Lake High School is Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment, in Storm Lake, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Storm Lake High School?
Storm Lake High School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Storm Lake High School rank among public schools in Storm Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Storm Lake High School ranks #4 of 5 public schools in Storm Lake, 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 Storm Lake on the city page.
Is Storm Lake High School a good school?
Storm Lake High School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Iowa schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Storm Lake Comm School District?
Besides Storm Lake High School, Storm Lake Comm School District also operates Storm Lake Elementary (822 students), Storm Lake Middle School (651 students), and Storm Lake Early Elementary School (437 students). See the Storm Lake 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.