Enrollment
366
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Cherokee, IA
Washington High School
Federal NCES profile for Washington High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 190717000333
👥 S:T ratio 44
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Washington High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Cherokee · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 29.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Washington High School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Washington High School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Cherokee, IA.
School address
District: Cherokee Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 190717000333 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.2%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington High School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington High School
Washington High School is a mid-sized high school in Cherokee, Iowa, enrolling 366 students.
At 14.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Iowa median, within a few percentage points of the 14.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 29.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 366 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 447 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #247.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 385 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Cherokee Comm School District also operates Cherokee Elementary School (468 students) and Cherokee Middle School (329 students) alongside Washington 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 Washington High School compares
Washington 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 | 14.1:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.2% | ▼ 20% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 366 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
366
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 52% in Iowa - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$10,834
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
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.0 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 81.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.1%
Two or More 4.6%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 81.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.0, Washington High School is about as mixed as the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cherokee Comm School District, which includes Washington High School.
$10,834
Per student
-16%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.5%
State 50.5%
Federal 10.0%
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 Washington High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cherokee Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 468
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 329
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~366 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington High School's federal record.
- Compare Washington High School against another school. Compare schools
- Cherokee 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 Washington High School
How many students attend Washington High School?
Washington High School has 366 students enrolled. It is a high school in Cherokee, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington High School is 14.1:1, which is 5% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 10% 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 Washington High School?
29.2% of students at Washington High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington High School?
The largest demographic group at Washington High School is White at 81.7% of enrollment, in Cherokee, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington High School?
Washington High School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (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 Washington High School rank among public schools in Cherokee?
By Resource Investment Index, Washington High School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Cherokee, 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 Cherokee on the city page.
Is Washington High School a good school?
Washington High School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. 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 Cherokee Comm School District?
Besides Washington High School, Cherokee Comm School District also operates Cherokee Elementary School (468 students) and Cherokee Middle School (329 students). See the Cherokee 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.