Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 8 schools in district

Johnston Senior High School

6500 NW 100th Street, Johnston, IA 50131Johnston Comm School District
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 1012Non-Charter
1,790
Students
Total enrolled
97%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
12% vs nat'l
$13,296
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
7% vs nat'l
19.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
29% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 1,790 students in grades 10–12 in Johnston, Iowa.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,296 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
19.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

Johnston Senior High School is a very large high in Johnston, Iowa, serving grades 10–12 with 1,790 students. The district invests $13,296 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 19.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 23% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 97% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Johnston Senior High School

1,790
Total Students
19.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
23%
Free Lunch
90
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (1012) are served by this school
Gender Distribution962 male · 828 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility23%
National avg 52% · 412 students
Student Composition
69%
8%
11%
Asian7%
White69%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black11%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 191545000927

Academic Outcomes at Johnston Senior High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
97
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
97%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,296Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,296
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,850
Student Support$2,526
Administration$1,595
Operations$1,994
Other$1,330
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,296 spent per student, an estimated $5,890 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
46%
47%
State government
45.8%
Local (property tax)
46.6%
Federal programs
7.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 97% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades10 – 12
Location
CountyPolk County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (515)278-0449
NCES ID: 191545000927
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Johnston seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
6500 NW 100th Street, Johnston, IA 50131
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.