Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 5 schools in district

St Lake/IA Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College HS

621 Tornado Dr, Storm Lake, IA 50588Storm Lake Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 12–12Charter
54
Students
Total enrolled
25%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 71% vs nat'l
$16,359
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 14% vs nat'l
58/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↑ 17% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 54 students in grades 12–12 in Storm Lake, Iowa.
14% above average funding
District spends $16,359 per pupil, 14% more than the national average of $14,347.
Above-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 58th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

St Lake/IA Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College HS is a small high in Storm Lake, Iowa, serving grades 12–12 with 54 students. The district invests $16,359 per student — 14% above the national average of $14,347. With only 13% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The 25% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at St Lake/IA Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College HS

54
Total Students
—
Student:Teacher
13%
Free Lunch
0
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (12–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution27 male · 26 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility13%
National avg 52% · 7 students
Student Composition
19%
24%
43%
Asian19%
White24%
Hispanic / Latino43%
Black4%
Multiracial2%
Pacific Islander7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 192739000847

Academic Outcomes at St Lake/IA Cntrl/Buena Vista Early College HS

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
LT50
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
25%
State avg
91%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
58
/ 100
Above-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 58th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 97th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 50588

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,359Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,359
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,198
Student Support$3,108
Administration$1,963
Operations$2,454
Other$1,636
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,359 spent per student, an estimated $7,247 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
58%
28%
State government
57.9%
Local (property tax)
28.1%
Federal programs
14.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 13% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • 25% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Storm Lake Elementary
↓
Middle
Storm Lake Middle School
↓
High School
Storm Lake High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades12 – 12
Location—
CountyBuena Vista County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictStorm Lake Comm School District →
Phone: (712)732-8065
NCES ID: 192739000847
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Storm Lake seeking a charter high school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Storm Lake Comm School District
Elem
Storm Lake Elementary
814 students · 01–04
● 58 opp76% FRL
High
Storm Lake High School
793 students · 09–12
● 58 opp63% FRL
Mid
Storm Lake Middle School
787 students · 05–08
● 58 opp69% FRL
Other
East Early Childhood Ctr
101 students · PK–PK
● 58 opp61% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
621 Tornado Dr, Storm Lake, IA 50588
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.