Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 16 schools in district

Northwest High School

655 NW 10th ST, Waukee, IA 50263Waukee Comm School District →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 10–12Non-Charter
1,427
Students
Total enrolled
$18,190
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 27% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,427 students in grades 10–12 in Waukee, Iowa.
27% above average funding
District spends $18,190 per pupil, 27% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 50th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Northwest High School is a very large high in Waukee, Iowa, serving grades 10–12 with 1,427 students. The district invests $18,190 per student — 27% 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.

Student Body & Demographics at Northwest High School

1,427
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 (10–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution720 male · 707 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility13%
National avg 52% · 192 students
Student Composition
79%
8%
Asian4%
White79%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black4%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 193051002303

Academic Outcomes at Northwest High School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
50
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 50th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 80th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 50263

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,190Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,190
State avg
$17,386
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,004
Student Support$3,456
Administration$2,183
Operations$2,729
Other$1,819
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,190 spent per student, an estimated $8,058 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
45%
49%
State government
44.6%
Local (property tax)
49.3%
Federal programs
6.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $18,190/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 13% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • 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.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Radiant Elementary SchoolWaukee Elementary SchoolShuler Elementary SchoolEason Elementary School
+5 more
↓
Middle
Waukee Middle SchoolSouth Middle School
↓
High School
Waukee High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades10 – 12
Location—
CountyDallas County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWaukee Comm School District →
Phone: (515)987-5161
NCES ID: 193051002303
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Waukee seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Waukee Comm School District
High
Waukee High School
1,268 students · 10–12
● 50 opp24% FRL
Mid
Waukee Middle School
1,069 students · 06–07
● 50 opp12% FRL
Other
Prairieview School
1,039 students · 08–09
● 50 opp13% FRL
Mid
South Middle School
909 students · 06–07
● 50 opp26% FRL
Other
Timberline School
889 students · 08–09
● 50 opp26% FRL
Elem
Radiant Elementary School
682 students · KG–05
9% FRL
Elem
Waukee Elementary School
682 students · KG–05
● 50 opp20% FRL
Elem
Shuler Elementary School
658 students · KG–05
● 39 opp7% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
655 NW 10th ST, Waukee, IA 50263
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.