Denison Community School District

819 N 16th St
Denison, IA 51442
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Denison Community School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Iowa for:

Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 1,466 students in Denison Community School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Iowa.
Public Elementary Schools in Denison Community School District have an average math proficiency score of 74% (versus the Iowa public elementary school average of 70%), and reading proficiency score of 69% (versus the 69% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 74% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Iowa public elementary school average of 29% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IA)
# Schools
4 Schools
924 Schools
# Students
2,239 Students
320,020 Students
# Teachers
150 Teachers
23,100 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Denison Community School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 325 school districts in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 87% has increased from 85-89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IA)
#176 out of 327 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
73%
68%
70%
70%
64%
63%
87%
90%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.51
0.47
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
3%
3%
% Hispanic
64%
13%
% Black
3%
7%
% White
29%
71%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
1%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,138 in this school district is less than the state median of $16,468. The school district revenue/student has grown by 15% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,636 is less than the state median of $16,042. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
This School District
This State (IA)
Total Revenue
$34 MM
$8,262 MM
Spending
$28 MM
$8,048 MM
Revenue / Student
$15,138
$16,468
Spending / Student
$12,636
$16,042

Best Denison Community School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Denison Middle School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1201 North 16th Street
Denison, IA 51442
(712) 263-9393
Gr: 6-8 | 490 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #22.
Broadway Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
1515 Broadway
Denison, IA 51442
(712) 263-3103
Gr: 4-5 | 278 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 74%
Rank: #33.
Denison Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
38 N 20th St
Denison, IA 51442
(712) 263-3104
Gr: PK-3 | 698 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 74%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 4 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 2,239 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 72%
  • : 87% (Top 20% in IA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 73% (Top 50%)
  • : 70% (Btm 50%)
  • : 64% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

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