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Hoover Middle School

Q: Is Hoover Middle School a good school?

Hoover Middle School ranks 238 th of 344 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

238^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 344 Iowa Middle Schools

Better than 31% of Iowa middle schools

Summary

Hoover Middle School is a public middle school in Waterloo, Iowa, serving 831 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Waterloo Community School District, which is ranked 287 out of 313 districts in the state.

One of Hoover Middle School's key strengths is its consistently strong performance on standardized tests, outpacing both the district and the state of Iowa. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 76.7% of Hoover's 8th-grade students scored proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 69.3% for the district and 80.2% for the state. However, the school faces challenges with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 19.5% to 42.4% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average.

While Hoover Middle School outperforms the Waterloo district, it lags behind some of the higher-performing nearby schools, such as Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School, Dike-New Hartford Junior High School, and Denver Middle School. Additionally, Hoover has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 58.2% to 58.89% over the past few years, suggesting a relatively disadvantaged student population.

848

Students ?

14.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,322

Per pupil spending ?

56.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

630 Hillcrest Rd
Waterloo, IA 50701

(319) 433-2830

District: Waterloo Community School District

Students who attend Hoover Middle School usually attend:

High:

West High School

Feeder schools for Hoover Middle School:

Elementary:	Kingsley Elementary School
	Kittrell Elementary School
	Lou Henry Elementary School
	Orange Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.3%

African American:

19.8%

Two or more races:

9.6%

See top rated Iowa middle schools

Compare Hoover Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 47th percentile in 2021 → 31st in 2025

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Waterloo Community School District

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 47th-percentile peak (2021) to 31st (2025)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school73%

District avg61%

Iowa avg74%

238^th of 344

Iowa public middle schools ?

Bottom 31%▲ up 6 pts since 2015

From bottom 25% (2015) to bottom 31% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4Middle Schools in the Waterloo Community School District

287^th of 313Waterloo Community School District among Iowa districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Iowa percentile	Rating
2025	43.2	238 of 344	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.2	226 of 337	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.4	238 of 334	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	48.8	192 of 337	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	53.1	171 of 324	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.2	194 of 342	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.2	202 of 318	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2017	44.3	212 of 327	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2016	38.9	238 of 343	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	35.4	262 of 349	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	35.6	255 of 337	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	51.8	190 of 350	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2012	38.2	259 of 349	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts74%~ state avg

Mathematics73%~ state avg

Science69%~ state avg

4.0

4 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★3

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a student
Thursday, March 29, 2018

Lots of fights and people bringing weapons and the teachers don't help anyone. Close Quote

by a citizen
Saturday, January 6, 2018

Amazing place! Close Quote

by a citizen
Saturday, October 7, 2017

Amazing school for my kids! Close Quote

Schools Near Hoover Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISASP English Language Arts (2025)					ISASP Mathematics (2025)					ISASP Science (2025)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hoover Middle School	Public	6-8	630 Hillcrest Rd	Waterloo	50701	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 433-2830	848	57	14.9	56.3%	452 (53.3%)	168 (19.8%)	79 (9.3%)	48 (5.7%)	1 (0.1%)	19 (2.2%)	81 (9.6%)	43.2	238^th of 344 public middle schools	30.8%		42.2	226^th of 337 public middle schools	32.9%	12		72.6	72.9	76.7			73.9	71.4	72.2			69.3	$12,322	$288	$12,033
Central Middle School	Public	6-8	1350 Katoski Dr	Waterloo	50701	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2100	469	35	13.3	85.1%	122 (26.0%)	160 (34.1%)	70 (14.9%)	18 (3.8%)	2 (0.4%)	39 (8.3%)	58 (12.4%)	3.7	329^th of 344 public middle schools	4.4%		2.3	330^th of 337 public middle schools	2.1%	1		39.6	53.6	64.0			47.5	50.4	48.4			48.4	$16,022	$901	$15,120
George Washington Carver Academy	Public	6-8	1505 Logan Ave	Waterloo	50703	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 433-2500	455	33	13.6	90.5%	54 (11.9%)	216 (47.5%)	91 (20.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (8.8%)	53 (11.6%)	5.7	325^th of 344 public middle schools	5.5%		3.8	324^th of 337 public middle schools	3.9%	1		47.4	48.4	61.1			51.1	42.6	61.5			51.7	$14,466	$860	$13,605
Bunger Middle School	Public	6-8	157 S Roosevelt Rd	Evansdale	50707	Black Hawk County	Waterloo Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 433-2550	440	35	12.5	74.5%	186 (42.3%)	81 (18.4%)	103 (23.4%)	7 (1.6%)	3 (0.7%)	20 (4.5%)	40 (9.1%)	13.9	310^th of 344 public middle schools	9.9%		17.8	301^st of 337 public middle schools	10.7%	9		41.3	57.7	70.3			41.3	64.1	64.4			59.3	$14,500	$895	$13,604
Peet Junior High School	Public	7-9	525 E Seerley Blvd	Cedar Falls	50613	Black Hawk County	Cedar Falls Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 553-2710	695	49	14.1	20.3%	568 (81.7%)	29 (4.2%)	18 (2.6%)	33 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.9%)	41 (5.9%)	78.6	36^th of 344 public middle schools	89.5%		76.3	54^th of 337 public middle schools	84.0%	18			85.0	93.7	87.3			83.8	83.8	79.5		82.4	$12,622	$245	$12,377
Holmes Junior High School	Public	7-9	505 Holmes Dr	Cedar Falls	50613	Black Hawk County	Cedar Falls Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 553-2650	628	47	13.4	25.2%	513 (81.7%)	31 (4.9%)	21 (3.3%)	18 (2.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (6.8%)	77.1	42^nd of 344 public middle schools	87.8%		79.6	38^th of 337 public middle schools	88.7%	4			89.5	89.1	94.2			84.5	84.6	87.4		78.6	$13,002	$245	$12,757
Denver Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Longview Drive	Denver	50622	Bremer County	Denver Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 984-6041	238	12	20.2	13.0%	228 (95.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	92.9	1^st of 344 public middle schools	99.7%		90.4	4^th of 337 public middle schools	98.8%	3		94.7	96.7	95.8			90.7	93.5	95.8			95.8	$9,191	$24	$9,168
Dike-New Hartford Junior High School	Public	6-8	508 Beaver	New Hartford	50660	Butler County	Dike-New Hartford Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 983-2206	210	11	18.3	22.9%	195 (92.9%)	1 (0.5%)	7 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.4%)	77	43^rd of 344 public middle schools	87.5%					(n/a)		78.9	89.3	94.4			70.2	80.0	93.1			91.7	$12,362	$276	$12,086
Jesup Middle School	Public	5-8	531 Prospect	Jesup	50648	Buchanan County	Jesup Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 827-1700	249	18	14.0	22.1%	241 (96.8%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	73.4	63^rd of 344 public middle schools	81.7%		66.8	108^th of 337 public middle schools	68.0%	45	75.4	80.7	77.8	92.7		73.8	77.2	81.9	90.7		73.8	89.1	$9,239	$118	$9,121
Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School	Public	5-8	501 Heritage Way	Waverly	50677	Bremer County	Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 352-3632	681	49	13.8	24.8%	620 (91.0%)	13 (1.9%)	15 (2.2%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.8%)	75.1	55^th of 344 public middle schools	84.0%		77.9	44^th of 337 public middle schools	86.9%	11	74.8	82.8	82.1	88.1		88.1	86.1	84.9	84.7		70.4	80.2	$11,433	$283	$11,149

Frequently Asked Questions about Hoover Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Hoover Middle School?

Students at Hoover Middle School are 53% White, 20% African American, 10% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 2% Pacific Islander.

What district is Hoover Middle School in?

Waterloo Community School District

What high school do graduates of Hoover Middle School attend?

Students who attend Hoover Middle School usually go on to attend West High School

How many students attend Hoover Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 848 students attended Hoover Middle School.

Is Hoover Middle School a good school?

Hoover Middle School ranks 238^th of 344 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Hoover Middle School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.