Summary:
The city of Epworth, Iowa is home to two schools - Western Dubuque High School and Epworth Elementary School, both part of the Western Dubuque Community School District. While both schools demonstrate strong academic performance, Western Dubuque High School stands out as a top-performing high school in the state.
Western Dubuque High School has consistently ranked among the top high schools in Iowa, reaching as high as 19th out of 340 schools in the 2024-2025 school year. The school maintains a 4-5 star rating from SchoolDigger and boasts an 88.3% graduation rate in 2023-2024, exceeding the state average. Student test scores in English Language Arts, Math, and Science are significantly higher than the state averages across multiple grade levels. In contrast, Epworth Elementary School has a more mixed performance, with its ranking and rating fluctuating in recent years, though its test scores generally remain above the state and district averages.
Both schools share a concerning chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6% in 2023-2024, an area that may require further investigation and targeted interventions. The relatively low free/reduced lunch rates, around 20% for both schools, suggest the Epworth community may have a relatively high socioeconomic status, which could contribute to the strong academic performance. Additionally, the higher spending per student and lower student-teacher ratios at both schools compared to state averages may be factors in their academic success.
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