Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School

Q: Is Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School a good school?

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School ranks 186 th of 340 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

186^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 340 Iowa High Schools

Better than 45% of Iowa high schools

Summary

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School is a public high school located in Hartley, Iowa, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 208 students. The school is part of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District, which is ranked 138 out of 313 districts in Iowa and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's performance has been inconsistent, with its statewide ranking fluctuating from a high of 24th out of 320 schools in 2017-2018 to a low of 186th out of 340 schools in 2024-2025. While the school has maintained relatively high graduation rates, ranging from 86.5% to 89.5% in recent years, it has experienced a notably higher chronic absenteeism rate compared to nearby schools like Harris-Lake Park High School and Sibley-Ocheyedan High School. Academically, the school has shown strengths in English Language Arts but has struggled in Mathematics, particularly for 9th and 10th grades, where proficiency rates have been lower than the state average.

Interestingly, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School has a relatively high per-student spending of $33,752 in the 2018-2019 school year, which is significantly higher than the nearby schools. Additionally, the school has maintained a low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.6 to 10.9 in recent years, suggesting a focus on providing more resources and individualized attention to students. However, the school has also seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 38.73% in 2021-2022 to 52.4% in 2023-2024, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students, which could have implications for academic support and resource allocation.

203

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$33,752

Per pupil spending ?

50.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

300 N 8th Ave W
Hartley, IA 51346

(712) 928-3406

District: Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District

Feeder schools for Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School:

Elementary:	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary School
Middle:	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.3%

Hispanic:

15.3%

Two or more races:

4.9%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 87th percentile in 2015 → 45th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 42 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school72%

District avg72%

Iowa avg69%

186^th of 340

Iowa public high schools ?

Bottom 45%▼ down 42 pts since 2015

From top 13% (2015) to bottom 45% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

138^th of 313Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 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	53.2	186 of 340	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.2	174 of 338	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	80.9	34 of 336	89.9%	★★★★★
2022	67.1	94 of 332	71.7%	★★★★☆
2021	63.2	114 of 327	65.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.9	112 of 327	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	80.8	24 of 320	92.5%	★★★★★
2017	25.2	276 of 325	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	35.1	238 of 320	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	78.9	41 of 324	87.3%	★★★★☆
2014	67.3	117 of 322	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2013	66.6	110 of 351	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	75.9	54 of 351	84.6%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts77%+4 vs state

Mathematics70%+4 vs state

Science64%-3 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School and help other families decide.

Rate Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School	Public	9-12	300 N 8th Ave W	Hartley	51346	O'Brien County	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 928-3406	203	18	11.2	50.2%	159 (78.3%)	3 (1.5%)	31 (15.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.9%)	53.2	186^th of 340 public high schools	45.3%		54.2	174^th of 338 public high schools	48.5%	12				90.4	60.3	85.0				86.5	58.6	65.0		63.8	$33,752	$177	$33,576
Sheldon High School	Public	9-12	1700 East Fourth Street	Sheldon	51201	O'Brien County	Sheldon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 324-2501	356	26	13.5	32.9%	233 (65.4%)	4 (1.1%)	105 (29.5%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	7 (2.0%)	63	136^th of 340 public high schools	60.0%		68.5	99^th of 338 public high schools	70.7%	37				81.8	71.7	80.0				77.3	67.7	76.9		77.4	$16,589	$199	$16,390
South O'Brien Secondary School	Public	7-12	307 W Groesbeck	Paullina	51046	O'Brien County	South O'Brien Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 949-3454	241	21	11.7	29.0%	219 (90.9%)	1 (0.4%)	14 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	72.5	74^th of 340 public high schools	78.2%		69.4	96^th of 338 public high schools	71.6%	22		80.0	90.0	92.1	72.7	95.6		85.7	90.0	89.5	66.7	88.9	82.5	60.6	$15,447	$108	$15,339
Spencer High School	Public	9-12	800 E 3rd St	Spencer	51301	Clay County	Spencer Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 262-1700	688	41	16.9	45.3%	598 (86.9%)	5 (0.7%)	60 (8.7%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.6%)	77.1	47^th of 340 public high schools	86.2%		71	87^th of 338 public high schools	74.3%	40				81.3	86.1	85.4				80.0	84.9	77.1		77.2	$13,801	$242	$13,560
Okoboji High School	Public	9-12	901 H. Ave.	Milford	51351	Dickinson County	Okoboji Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 338-2446	366	24	15.0	28.7%	326 (89.1%)	2 (0.5%)	25 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	12 (3.3%)	55.9	173^rd of 340 public high schools	49.1%		66.4	110^th of 338 public high schools	67.5%	63				74.4	77.5	73.0				59.8	73.0	68.5		82.0	$15,835	$188	$15,648
Harris-Lake Park High School	Public	6-12	905 South Market	Lake Park	51347	Dickinson County	Harris-Lake Park Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 832-3809	174	18	9.4	38.5%	158 (90.8%)	1 (0.6%)	13 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	79.3	36^th of 340 public high schools	89.4%		79.4	35^th of 338 public high schools	89.6%	1	75.0	76.0	87.0	96.2	90.3	70.6	75.0	72.0	78.3	88.5	77.4	88.2	69.6	74.2	$14,186	$659	$13,528
Sibley-Ocheyedan High School	Public	9-12	120 11th Ave NE	Sibley	51249	Osceola County	Sibley-Ocheyedan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 754-3601	195	17	11.4	48.2%	130 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (27.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.6%)	5 (2.6%)	70.3	87^th of 340 public high schools	74.4%		66.3	111^th of 338 public high schools	67.2%	24				84.8	80.5	72.0				80.4	80.5	74.0		78.0	$14,480	$149	$14,331

Frequently Asked Questions about Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School

How many students attend Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 203 students attended Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School.

What schools feed into Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School?

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary School
Middle : Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School?

Students at Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School are 78% White, 15% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School a good school?

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School ranks 186^th of 340 Iowa high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School in?

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District

Rate Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

IAIowa High School Rankings

IAIowa District Rankings

Schools in Hartley, IA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School!

Latest Iowa data All new data »

2024–25 graduation ratesJun 13, 2026

2024–25 ISASP test scoresAug 20, 2025

2023–24 graduation ratesApr 1, 2025

2017–18 through 2023–24 attendance dataNov 15, 2024

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.