Maquoketa Middle School

Maquoketa Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Maquoketa, Iowa, part of the Maquoketa Community School District, which is ranked 310 out of 313 school districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. With 329 students, Maquoketa Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa middle schools over the past decade, currently at 317 out of 344.

The school faces several key challenges. Maquoketa Middle School has had very high chronic absenteeism rates in recent years, ranging from 21.6% to 38.4%, significantly higher than the state average. Its test scores on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) are consistently below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates in 2024-2025 of 53.7% in English Language Arts, 53.7% in Mathematics, and 56.4% in Science, compared to state averages of 72.8%, 71.8%, and 70.5%, respectively. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47% to 53.33% in recent years.

In comparison, the nearby Central DeWitt Intermediate School and Central DeWitt Middle School, which are part of the higher-performing Central DeWitt School District, have significantly better test scores, lower chronic absenteeism rates, and lower free and reduced lunch rates. This highlights the disparity in educational outcomes between Maquoketa Middle School and its neighboring schools, suggesting that the school faces significant challenges in providing a high-quality education to its students.