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Melcher-Dallas High School

Public Grades 7-12

290^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 340 Iowa High Schools

Better than 15% of Iowa high schools

Summary

Melcher-Dallas High School is a public high school serving grades 7-12 in Melcher, Iowa, with a total enrollment of 145 students. The school is part of the Melcher-Dallas Community School District, which is ranked 295 out of 313 districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Melcher-Dallas High School has faced several challenges in recent years. The school's graduation rates, ranging from 87.5% to 95.2%, are generally on par with or slightly below the rates of nearby schools like Indianola High School and Southeast Warren Junior-Senior High School. Additionally, the school has a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 17.3% to 23.4%, which is significantly higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools. Melcher-Dallas High School's test scores on the ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) are generally below the state averages, particularly in mathematics, with a 10th-grade math proficiency rate of 47.8% compared to the state average of 68%.

Despite the relatively high spending per student at Melcher-Dallas High School, which was $17,935 in the 2018-2019 school year, the school's academic performance is still lagging behind the state and nearby schools. This suggests that the school may need to re-evaluate its resource allocation and instructional practices to improve student outcomes. Additionally, the school's high free and reduced lunch rates, ranging from 30.34% to 34.59%, indicate that it serves a population with significant economic challenges. Overall, Melcher-Dallas High School faces a range of issues, including low test scores, high chronic absenteeism, and declining performance compared to nearby schools, which the school will need to address to better serve its students.

151

Students ?

10.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$17,935

Per pupil spending ?

30.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

214 S Main
Melcher, IA 50163

(641) 947-3731

District: Melcher-Dallas Community School District

Feeder schools for Melcher-Dallas High School:

Elementary:

Melcher-Dallas Elementary

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.7%

African American:

2.6%

Hispanic:

0.7%

See top rated Iowa high schools

Compare Melcher-Dallas High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 33rd percentile in 2014 → 15th in 2025

Strengths

✓93% graduate in 4 years — above the Iowa average (89%)

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Iowa average (58% vs 71% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (15th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 18 percentile points since 2014

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school58%

District avg58%

Iowa avg71%

Middle school

311^th of 344

Iowa public middle schools ?

Bottom 10%▼ down 7 pts since 2021

From bottom 16% (2021) to bottom 10% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Iowa Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

290^th of 340

Iowa public high schools ?

Bottom 15%▼ down 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Iowa High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

295^th of 313Melcher-Dallas 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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Iowa percentile	Rating
2025	13.5	311 of 344	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	26.1	282 of 337	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	50.5	187 of 334	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	13.3	309 of 337	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	23.3	271 of 324	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Iowa percentile	Rating
2025	23.4	290 of 340	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	41.3	235 of 338	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.9	278 of 336	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.5	225 of 332	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	40.6	223 of 327	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	17.3	298 of 327	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	6.7	304 of 320	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	40.7	234 of 325	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	22.3	274 of 324	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	44.1	216 of 322	32.9%	★★☆☆☆
2013	41.9	258 of 351	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	67.7	110 of 351	68.7%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Iowa (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts69%-6 vs state

Science50%-19 vs state

Mathematics49%-20 vs state

★

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Schools Near Melcher-Dallas High School

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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 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 English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th 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 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Melcher-Dallas High School	Public	7-12	214 S Main	Melcher	50163	Marion County	Melcher-Dallas Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 947-3731	151	14	10.4	30.5%	146 (96.7%)	4 (2.6%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23.4	290^th of 340 public high schools	14.7%		41.3	235^th of 338 public high schools	30.5%	55			61.1	73.7	87.5	60.9	62.5			55.6	57.9	45.8	47.8	43.8		52.6	47.8	$17,935	$366	$17,567
Knoxville High School	Public	9-12	1811 W Madison	Knoxville	50138	Marion County	Knoxville Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 842-2173	508	34	15.0	37.8%	449 (88.4%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (6.1%)	5 (1.0%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	16 (3.1%)	45.1	218^th of 340 public high schools	35.9%		50.2	192^nd of 338 public high schools	43.2%	26					72.5	74.0	72.8					60.0	69.5	69.3			60.9	$14,996	$157	$14,839
Pleasantville High School	Public	9-12	415 Jones St	Pleasantville	50225	Marion County	Pleasantville Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 848-0541	241	18	13.1	31.1%	214 (88.8%)	2 (0.8%)	14 (5.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	30.6	271^st of 340 public high schools	20.3%		47.6	210^th of 338 public high schools	37.9%	61					74.6	63.5	62.7					59.3	59.6	59.3			55.8	$19,905	$192	$19,713
Southeast Warren Junior-Senior High School	Public	5-12	16331 Tyler St	Liberty Center	50145	Warren County	Southeast Warren Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 466-3331	276	24	11.7	29.7%	260 (94.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	51.7	192^nd of 340 public high schools	43.5%		67.1	104^th of 338 public high schools	69.2%	88	93.8	90.6	85.2	88.9	83.3	76.5	75.6	81.3	75.0	88.9	85.2	50.0	73.5	65.9	68.8	77.8	64.7	$14,945	$97	$14,849
Chariton High School	Public	9-12	501 N Grand	Chariton	50049	Lucas County	Chariton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 774-5066	372	28	13.0	55.1%	337 (90.6%)	2 (0.5%)	26 (7.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	42.3	229^th of 340 public high schools	32.6%		49.1	200^th of 338 public high schools	40.8%	29					62.2	78.5	65.5					56.7	68.4	67.9			72.2	$15,840	$216	$15,624
Twin Cedars Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	2204 Highway G71	Bussey	50044	Marion County	Twin Cedars Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 944-5243	142	15	9.3	42.3%	128 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.8%)	36	259^th of 340 public high schools	23.8%		29.5	270^th of 338 public high schools	20.1%	11			73.7	84.2	87.0	73.7	54.2			68.4	78.9	60.9	52.6	33.3		68.4	73.7	$15,106	$118	$14,987
Indianola High School	Public	9-12	1304 E 1st	Indianola	50125	Warren County	Indianola Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 961-9510	1,165	64	18.2	24.0%	1,038 (89.1%)	8 (0.7%)	58 (5.0%)	9 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (4.3%)	78.1	44^th of 340 public high schools	87.1%		54.4	173^rd of 338 public high schools	48.8%	129					85.3	87.8	82.0					73.9	80.8	81.1			84.1	$12,807	$292	$12,516

Frequently Asked Questions about Melcher-Dallas High School

What schools feed into Melcher-Dallas High School?

Melcher-Dallas High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Melcher-Dallas Elementary

Is Melcher-Dallas High School a good school?

Melcher-Dallas High School ranks in the bottom 14.7% of Iowa high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Melcher-Dallas High School?

Students at Melcher-Dallas High School are 97% White, 3% African American.

What district is Melcher-Dallas High School in?

Melcher-Dallas Community School District

How many students attend Melcher-Dallas High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 151 students attended Melcher-Dallas High School.

Rate Melcher-Dallas High School!

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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.