Enrollment
241
High
DISTRICT 279 · STATE 468
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·WACO COMM SCHOOL DISTRICT·NCES 192949001684
WACO High School
706 N Pearl, Wayland, IA 52654 · (319) 256-6200 · Henry County
GRADES 07–12HIGH42-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL241 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
11.0:1
22 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.7:1 · STATE 17.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
41%
98 students
DISTRICT 42% · STATE 41%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Student demographics
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within WACO Comm School District. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
ISASP 2024-25 . % ProficientEnglish Language Arts
63.4%
IA avg 73.6% . -10.3pp since 2023
Math
64.9%
IA avg 70.9% . -3.8pp since 2023
What this means: On the ISASP, Iowa's statewide test, about 63 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 65 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Iowa schools, those numbers are about 74 and 71. Reading and writing scores are down about 10 points since 2023, while math scores are down about 4 points.
Source: ISASP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
68.0%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
71.6%
based on IA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-3.6pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 68% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 72% typical for Iowa schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Iowa's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
7-year change
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
241
+35 (+17%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
11.0:1
was 10.1:1
% White
89%
was 85%
% Hispanic
7%
was 7%
% Black
0%
was 2%
% Asian
1%
was 3%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
About WACO High School
WACO High School, a close-knit four-year high school in Wayland, Iowa, one of the schools within WACO Comm School District, caters to 241 students, covering grades 7 through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 49% below the state mean of about 468.
WACO High School is one of 2 schools operated by WACO Comm School District, a district that educates 558 students overall.
In terms of who attends, WACO High School reports that nearly all students (89%) are White. Other groups include 7% Hispanic. That composition is broadly in line with Henry County as a whole.
In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 11.0:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 17.3:1, putting WACO High School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 41% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, often used as a Title I proxy.
With demographic context factored in, WACO High School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 71.6%; this one delivers 68.0%.
In the surrounding community, community-level numbers for Henry County indicate median household earnings sit near $67,436, roughly 23% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. WACO High School is one of 13 public schools in Henry County (combined enrollment of about 3,230 students).
WACO Elementary School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 7.5 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 3 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. On composite proficiency, WACO High School comes 2nd of 7 in the immediate cluster, higher than the nearby-schools average of 63.7%.
WACO High School operates from an outlying location.
Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count increased 17%: 206 students in 2018 compared to 241 in 2025.
On the community side, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.
Henry County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
20,004
Census ACS
Median income
$67,436
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
23%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
9%
Below federal line
Schools in county
13
3,230 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in WACO Comm School District
- WACO Elementary SchoolElementary · 317 students
Nearby schools
- WACO Elementary School7.5 mi · 317
- Washington High School9.5 mi · 452
- Lincoln Upper Elementary School9.8 mi · 344
- Washington Middle School10.0 mi · 347
- Stewart Elementary School10.7 mi · 457
- Winfield Elementary School11.6 mi · 182
Frequently asked questions
About WACO High SchoolHow large is WACO High School?
WACO High School enrolls approximately 241 students in grades 07-12.
What grades does WACO High School serve?
WACO High School serves grades 07-12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at WACO High School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at WACO High School is approximately 11.0:1 (22 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at WACO High School?
At WACO High School, the student body is approximately 89% White, 7% Hispanic, 1% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Is WACO High School public or private?
WACO High School is a public K-12 school, overseen by WACO Comm School District.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.