South O'brien Secondary School

307 W Groesbeck
Paullina, IA 51046
(School attendance zone shown in map)
6/
10
Top 50%
Serving 252 students in grades 7-12, South O'brien Secondary School ranks in the top 50% of all schools in Iowa for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is bottom 50%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 62% (which is lower than the Iowa state average of 64%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 78% (which is higher than the Iowa state average of 70%).
The student:teacher ratio of 13:1 is lower than the Iowa state level of 14:1.
Minority enrollment is 10% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is lower than the Iowa state average of 28% (majority Hispanic).

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • School Type: Magnet School
  • Grades: 7-12
  • Enrollment: 252 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 10%
  • : 70-79% (Btm 50% in IA)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 62% (Btm 50%)
  • : 78% (Top 30%)
  • : 75-79% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

Top Rankings

South O'brien Secondary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Iowa for:

Category
Attribute
Most improved public schools

School Overview

South O'brien Secondary School's student population of 252 students has declined by 15% over five school years.
The teacher population of 20 teachers has declined by 20% over five school years.
School Type
Grades Offered
Grades 7-12
(offers virtual instruction)
Total Students
252 students
This chart displays total students of South O'brien Secondary School by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Gender %
This chart displays gender of South O'brien Secondary School
Total Classroom Teachers
20 teachers
This chart displays the total teachers of South O'brien Secondary School by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Students by Grade
This chart displays the students of South O'brien Secondary School by grade.

School Rankings

South O'brien Secondary School ranks within the top 50% of all 1,233 schools in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).
The diversity score of South O'brien Secondary School is 0.19, which is less than the diversity score at state average of 0.46. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School
State Level (IA)
#553 out of 1233 schools
(Top 50%)
This chart displays the overall school rank of South O'brien Secondary School, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
62%
64%
This chart displays the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of public schools in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
78%
70%
This chart displays the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
75-79%
63%
This chart displays the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of public schools in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
14:1
This chart displays the student teacher ratio of South O'brien Secondary School and the public school average student teacher ratio of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
American Indian
n/a
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of American Indian students in South O'brien Secondary School and percentage of American Indian public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2006-07 school year data.
Asian
n/a
2%
This chart displays the percentage of Asian students in South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of Asian public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
Hispanic
6%
13%
This chart displays the percentage of Hispanic students in South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of Hispanic public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Black
n/a
7%
This chart displays the percentage of Black students in South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of Black public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
White
90%
72%
This chart displays the percentage of White students in South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of White public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Hawaiian
n/a
1%
Two or more races
4%
5%
This chart displays the percentage of students of two or more races in South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of public school students of two or more races in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
All Ethnic Groups
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in South O'brien Secondary School.
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of public school students of all ethnic groups in Iowa.
0.19
This chart displays the diversity score of South O'brien Secondary School and the public school average diversity score of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
70-79%
90%
This chart displays graduation rate of South O'brien Secondary School and public school graduation rate of Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Yes
Eligible for Free Lunch
25%
36%
This chart displays the percentage of students who is eligible for free lunch in South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of public school students who is eligible for free lunch in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
5%
6%
This chart displays the percentage of students who is eligible for reduced lunch in South O'brien Secondary School and the percentage of public school students who is eligible for reduced lunch in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

Frequently Asked Questions

What is South O'brien Secondary School's ranking?
South O'brien Secondary School is ranked #553 out of 1,233 schools, which ranks it among the top 50% of public schools in Iowa.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
62% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 64% IA state average), while 78% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 70% IA state average).
What is the graduation rate of South O'brien Secondary School?
The graduation rate of South O'brien Secondary School is 70-79%, which is lower than the Iowa state average of 90%.
How many students attend South O'brien Secondary School?
252 students attend South O'brien Secondary School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
90% of South O'brien Secondary School students are White, 6% of students are Hispanic, and 4% of students are Two or more races.
What is the student:teacher ratio of South O'brien Secondary School?
South O'brien Secondary School has a student ration of 13:1, which is lower than the Iowa state average of 14:1.
What grades does South O'brien Secondary School offer ?
South O'brien Secondary School offers enrollment in grades 7-12 (offers virtual instruction).
What school district is South O'brien Secondary School part of?
South O'brien Secondary School is part of South O'brien Comm School District.

School Calendar

View the South O'brien Secondary School yearly calendar below.

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Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • School Type: Magnet School
  • Grades: 7-12
  • Enrollment: 252 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 10%
  • : 70-79% (Btm 50%)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 62% (Btm 50%)
  • : 78% (Top 30%)
  • : 75-79% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

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