Spirit Lake Iowa Education Attainment Charts

This section of charts contains education data for Spirit Lake Iowa based mainly on the latest year 2022 Census data using the American Community Survey but also the survey from Common Core Data available for Public Elementary through Secondary Schools. In Figure 1, the percent of all people aged 25 years or older, who have either graduated from high school or completed the Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) or some equivalent certification/credential. Spirit Lake depicts it has a High School Grad or higher of 95% which is less than most other places in the surrounding region. The city with the highest percent high school graduates or better in the area is Okoboji which depicts a high school graduates of 100% (only about 5.2% larger).

In Figure 2, the percentage of people aged 25 years or older who have graduated from college/university with at least a bachelor's degree is provided. Note that the bachelor's degree is also called a four-year degree because it normally takes four years of full-time study to finish the course curriculum required to obtain the degree. This chart portrays the proportion of the population in this region who are college graduates with at least a bachelor degree or higher. In many ways, this analysis alongside the prior chart are very quick measures of the level of education in any particular area. Spirit Lake depicts it has a Bachelors Degree or higher of 28% which is the second smallest as measured by percent with a bachelors degree or higher of all the other places in the metropolitan area. The city with the highest percent with a bachelors degree or higher in the area is Wahpeton which shows a percent with a bachelors degree of 50% (75.7% larger).

Figure 4 shows the percentage of people 25 years of age or older who either have no schooling at all or dropped out of school before being able to complete high school. Additionally, these are people who also do not have a Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) or some other high school level type credential/student achievement. This analysis, along with the last two charts, provides another high level review and comparative data on the Spirit Lake Iowa educational level. Spirit Lake depicts it has a School Dropout Rate of 5% which is the third most percent who dropped out of school of all other places in the greater Spirit Lake region. The city with the highest percent who dropped out of school in the area is Orleans which depicts a percent who dropped out of school of 20% (approximately 3.8 times bigger).

Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at the educational attainment for Spirit Lake Iowa. This chart provides the proportion of people aged 25 years of age or older and what was their level of educational attainment. The chart provides 5 broad categories including: No Education/No School, Some High School, High School or equivalent, Some college or Associates Degree, and Bachelors Degree or higher. Spirit Lake has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than a high school education at 28% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the second smallest when ranked by percent of people with no schooling of all the other places in the metro area in order of percent of people with some college or an associates degree at 28% of the total.

The next chart shows a break down of people who have received a bachelor's degree or higher advanced degree generally in a campus learning environment. In particular, Figure 6, provides the proportional breakdown of all the people who have received a postsecondary education along with what the level of advanced degree that was obtained. Note that these categories do not include any type professional development type activities such as those related to maintaining professional credentials in workshop lessons. Note Professional Degree includes medical, dental, lawyers, etc. Spirit Lake has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with an associate degree at 58% of the total and is ranked #3. Only #2 Arnolds Park (59%), and #1 Orleans (61%) are larger. Second, it has less than most other places in the greater region in terms of percent of people with a bachelors degree at 9% of the total. Third, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 2% of the total.

The chart in Figure 7 shows the broad area of academic concentration or the discipline for people who have received a bachelors degree. This high level classification is essentially the field of study for which a degree was obtained. Spirit Lake has the largest proportion of percent of people with a science or engineering degree at 17.8% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a degree in a science or engineering related at 26.9% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Arnolds Park with 35.4%.

The next chart (Figure 8) provides a more detailed deep dive on the category of major degree obtained for people aged 25 years or older who earned a bachelor's degree or higher. Specifically, this frequency distribution details out what the major field of study was the degree obtained. Spirit Lake has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a degree in social sciences at 2.4% of the total. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in multidisciplinary studies at 17.8% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of percent of people with a degree in visual and performing arts at 9.2% of the total and is ranked #1. Also, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with a degree in communications at 8.5% of the total and is ranked #2. The only larger city being Milford with 9.1%.

Figure 9 provides comparative data between the places in the greater Spirit Lake Iowa region for broad educational attainment. This analysis uses provides five broad education attainment categories including: No Education/No School, Some High School, High School or equivalent, Some college or Associates Degree, and Bachelors Degree or higher. Spirit Lake has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than a high school degree at 27.8% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has one of the largest proportions of percent of people with high school (or ged) at 38.7% of the total and is ranked #3. Only #2 Milford (41.6%), and #1 West Okoboji (44.1%) are larger. Third, it has the second smallest when sorted by percent of people with no schooling of all the other places in the greater region as measured by percent of people with some college or an associates degree at 28.2% of the total.

A more detailed frequency distribution of educational attainment is provided in Figure 10. In particular this illustration breaks out the highest levels of university educational opportunities beyond the four year college degree. Included in the breakout are the relative proportion of masters degrees, PhD/Doctorate/Doctorial holders, and professional degrees such as medicine, dentistry, lawyers, etc. Spirit Lake has the largest proportion of percent of people with less than high school at 27.8% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the smallest proportion of percent of people with a masters degree at 1.0% of the total. The next exhibit (Figure 11) provides detailed cross tabulation analysis that provides education success data broken out or cross tabulated by age group. Please note that the columns add to 100% and you must use the pagination buttons at the bottom of the table to see all the rows. Figure 12 is a cross tabulation analysis that shows large educational success categories and is broken out or cross tabulated by racial group. Please note that the columns add to 100% and you must use the pagination buttons at the bottom of the table to see all the rows.The final cross tabulation analysis is provided in Figure 13 and shows education success broken out by gender. Please note that the columns add to 100% and you must use the pagination buttons at the bottom of the table to see all the rows.

Spirit Lake Iowa School Enrollment Charts

The next section of chart resources look at school enrollment by a variety of educational institutions and are categorized into a number of other groupings. Figure 14 provides the overall school enrollment by broad range of school age/level groupings. Spirit Lake has the percentage of percent of children in kindergarten in the middle range of other places in the metro area at 27.1% of the total. Second, it has the largest proportion of percent of children in grade 1 to 4 at 31.2% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the second smallest when ranked by percent of children in kindergarten of all the other places in the local area in order of percent of children in grades 5 to 8 at 12.9% of the total. Also, it has the second smallest in terms of percent of children in kindergarten of all the other places in the greater region in terms of percent of people in undergraduate colleges at 0.1% of the total.

Figure 15 provides a simple high level comparison of the proportion of students that are enrolled in public schools versus students enrolled in private schools in the Spirit Lake Iowa region. Spirit Lake shows percent enrolled in public schools quite a bit bigger as the percent enrolled in private schools.

The next comparison provided in Figure 16 shows the proportion of students enrolled in private schools versus students enrolled public schools for students enrolled in Kindergarten through 8th grade (grade 8) or (K through 8). Spirit Lake depicts percent of children enrolled in public k-8 grades appreciably bigger as the percent of children enrolled in private k-8 grades.

Figure 17 provides a comparative analysis all students enrolled in a public high school versus those students who are enrolled in private high school schools. Spirit Lake indicates percent enrolled in a public high school considerably bigger as the percent enrolled in a private high school.

The next chart (Figure 18) provides a similar analysis to the last chart but provides the data for public post secondary education versus private higher education colleges. Spirit Lake shows percent enrolled in a public college 58.6% larger as the percent enrolled in a private college.

The next chart in this series of resources shown in Figure 20 looks at the total number of students enrolled in any educational institution for each place in the greater Spirit Lake region. (Total enrollment in this case includes all students from preschool all the way through students enrolled in graduate school.) Spirit Lake depicts it has a Total Enrolled of 1,045 which is the highest of all places in the greater Spirit Lake region. Comparing total population enrolled in school to the United States average of 81,076,829, Spirit Lake is only about 0.0% the size. Also, in comparison with the state of Iowa, total population enrolled in school of 795,981, Spirit Lake is only about 0.1% the size.

Spirit Lake Iowa Area Schools Charts

Figure 23 lists all the schools in the area along with the school district, county location and other program information/credential such as if they are a public charter school or private charter school or magnet school. Some of the Area Schools are: Spirit Lake Middle School, Spirit Lake High School, Spirit Lake Elementary School, Okoboji Middle School, and Okoboji Elementary School. The next illustration in Figure 24 shows the total child school enrollment for all grades (through 12th grade) at the school shown using NCES data (Common Core of Data, Public Elementary-Secondary School Universe Survey.) Looking at Enrollment for Area Schools we find that Okoboji Elementary School ranks the largest with a value of 476 enrolled students. The next largest values are for: Demoney Elementary School (441), Spirit Lake Elementary School (433), Riverside Elementary (411), and Spirit Lake High School (410). The difference between the highest value (Okoboji Elementary School) and the next highest (Demoney Elementary School) is that the enrolled students is about 7.9% larger.

Figure 25 show the ratio of the number of students to the number of teachers in the classroom. A good student to teacher ratio should be low because it indicates that there are less students for any one teacher to educate in a class and generally a better learning environment, better success and optimal teaching excellence. Teachers includes all educational staff such as special education teachers and any other educator. Note that distance learning (online learning/remote learning) is not included in these values. Looking at Student to Teacher Ratio for Area Schools we find that Harris-Lake Park High School ranks the largest with a value of 10.8 student to teacher ratio. The next largest values are for: Estherville Lincoln Central High School (11.5), Okoboji High School (11.8), Estherville Lincoln Central Middle School (12.7), and Graettinger-Terril Elementary School (13.0). The difference between the lowest value (Harris-Lake Park High School) and the next lowest (Estherville Lincoln Central High School) is that the student to teacher ratio is only about 5.9% larger.

The next chart, Figure 26, shows the racial mix of students at each location in this district of the state of Iowa department of education.