Central Iowa Times

There were 4,216 students enrolled in Webster County schools in the 2023-24 school year, 8.6% less than the previous year, according to the Iowa Department of Education.

Of all the students welcomed at the time, 51.8% identified as male and 48.2% as female.

Data also showed that white students made up 71.1% of the student body, the largest percentage in Webster County schools, followed by Hispanic students with 13.7%, 8.3% multiracial, 5.6% Black, 0.6% Asian, 0.4% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 0.3% Native American.

Fort Dodge High School had the highest enrollment among Webster County’s 10 schools in the 2023-24 school year, welcoming 1,057 students.

Public school enrollment in Iowa remained relatively stable in the 2024-25 school year, with 480,665 students, a slight decrease of 0.63% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, enrollment in accredited nonpublic schools grew by nearly 10%, reaching 39,356 students, up from 36,195. This increase was partially driven by the Students First Education Savings (ESA) program, with 27,866 students utilizing ESAs at nonpublic schools.

Rank	School name	School district	Total enrollment in 2022-23	Total enrollment in 2023-24	% change
1	Fort Dodge High School	Fort Dodge Comm	1,072	1,057	-1.4%
2	Fort Dodge Middle School	Fort Dodge Comm	759	774	2%
3	Duncombe Elementary School	Fort Dodge Comm	461	454	-1.5%
4	Manson Northwest Webster Elementary School	Manson Northwest Webster Comm	369	368	-0.3%
5	Butler Elementary School	Fort Dodge Comm	379	344	-9.2%
6	Southeast Webster-Grand Southeast Valley Middle School	Southeast Webster Grand Comm	324	315	-2.8%
7	Early Childhood Center	Fort Dodge Comm	275	273	-0.7%
8	Cooper Elementary School	Fort Dodge Comm	252	238	-5.6%
9	Feelhaver Elementary School	Fort Dodge Comm	219	221	0.9%
10	Dayton Center	Southeast Webster Grand Comm	174	172	-1.1%