Iowa Demographics While total K-12 enrollment in Iowa is decreasing, high school ag ed enrollment and FFA membership has continued to increase since the early 90 ’ s.

Iowa Demographics While the total number of Iowa school districts has decreased, the number of schools that offer agricultural education has held steady since the early 1990 ’ s.

Common Misconceptions About Iowa ’ s Agricultural Education Programs False: Ag Ed Programs are Disappearing False: Ag Ed Programs Do Not Provide Educational Rigor False: Agricultural Education is NOT for college- bound students.

Total FFA Chapters Iowa currently has 230 local FFA chapters Source: Iowa FFA Association

Source: Iowa FFA Association Annual Report Data High School Ag Ed Enrollment Since the early 1990 ’ s, total high school agricultural education enrollment has increased by over 7000 students.

FFA Membership Currently, Iowa FFA membership is over 12,000 members. Source: Iowa FFA Association

Comparison of Ag Ed students who are FFA members vs. Ag Ed students who are NOT FFA members. Data based on student performance on the Iowa Test of Educational Development. Participation in FFA Has a Strong Correlation to Academic Achievement

Agriscience Adds Value As compared to the average of all Iowa high school juniors (FY05): Ag Ed students exhibited more growth in science. Ag Ed students who were also FFA members exhibited the greatest growth in their understanding of basic science concepts. Note: Growth is measured as the change in science scores from 8 th grade to 11 th grade. Ag Ed programs typically begin in 9 th grade.

More likely to graduate from high school than non-members More likely to pursue postsecondary education than non-members. More likely to score proficient in Math, Reading and Science than non- members. Other Facts About Iowa FFA Members

Our Mission: FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.