Best Schools in Clay County, IA
Clay County, IA has 23 public schools (7 high, 4 middle, 12 elementary) serving 5,874 students. On average they score 71% on state proficiency tests against a projected 58%, so schools in Clay County meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Clay County, IA
The top high schools in Clay County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. South O'brien Secondary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
South O'brien Comm School District • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 252 Students
2. Spencer High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Spencer Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 712 Students
3. Okoboji High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Okoboji Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 365 Students
4. Sioux Central High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sioux Central Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 274 Students
5. Hartley-melvin-sanborn High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Hartley-melvin-sanborn Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 203 Students
6. Ruthven-ayrshire High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Ruthven-ayrshire Comm School District • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 77 Students
7. Graettinger-terril High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Graettinger-terril Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 128 Students
Best Middle Schools in Clay County, IA
The top middle schools in Clay County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Spencer Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Spencer Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 514 Students
2. Sioux Central Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sioux Central Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 141 Students
3. Okoboji Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Okoboji Comm School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 346 Students
4. Graettinger-terril Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Graettinger-terril Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 79 Students
Best Elementary Schools in Clay County, IA
The top elementary schools in Clay County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. Okoboji Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Okoboji Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 533 Students
2. Sacred Heart School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sacred Heart School • Private • Grades KG - 6 • 143 Students
3. Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran School • Private • Grades KG - 6 • 92 Students
4. South O'brien Elem Sch Primghar Center
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
South O'brien Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 324 Students
5. Lincoln Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Spencer Comm School District • Public • Grades 3 - 5 • 467 Students
6. Graettinger-terril Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Graettinger-terril Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 147 Students
7. Sioux Central Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sioux Central Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 241 Students
8. Ruthven-ayrshire Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Ruthven-ayrshire Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 87 Students
9. Laurens-marathon Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Laurens-marathon Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 140 Students
10. Fairview Park Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Spencer Comm School District • Public • Grades 1 - 2 • 308 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Clay County, IA
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Clay County, IA has a total population of 16,384 with 22% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 95%, and 26% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Clay County, IA
K-12 Students
High School Graduates
Adults 25+ with HS diplomas
College Graduates
Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher
Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Clay County, IA.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
13.34 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
2.58 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
10.76 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Clay County, IA.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Clay County, IA.
ISP Report Card
Internet Infrastructure Grade
Average Download Speed
Speed Most Residents Can Get
Digital Connectivity Index
ISP Connectivity Demand Report
To read more about these statistics, please visit Clay County, IA Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Clay County, IA
How many schools are in Clay County, IA?
Clay County, IA has 23 public schools: 7 high schools, 4 middle schools and 12 elementary schools, serving 5,874 students in total.
How do schools in Clay County perform on state tests?
On average, 23 schools in Clay County score 71% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 58%, so on average schools in Clay County meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Clay County?
Every public school gets a SchoolGrade from A+ to F based on the share of students at or above the state proficiency bar. The Impact Grade compares that result with what we would expect given the school’s student and community context, so schools that outperform their circumstances stand out. Schools cannot pay to change a grade. Read the full methodology.
Best Schools in Cities Near Clay County, IA
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 72%
- Projected: 60%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 71%
- Projected: 58%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 80%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 70%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 67%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 77%
- Projected: 58%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 75%
- Projected: 62%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 68%
- Projected: 59%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 34%
- Projected: 43%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 36%
- Projected: 42%
- Impact Grade: Exceeds Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Clay County
2 places in Clay County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (2)
School districts (1)
- Spencer Comm School District (5 schools)