Best High Schools in Iowa

High schools
340
Students
161,072
Avg actual
69%
Avg projected
61%
Impact
meet expectations

The top high schools in Iowa, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Denver Senior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

80%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Denver Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 262 Students

2. Treynor High School

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

79%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Treynor Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 252 Students

3. Gilbert High School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

85%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Gilbert Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 537 Students

4. Grundy Center High School

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

64%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Grundy Center Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 235 Students

5. Van Meter High School

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

81%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Van Meter Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 292 Students

6. Westside Junior-senior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

49%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Ar-we-va Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 106 Students

7. Bedford High School

A+

SchoolGrade

89%

Actual Test Scores

62%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Bedford Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 12 • 243 Students

8. Adm Senior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

89%

Actual Test Scores

47%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Adel Desoto Minburn Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 651 Students

9. Solon High School

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

81%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Solon Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 475 Students

10. Pella High School

A+

SchoolGrade

88%

Actual Test Scores

77%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Pella Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 764 Students

See all 316 high schools here ranked

Best Middle Schools in Iowa

Middle schools
248
Students
99,214
Avg actual
72%
Avg projected
58%
Impact
meet expectations

The top middle schools in Iowa, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Denver Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

95%

Actual Test Scores

79%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Denver Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 207 Students

2. Gilbert Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

94%

Actual Test Scores

80%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Gilbert Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 409 Students

3. Treynor Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

93%

Actual Test Scores

82%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Treynor Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 213 Students

4. Van Meter Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

92%

Actual Test Scores

84%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Doesn't Meet Expectations

Van Meter Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 227 Students

5. Mediapolis Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

92%

Actual Test Scores

70%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Mediapolis Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 227 Students

6. Mount Vernon Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

75%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Mount Vernon Comm School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 397 Students

7. Waukon Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

72%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Exceeds Expectations

Allamakee Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 270 Students

8. Pleasant Valley Junior High School

A+

SchoolGrade

91%

Actual Test Scores

76%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Pleasant Valley Comm School District • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 856 Students

9. Solon Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

78%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Solon Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 345 Students

10. Pella Middle School

A+

SchoolGrade

90%

Actual Test Scores

64%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Pella Comm School District • Public • Grades 7 - 8 • 382 Students

See all 229 middle schools here ranked

Best Elementary Schools in Iowa

Elementary schools
810
Students
252,966
Avg actual
71%
Avg projected
53%
Impact
meet expectations

The top elementary schools in Iowa, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.

SchoolActualProjectedImpact

1. Ames Christian School

A+

SchoolGrade

100%

Actual Test Scores

52%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:N/A

Ames Christian School • Private • Grades Pre K - 6 • 87 Students

2. Sacred Heart School

A+

SchoolGrade

100%

Actual Test Scores

51%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:N/A

Sacred Heart School • Private • Grades KG - 8 • 89 Students

3. Bergman Academy

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

48%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:N/A

Bergman Academy • Private • Grades Pre K - 8 • 321 Students

4. Newton Christian School

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

50%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:N/A

Newton Christian School • Private • Grades Pre K - 8 • 98 Students

5. Hopewell Elementary

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

79%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Meets Expectations

Pleasant Valley Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 698 Students

6. St Mary School

A+

SchoolGrade

96%

Actual Test Scores

48%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:N/A

St Mary School • Private • Grades KG - 6 • 117 Students

7. East Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

95%

Actual Test Scores

54%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Sheldon Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 450 Students

8. Woodbine Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

95%

Actual Test Scores

64%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

Woodbine Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 250 Students

9. North Kossuth Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

95%

Actual Test Scores

58%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

North Kossuth Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 130 Students

10. Virgil Grissom Elementary School

A+

SchoolGrade

94%

Actual Test Scores

62%

Projected Test Scores

Impact Grade:Greatly Exceeds Expectations

North Scott Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 196 Students

See all 599 elementary schools here ranked

Education & Community Snapshot in Iowa

State-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.

Community Factors

Iowa has a total population of 3,190,369 with 25% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 93%, and 32% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Students in Iowa

547,624

K-12 Students

High School Graduates

93%

Adults 25+ with HS diplomas

College Graduates

32%

Adults 25+ with a Bachelor’s degree or higher

Demographics statistics provided by Best Neighborhood Iowa.

Safety

Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.

Overall Crime Grade

B+

16.53 per 1,000 Residents

Violent Crime Grade

B

3.05 per 1,000 Residents

Property Crime Grade

B+

13.48 per 1,000 Residents

Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Iowa.

Connectivity

Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Iowa.

ISP Report Card

B+

Internet Infrastructure Grade

Average Download Speed

2,495 Mbps

Speed Most Residents Can Get

Digital Connectivity Index

55 / 100

ISP Connectivity Demand Report

To read more about these statistics, please visit Iowa Internet Health Assessment.

Questions About Schools in Iowa

How many schools are in Iowa?

Iowa has 1,509 public schools: 340 high schools, 248 middle schools and 810 elementary schools, serving 547,624 students in total.

How do schools in Iowa perform on state tests?

On average, 1,509 schools in Iowa score 72% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 56%, so on average schools in Iowa meet expectations.

How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Iowa?

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 Iowa

Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.

Wisconsin

  • Actual: 43%
  • Projected: 42%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Minnesota

  • Actual: 36%
  • Projected: 44%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Illinois

  • Actual: 43%
  • Projected: 27%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Missouri

  • Actual: 42%
  • Projected: 36%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Nebraska

  • Actual: 62%
  • Projected: 49%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
South Dakota

  • Actual: 45%
  • Projected: 41%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Kansas

  • Actual: 42%
  • Projected: 35%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Indiana

  • Actual: 41%
  • Projected: 38%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Michigan

  • Actual: 39%
  • Projected: 35%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
Kentucky

  • Actual: 42%
  • Projected: 34%
  • Impact Grade: Meets Expectations

Every city and county in Iowa

School rankings for each place: 1361 cities, towns and neighborhoods, and 99 counties.

Counties

Cities and towns

School district map of Iowa

Every public school district in Iowa with graded schools. Hover for the district and its school count; click to open its page.

shaded by the district's average SchoolGrade, F to A; grey = not yet graded. Boundaries from the NCES EDGE composite school district file. Districts without a page (fewer than three graded schools) are not linked.

Largest school districts in Iowa

The 25 districts with the most graded schools in Iowa. Each district page lists every one of its schools.