Best Schools in Palo Alto County, IA
Palo Alto County, IA has 20 public schools (7 high, 5 middle, 8 elementary) serving 3,473 students. On average they score 71% on state proficiency tests against a projected 58%, so schools in Palo Alto County meet expectations. Rankings below compare each school’s actual results with the projection for its socioeconomic context.
Best High Schools in Palo Alto County, IA
The top high schools in Palo Alto County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. North Union High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
North Union Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 194 Students
2. Sioux Central High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Sioux Central Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 274 Students
3. Emmetsburg High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Emmetsburg Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 245 Students
4. Pocahontas Area Middle/ High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Pocahontas Area Comm School District • Public • Grades 7 - 12 • 392 Students
5. West Bend-mallard High School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
West Bend-mallard Comm School District • Public • Grades 9 - 12 • 114 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 Palo Alto County, IA
The top middle schools in Palo Alto County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. North Union Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
North Kossuth Comm School District • Public • Grades 6 - 8 • 128 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. Emmetsburg Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Emmetsburg Comm School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 225 Students
4. West Bend-mallard Middle School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
West Bend-mallard Comm School District • Public • Grades 5 - 8 • 111 Students
5. 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 Palo Alto County, IA
The top elementary schools in Palo Alto County, ranked by actual test performance against the projection for each school’s socioeconomic context.
1. North Union Elementary
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
North Union Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 131 Students
2. West Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Emmetsburg Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 300 Students
3. West Bend-mallard Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
West Bend-mallard Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 4 • 170 Students
4. Emmetsburg Catholic School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Emmetsburg Catholic School • Private • Grades Pre K - 8 • 107 Students
5. Graettinger-terril Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Graettinger-terril Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 5 • 147 Students
6. Pocahontas Area Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Pocahontas Area Comm School District • Public • Grades KG - 6 • 283 Students
7. Ruthven-ayrshire Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Ruthven-ayrshire Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 87 Students
8. Laurens-marathon Elementary School
SchoolGrade
Actual Test Scores
Projected Test Scores
Laurens-marathon Comm School District • Public • Grades Pre K - 6 • 140 Students
Education & Community Snapshot in Palo Alto County, IA
County-level factors that shape the learning environment around local schools.
Community Factors
Palo Alto County, IA has a total population of 8,996 with 22% of that population attending schools. The adult high school graduation rate is 94%, and 21% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Students in Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County, IA.
Safety
Crime Grades summarize reported incidents per 1,000 residents. Use them as neighborhood context, not a school rating.
Overall Crime Grade
12.65 per 1,000 Residents
Violent Crime Grade
2.94 per 1,000 Residents
Property Crime Grade
9.71 per 1,000 Residents
Crime statistics provided by CrimeGrade in Palo Alto County, IA.
Connectivity
Connectivity influences learning at home. We summarize internet infrastructure, typical download speed, and a digital connectivity index for Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County, IA Internet Health Assessment.
Questions About Schools in Palo Alto County, IA
How many schools are in Palo Alto County, IA?
Palo Alto County, IA has 20 public schools: 7 high schools, 5 middle schools and 8 elementary schools, serving 3,473 students in total.
How do schools in Palo Alto County perform on state tests?
On average, 20 schools in Palo Alto County score 71% proficient on state assessments. Given the socioeconomic context of their students we project 58%, so on average schools in Palo Alto County meet expectations.
How does SchoolGrade rank the best schools in Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County, IA
Explore nearby cities to widen your school search.
- Actual: 70%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 79%
- Projected: 58%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
- Actual: 71%
- Projected: 58%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 68%
- Projected: 59%
- Impact Grade: Doesn't Meet Expectations
- Actual: 72%
- Projected: 60%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 71%
- Projected: 57%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 67%
- Projected: 53%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 30%
- Projected: 42%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 34%
- Projected: 43%
- Impact Grade: Meets Expectations
- Actual: 76%
- Projected: 59%
- Impact Grade: Greatly Exceeds Expectations
Cities, towns and school districts in Palo Alto County
4 places in Palo Alto County with graded public schools. Each link opens that place's ranked schools.
Cities and towns (4)
- Emmetsburg (3)
- West Bend (3)
- Graettinger (2)
- Ruthven (2)
School districts (3)
- Emmetsburg Comm School District (3 schools)
- Graettinger-Terril Comm School District (3 schools)
- West Bend-Mallard Comm School District (3 schools)