Iowans reputation for modest, hardworking folk is reflected in the quality and high achievement of the state’s public school districts. In fact, Iowa was ranked fifth in the country in education by U.S. News and World Report.
The honor of being Iowa’s best school system goes to Johnston Community School District serving Johnston, IA, a northern suburb of capital city Des Moines. Among the largest school districts in the state, JCSD is comprised of eight schools, several specialty centers and employs over 1,000 people.
Waukee Community School District earns the second position on the list. The district--named Iowa’s fastest growing in 2015--administers 13 schools with an enrollment of over 9,500 students from preschool through grade 12. Over 89% percent of WCSD graduates proceed on to a form of postgraduate education, and the district ranks high in every measurement of academic achievement.
Ranking third is the Pleasant Valley Community School District, which serves the communities of Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley, Riverdale and LeClaire, IA. The district of around 4,200 students has received accreditation through the Iowa Department of Education and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Fourth on the list is Gilbert School District located in Gilbert, IA. GSD consistently ranks high in academic excellence and recently received a terrific rating in the most recent Iowa School Report Card.
Ankeny Community School District of Polk County, IA places at #5. The large district of over 10,000 students is one of the fastest growing in the state, and has been accredited by a number of organizations.
Top School Districts in Iowa, 2018
State Rank | School District | State |
---|---|---|
1 | Johnston Comm School District | Iowa |
2 | Waukee Comm School District | Iowa |
3 | Pleasant Valley Comm School District | Iowa |
4 | Gilbert Comm School District | Iowa |
5 | Ankeny Comm School District | Iowa |
6 | Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District | Iowa |
7 | Harris-Lake Park Comm School District | Iowa |
8 | Ames Comm School District | Iowa |
9 | Decorah Community School District | Iowa |
10 | Mount Vernon Comm School District | Iowa |
11 | Norwalk Comm School District | Iowa |
12 | Woodward-Granger Comm School District | Iowa |
13 | Logan-Magnolia Comm School District | Iowa |
14 | Mediapolis Comm School District | Iowa |
15 | West Des Moines Comm School District | Iowa |
16 | Denver Comm School District | Iowa |
17 | Galva-Holstein Comm School District | Iowa |
18 | Linn-Mar Comm School District | Iowa |
19 | Ogden Comm School District | Iowa |
20 | Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District | Iowa |
21 | Solon Comm School District | Iowa |
22 | Pella Comm School District | Iowa |
23 | Carlisle Comm School District | Iowa |
24 | Madrid Comm School District | Iowa |
25 | Adel Desoto Minburn Comm School District | Iowa |
26 | Winterset Comm School District | Iowa |
27 | Moc-Floyd Valley Comm School District | Iowa |
28 | Alburnett Comm School District | Iowa |
29 | Cedar Falls Comm School District | Iowa |
30 | Center Point-Urbana Comm School District | Iowa |
31 | Spirit Lake Comm School District | Iowa |
32 | Lynnville-Sully Comm School District | Iowa |
33 | Treynor Comm School District | Iowa |
34 | Boyden-Hull Comm School District | Iowa |
35 | College Comm School District | Iowa |
36 | North Scott Comm School District | Iowa |
37 | Turkey Valley Comm School District | Iowa |
38 | Van Meter Comm School District | Iowa |
39 | Sioux Center Comm School District | Iowa |
40 | Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District | Iowa |
41 | West Marshall Comm School District | Iowa |
42 | Bettendorf Comm School District | Iowa |
43 | West Lyon Comm School District | Iowa |
44 | Northeast Comm School District | Iowa |
45 | Western Dubuque Comm School District | Iowa |
46 | North Linn Comm School District | Iowa |
47 | Carroll Comm School District | Iowa |
48 | Humboldt Comm School District | Iowa |
49 | Woodbury Central Comm School District | Iowa |
50 | West Branch Comm School District | Iowa |
51 | Iowa City Comm School District | Iowa |
52 | Glidden-Ralston Comm School District | Iowa |
53 | Sheldon Comm School District | Iowa |
54 | Roland-Story Comm School District | Iowa |
55 | Urbandale Comm School District | Iowa |
56 | North Polk Comm School District | Iowa |
57 | Lawton-Bronson Comm School District | Iowa |
58 | Calamus-Wheatland Comm School District | Iowa |
59 | Janesville Consolidated School District | Iowa |
60 | Remsen-Union Comm School District | Iowa |
61 | Benton Comm School District | Iowa |
62 | Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Comm School District | Iowa |
63 | North Mahaska Comm School District | Iowa |
64 | Bondurant-Farrar Comm School District | Iowa |
65 | Harlan Comm School District | Iowa |
66 | Pleasantville Comm School District | Iowa |
67 | Southeast Polk Comm School District | Iowa |
68 | Clear Lake Comm School District | Iowa |
69 | Bcluw Comm School District | Iowa |
70 | Sergeant Bluff-Luton Comm School District | Iowa |
71 | Nashua-Plainfield Comm School District | Iowa |
72 | South Hamilton Comm School District | Iowa |
73 | Garner-Hayfield Comm School District | Iowa |
74 | Osage Comm School District | Iowa |
75 | Clear Creek Amana Comm School District | Iowa |
76 | Clarksville Comm School District | Iowa |
77 | West Central Comm School District | Iowa |
78 | Williamsburg Comm School District | Iowa |
79 | Collins-Maxwell Comm School District | Iowa |
80 | Central Lyon Comm School District | Iowa |
81 | Northeast Hamilton Comm School District | Iowa |
82 | Okoboji Comm School District | Iowa |
83 | Underwood Comm School District | Iowa |
84 | Glenwood Comm School District | Iowa |
85 | Central Clinton Comm School District | Iowa |
86 | North Fayette Comm School District | Iowa |
87 | Earlham Comm School District | Iowa |
88 | Nevada Comm School District | Iowa |
89 | East Mills Comm School District | Iowa |
90 | Grundy Center Comm School District | Iowa |
91 | Bedford Comm School District | Iowa |
92 | Forest City Comm School District | Iowa |
93 | Central City Comm School District | Iowa |
94 | Central Springs Comm School District | Iowa |
95 | Agwsr Comm School District | Iowa |
96 | Lisbon Comm School District | Iowa |
97 | Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District | Iowa |
98 | English Valleys Comm School District | Iowa |
99 | Knoxville Comm School District | Iowa |
100 | Webster City Comm School District | Iowa |
Methodology
The following contributed to the ranking: student performance (math and reading test scores), dropout rates, school funding, and area poverty rates. Data was collected from a total of 9,577 school districts.