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 RankSchool DistrictState
1Johnston Comm School DistrictIowa
2Waukee Comm School DistrictIowa
3Pleasant Valley Comm School DistrictIowa
4Gilbert Comm School DistrictIowa
5Ankeny Comm School DistrictIowa
6Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School DistrictIowa
7Harris-Lake Park Comm School DistrictIowa
8Ames Comm School DistrictIowa
9Decorah Community School DistrictIowa
10Mount Vernon Comm School DistrictIowa
11Norwalk Comm School DistrictIowa
12Woodward-Granger Comm School DistrictIowa
13Logan-Magnolia Comm School DistrictIowa
14Mediapolis Comm School DistrictIowa
15West Des Moines Comm School DistrictIowa
16Denver Comm School DistrictIowa
17Galva-Holstein Comm School DistrictIowa
18Linn-Mar Comm School DistrictIowa
19Ogden Comm School DistrictIowa
20Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School DistrictIowa
21Solon Comm School DistrictIowa
22Pella Comm School DistrictIowa
23Carlisle Comm School DistrictIowa
24Madrid Comm School DistrictIowa
25Adel Desoto Minburn Comm School DistrictIowa
26Winterset Comm School DistrictIowa
27Moc-Floyd Valley Comm School DistrictIowa
28Alburnett Comm School DistrictIowa
29Cedar Falls Comm School DistrictIowa
30Center Point-Urbana Comm School DistrictIowa
31Spirit Lake Comm School DistrictIowa
32Lynnville-Sully Comm School DistrictIowa
33Treynor Comm School DistrictIowa
34Boyden-Hull Comm School DistrictIowa
35College Comm School DistrictIowa
36North Scott Comm School DistrictIowa
37Turkey Valley Comm School DistrictIowa
38Van Meter Comm School DistrictIowa
39Sioux Center Comm School DistrictIowa
40Grinnell-Newburg Comm School DistrictIowa
41West Marshall Comm School DistrictIowa
42Bettendorf Comm School DistrictIowa
43West Lyon Comm School DistrictIowa
44Northeast Comm School DistrictIowa
45Western Dubuque Comm School DistrictIowa
46North Linn Comm School DistrictIowa
47Carroll Comm School DistrictIowa
48Humboldt Comm School DistrictIowa
49Woodbury Central Comm School DistrictIowa
50West Branch Comm School DistrictIowa
51Iowa City Comm School DistrictIowa
52Glidden-Ralston Comm School DistrictIowa
53Sheldon Comm School DistrictIowa
54Roland-Story Comm School DistrictIowa
55Urbandale Comm School DistrictIowa
56North Polk Comm School DistrictIowa
57Lawton-Bronson Comm School DistrictIowa
58Calamus-Wheatland Comm School DistrictIowa
59Janesville Consolidated School DistrictIowa
60Remsen-Union Comm School DistrictIowa
61Benton Comm School DistrictIowa
62Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Comm School DistrictIowa
63North Mahaska Comm School DistrictIowa
64Bondurant-Farrar Comm School DistrictIowa
65Harlan Comm School DistrictIowa
66Pleasantville Comm School DistrictIowa
67Southeast Polk Comm School DistrictIowa
68Clear Lake Comm School DistrictIowa
69Bcluw Comm School DistrictIowa
70Sergeant Bluff-Luton Comm School DistrictIowa
71Nashua-Plainfield Comm School DistrictIowa
72South Hamilton Comm School DistrictIowa
73Garner-Hayfield Comm School DistrictIowa
74Osage Comm School DistrictIowa
75Clear Creek Amana Comm School DistrictIowa
76Clarksville Comm School DistrictIowa
77West Central Comm School DistrictIowa
78Williamsburg Comm School DistrictIowa
79Collins-Maxwell Comm School DistrictIowa
80Central Lyon Comm School DistrictIowa
81Northeast Hamilton Comm School DistrictIowa
82Okoboji Comm School DistrictIowa
83Underwood Comm School DistrictIowa
84Glenwood Comm School DistrictIowa
85Central Clinton Comm School DistrictIowa
86North Fayette Comm School DistrictIowa
87Earlham Comm School DistrictIowa
88Nevada Comm School DistrictIowa
89East Mills Comm School DistrictIowa
90Grundy Center Comm School DistrictIowa
91Bedford Comm School DistrictIowa
92Forest City Comm School DistrictIowa
93Central City Comm School DistrictIowa
94Central Springs Comm School DistrictIowa
95Agwsr Comm School DistrictIowa
96Lisbon Comm School DistrictIowa
97Manson Northwest Webster Comm School DistrictIowa
98English Valleys Comm School DistrictIowa
99Knoxville Comm School DistrictIowa
100Webster City Comm School DistrictIowa

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.

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