Best Public Schools in Calmar, IA

The city of Calmar, Iowa has only one high school, South Winneshiek High School, which serves students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the South Winneshiek Community School District and has seen steady improvement in its statewide ranking, moving from 118th out of 336 Iowa high schools in 2022-2023 to 56th out of 340 in 2024-2025, placing it in the top 20% of high schools in the state.

South Winneshiek High School has a four-year graduation rate of 88.3%, slightly above the state average, but a higher-than-average chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6%. Academically, the school's students have performed well on the ISASP tests, with proficiency rates exceeding the state averages in most subject areas and grade levels, particularly in math, where 90.5% of 10th graders and 89.6% of 11th graders scored proficient or better in 2024-2025. The school is well-resourced, with a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12.8 to 1 and spending per student of $17,120, which is higher than the state average.

Overall, South Winneshiek High School appears to be a strong-performing school, providing a quality education to its students. The school's academic success, resource allocation, and favorable student-teacher ratio suggest it is well-equipped to support the educational needs of the community. However, the higher chronic absenteeism rate is an area that may require further attention and intervention.