Best Public Schools in Carlisle, IA

The city of Carlisle, Iowa is home to three public schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Carlisle High School, Carlisle Elementary School, and Carlisle Middle School. These schools are part of the Carlisle Community School District, which is ranked 131 out of 313 districts in the state.

Among the three schools, Carlisle High School stands out as the top performer, ranking 75th out of 338 Iowa high schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The high school boasts consistently high test scores, with 83-85% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 69-74% in Mathematics. Additionally, the school maintains a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6% and a solid graduation rate of 88.3%. In contrast, Carlisle Middle School has had mixed results, with some grades performing above the state average and others below.

Carlisle Elementary School also stands out, with strong performance in Mathematics, where 82% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better, compared to the state average of 75.8%. The elementary school, along with the high school, has a lower chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6%. However, the elementary and middle schools have higher free and reduced lunch rates (32.41% and 32.96%, respectively) compared to the high school (25.89%), which may indicate socioeconomic challenges that the district is working to address.