Best Public Schools in Durant, IA

The city of Durant, Iowa is home to two schools - Durant Elementary School and Durant Junior/Senior High School, both part of the Durant Community School District. While Durant Elementary has seen a decline in its statewide ranking in recent years, Durant Junior/Senior High has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa high schools, indicating an overall underperformance by the district compared to state averages.

Both schools have relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, which can negatively impact student learning and achievement. Academically, the schools generally perform below the state average on standardized tests, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Durant Elementary's 3rd-grade ELA proficiency rate was 57.4% in 2024-2025, compared to the state average of 67.9%. Similarly, Durant Junior/Senior High had an 88.3% four-year graduation rate in 2023-2024, which is lower than the state average.

The data suggests the Durant Community School District as a whole is underperforming compared to other districts in Iowa, with a ranking of 268th out of 313 school districts. The district should prioritize addressing the areas of concern, such as chronic absenteeism and academic performance, to improve the educational outcomes for students in Durant.