Best Public Schools in Riverside, IA

The city of Riverside, Iowa is home to three schools that serve students from elementary through high school: Highland Elementary School, Highland High School, and Highland Middle School. These schools are part of the Highland Community School District.

Among the three schools, Highland High School stands out with a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger and strong academic performance, with 84.2% of 10th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 74.7%. The school also maintains a high graduation rate of 88.3%. In contrast, Highland Middle School has seen a decline in its statewide ranking and rating, dropping from 3 stars to 2 stars in recent years, despite some grade levels exceeding state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics.

Across all three schools, the chronic absenteeism rate is a concern, with all three schools reporting a rate of 21.6% in the 2023-2024 school year, significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the free/reduced lunch rates vary, with Highland High School and Highland Elementary School having similar rates around 22%, while Highland Middle School has a lower rate of 14.29%. These factors may be contributing to the varying performance levels across the schools and warrant further investigation to address any equity concerns.