Beta You're viewing our redesigned school list. Prefer the classic layout?

Best Public Schools in Runnells, IA

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the Iowa Department of Education any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the Iowa Department of Education any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

School

260

Students

5-star school

Top rankedRunnells Elementary7^th of 576 Iowa elementary schools

▲

Biggest riser

Runnells Elementary up 9 spots statewide this year

Compare Iowa cities →See the top-ranked Iowa schools →

Summary:

The city of Runnells, Iowa is home to a single standout elementary school, Runnells Elementary, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade as part of the Southeast Polk Community School District. Runnells Elementary has consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in Iowa, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and demonstrating exceptional academic performance with a high percentage of students proficient or better in core subjects.

With a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 17:1, Runnells Elementary appears to provide personalized attention and support to its 276 enrolled students. While the school has a slightly higher chronic absenteeism rate than the state average, it serves a diverse student population, with 33.7% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. The school's higher-than-average spending per student of $14,164 suggests a significant investment in resources to support student learning and well-being.

Runnells Elementary's continuous improvement in its statewide ranking over the past few years is a testament to the school's commitment to excellence. The data indicates that Runnells Elementary is a high-performing school that is providing a strong educational experience for its students, serving as a model for other schools in the region.

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ISASP English Language Arts (2025)			ISASP Mathematics (2025)			ISASP Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Runnells Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6575 SE 116th Street	Runnells	50237	Polk County	Southeast Polk Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 966-2068	260	18	14.6	26.9%	216 (83.1%)	9 (3.5%)	20 (7.7%)	5 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.8%)	92.5	7^th of 576 public elementary schools	98.8%		89	16^th of 557 public elementary schools	97.1%	9	89.4	96.4	89.7	97.9	92.9	97.4	84.6	$14,164	$100	$14,065

Cities Near Runnells

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Pleasant Hill	4.17 mi	3	221^st
Carlisle	5.7 mi	3	237^th
Hartford	5.73 mi	1	93^rd
Altoona	6.31 mi	5	235^th
Des Moines	6.79 mi	67	393^rd

See the top IA Iowa cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.