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Best Public Schools in Story County, IA

At a glance

Schools

11,421

Students

Districts

5-star schools

Top rankedGilbert Middle School2^nd of 344 Iowa middle schools

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Biggest riser

Central Elementary School up 102 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Collins-Maxwell Middle/High School 10.5 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

5★

4★

3★

2★

2 schools without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

See the top-ranked Iowa schools →

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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	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 English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 9th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 10th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 11th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 9th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 10th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 11th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	ISASP Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sawyer Elementary School	Public	K-5	4316 Ontario St	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 239-3790	371	34	11.0	36.1%	242 (65.2%)	32 (8.6%)	44 (11.9%)	26 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.3%)	55.9	286^th of 576 public elementary schools	50.3%		52.9	313^th of 557 public elementary schools	43.8%	27	72.9	70.8	73.4							70.0	77.1	73.8							73.4			$11,702	$347	$11,356
Ames High School	Public	9-12	1801 Ridgewood Drive	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 817-0600	1,440	82	17.5	29.9%	919 (63.8%)	145 (10.1%)	171 (11.9%)	113 (7.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (5.3%)	61.9	144^th of 340 public high schools	57.6%		62.6	132^nd of 338 public high schools	60.9%	12							77.7	77.6	74.8							73.0	73.5	75.4			72.9	$11,820	$335	$11,486
Edwards Elementary School	Public	K-5	820 Miller Ave	Ames	50014	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 239-3760	436	34	13.0	44.5%	242 (55.5%)	77 (17.7%)	49 (11.2%)	38 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.9%)	52.9	309^th of 576 public elementary schools	46.4%		56.2	288^th of 557 public elementary schools	48.3%	21	73.5	76.3	67.9							86.8	69.5	67.5							63.3			$12,690	$743	$11,949
Fellows Elementary School	Public	K-5	1235 20th St.	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 239-3765	489	38	12.9	28.8%	276 (56.4%)	25 (5.1%)	67 (13.7%)	83 (17.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.0%)	78.7	86^th of 576 public elementary schools	85.1%		76.5	97^th of 557 public elementary schools	82.6%	11	85.2	73.1	85.9							86.4	80.6	89.7							87.2			$12,124	$816	$11,308
Mitchell Elementary School	Public	K-5	3521 Jewel Dr	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 239-3775	314	25	12.5	55.7%	149 (47.5%)	55 (17.5%)	72 (22.9%)	15 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (7.3%)	50.5	327^th of 576 public elementary schools	43.2%		66.2	189^th of 557 public elementary schools	66.1%	138	53.8	84.8	74.0							59.0	76.1	72.0							68.0			$12,211	$780	$11,433
Meeker Elementary School	Public	K-5	300 20th Street	Ames	50010	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 239-3770	361	32	11.2	42.1%	253 (70.1%)	19 (5.3%)	34 (9.4%)	9 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (12.2%)	62.7	238^th of 576 public elementary schools	58.7%		63.8	216^th of 557 public elementary schools	61.2%	22	71.7	86.7	71.7							78.3	75.6	71.7							76.7			$13,221	$1,032	$12,190
Ames Middle School	Public	6-8	3915 Mortensen Road	Ames	50014	Story County	Ames Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 268-2400	1,033	70	14.7	31.2%	642 (62.1%)	103 (10.0%)	129 (12.5%)	77 (7.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	79 (7.6%)	59.1	147^th of 344 public middle schools	57.3%		55.5	169^th of 337 public middle schools	49.9%	22				81.0	70.5	87.6							82.0	73.4	77.6					74.4		$11,412	$258	$11,154
Ballard High School	Public	9-12	701 Ballard Drive	Huxley	50124	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 597-2971	586	37	15.8	15.4%	544 (92.8%)	10 (1.7%)	24 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.7%)	73.1	68^th of 340 public high schools	80.0%		75.5	57^th of 338 public high schools	83.1%	11							85.9	82.2	76.4							79.6	80.9	82.9			71.7	$13,456	$266	$13,189
Ballard Middle School	Public	6-8	509 N Main Ave	Huxley	50124	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 597-2815	418	28	15.1	17.7%	387 (92.6%)	4 (1.0%)	14 (3.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.6%)	79	35^th of 344 public middle schools	89.8%		71	80^th of 337 public middle schools	76.3%	45				88.5	88.2	82.6							89.9	90.6	83.3					82.6		$13,142	$46	$13,096
Ballard West Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	105 E Main St	Slater	50244	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 228-3890	451	30	15.0	18.8%	410 (90.9%)	6 (1.3%)	23 (5.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)								(n/a)																						$13,797	$324	$13,473
Ballard East Elementary	Public	3-5	505 W 4th St	Cambridge	50046	Story County	Ballard Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 220-4306	417	33	12.5	23.5%	380 (91.1%)	4 (1.0%)	22 (5.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	66.2	205^th of 576 public elementary schools	64.4%		71.6	146^th of 557 public elementary schools	73.8%	59	68.6	77.0	74.6							85.4	83.0	85.2							67.6			$12,521	$249	$12,272
Collins-Maxwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	416 Fourth Avenue	Collins	50055	Story County	Collins-Maxwell Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 385-2446	182	17	10.9	41.2%	169 (92.9%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	80.1	74^th of 576 public elementary schools	87.2%		72.5	130^th of 557 public elementary schools	76.7%	56	46.2	89.7	97.0							69.2	86.2	90.9							90.9			$14,450	$518	$13,932
Collins-Maxwell Middle/High School	Public	6-12	400 Metcalf St.	Maxwell	50161	Story County	Collins-Maxwell Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 387-1115	190	18	10.5	35.3%	173 (91.1%)	1 (0.5%)	10 (5.3%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.1%)	55.8	174^th of 340 public high schools	48.8%		46	216^th of 338 public high schools	36.1%	42				87.5	77.1	78.6	83.3	86.4	80.0				79.2	62.9	71.4	75.0	72.7	53.3		67.9	50.0	$17,207	$223	$16,984
Colo-NESCO Middle/High School	Public	5-12	919 West St	Colo	50056	Story County	Colo-NESCO Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 377-2282	216	20	10.8	42.6%	194 (89.8%)	1 (0.5%)	11 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.2%)	51.9	191^st of 340 public high schools	43.8%		71.8	81^st of 338 public high schools	76.0%	110			64.3	91.7	72.7	71.4	77.3	78.3	76.7			78.6	79.2	81.8	62.9	50.0	69.6	70.0	60.7	57.1	68.2	$15,098	$523	$14,575
Colo-Nesco Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	407 N Center	Zearing	50278	Story County	Colo-NESCO Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 487-7411	169	15	11.5	50.9%	144 (85.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (7.7%)	36.2	424^th of 576 public elementary schools	26.4%		55.8	292^nd of 557 public elementary schools	47.6%	132	54.2	68.0								75.0	72.0											$14,066	$671	$13,396
Gilbert Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	109 Rothmoor	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 232-3744	409	25	16.3	5.4%	343 (83.9%)	5 (1.2%)	19 (4.6%)	21 (5.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.9%)								(n/a)																						$12,378	$377	$12,000
Gilbert High School	Public	9-12	312 Gretten	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 232-3738	509	33	15.2	5.7%	440 (86.4%)	10 (2.0%)	28 (5.5%)	18 (3.5%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.6%)	91.1	4^th of 340 public high schools	98.8%		94.3	3^rd of 338 public high schools	99.1%	1							94.4	94.6	93.0							83.2	90.0	86.8			92.3	$13,554	$195	$13,359
Gilbert Middle School	Public	6-8	201 E. Mathews	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 232-0540	408	26	15.4	9.3%	347 (85.0%)	7 (1.7%)	20 (4.9%)	17 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.2%)	91.8	2^nd of 344 public middle schools	99.4%		92.3	2^nd of 337 public middle schools	99.4%					92.0	98.4	97.1							90.5	92.9	92.9					92.9		$12,292	$237	$12,056
Gilbert Intermediate School	Public	3-5	103 Mathews Dr	Gilbert	50105	Story County	Gilbert Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 232-3748	356	21	16.8	8.1%	288 (80.9%)	7 (2.0%)	24 (6.7%)	20 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.8%)	91.2	12^th of 576 public elementary schools	97.9%		92.8	4^th of 557 public elementary schools	99.3%	8	91.4	90.8	89.0							92.2	95.8	90.7							92.4			$11,603	$317	$11,285
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	925 H Ave	Nevada	50201	Story County	Nevada Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 382-2383	632	46	13.7	40.5%	515 (81.5%)	4 (0.6%)	84 (13.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.4%)	87.4	22^nd of 576 public elementary schools	96.2%		73.1	124^th of 557 public elementary schools	77.7%	102	89.8	86.7								94.3	92.0											$11,518	$1,130	$10,388
Nevada High School	Public	9-12	1001 15th St	Nevada	50201	Story County	Nevada Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 382-3521	498	32	15.5	36.5%	402 (80.7%)	4 (0.8%)	60 (12.0%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.0%)	56	172^nd of 340 public high schools	49.4%		48.1	206^th of 338 public high schools	39.1%	34							85.1	72.2	74.0							70.2	66.1	70.7			68.4	$17,734	$550	$17,184
Nevada Middle School	Public	5-8	1035 15th St	Nevada	50201	Story County	Nevada Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 382-2751	442	30	14.7	42.1%	359 (81.2%)	1 (0.2%)	58 (13.1%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.6%)	75.5	52^nd of 344 public middle schools	84.9%		67.9	104^th of 337 public middle schools	69.1%	52			84.8	84.5	77.7	89.6						88.4	83.3	86.0	86.7				81.3	84.0		$12,308	$518	$11,790
Roland-Story Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	900 Hillcrest Dr	Story City	50248	Story County	Roland-Story Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 733-4386	446	29	15.2	16.1%	411 (92.2%)	5 (1.1%)	19 (4.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.6%)	86.2	31^st of 576 public elementary schools	94.6%		85.4	32^nd of 557 public elementary schools	94.3%	1	84.0	89.5								90.7	92.1											$11,242	$484	$10,758
Roland-Story High School	Public	9-12	1009 Story St	Story City	50248	Story County	Roland-Story Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 733-4329	317	21	15.2	18.0%	291 (91.8%)	5 (1.6%)	13 (4.1%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)	84.8	15^th of 340 public high schools	95.6%		84.8	15^th of 338 public high schools	95.6%								89.4	90.5	83.1							83.3	84.5	84.5			84.5	$12,856	$97	$12,759
Roland-Story Middle School	Public	5-8	206 S Main St	Roland	50236	Story County	Roland-Story Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 388-4348	331	20	16.2	20.5%	304 (91.8%)	7 (2.1%)	9 (2.7%)	4 (1.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	83.1	22^nd of 344 public middle schools	93.6%		91.1	3^rd of 337 public middle schools	99.1%	19			81.7	84.6	87.9	92.4						87.1	88.5	86.4	87.0				74.2	87.9		$10,323	$139	$10,183

SchoolDigger rankings lists for Iowa:

Elementary Schools Middle Schools High Schools Districts 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.