Indianola Community School District

The Indianola Community School District consists of 6 schools, including 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district is located in Indianola, Iowa, a community of around 15,000 people. Overall, the schools in the district demonstrate a mix of high-performing and average-performing institutions, with Irving Elementary School standing out as an exceptional institution.

Irving Elementary School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past 3 school years. The school's test scores are significantly higher than the district and state averages, with over 90% of students proficient or better in math and English language arts. Indianola High School also performs well, ranking in the top half of Iowa high schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the 2024-2025 school year, with a graduation rate of 88.3%, which is above the state average.

While the elementary schools in the district generally perform well, there is some variation in their rankings and test scores, suggesting differences in teaching methods, curriculum, or student demographics that are worth further investigation. Additionally, the district-wide chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6%, which is higher than the state average, is a concern that warrants further attention. The data also shows a range of spending per student, with Irving Elementary spending the least but achieving the highest performance, indicating that factors other than just funding, such as effective resource allocation and teaching practices, may be more important drivers of student success.