Best Middle Schools in Iowa

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Find the best Iowa middle schools with SchoolDigger.com! Focused on test scores for accurate rankings, our user-friendly site simplifies your search. Empower your decisions by exploring top-rated schools, only on SchoolDigger.com - the ultimate guide to K-12 schools!

Year after year, SchoolDigger is always the first to publish Iowa test scores and rankings. Other sites use stale test score data that are several years old! Be in the know with the very latest performance metrics.

The list is updated annually upon the release of the ISASP test scores by the Iowa Department of Education. The most recent update was on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.

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School	Students/Teachers	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)	Ranking (2025 vs 2024)	ID
281	Howar Middle School	Public	6-8	850 S Park Street	Centerville	52544	Appanoose County	Centerville Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 856-0760	298	17	17.2	56.0%	264 (88.6%)	3 (1.0%)	21 (7.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	$15,336	$616	$14,720	26.8	31.2	264	17	190675000279
282	George Washington Middle School	Public	6-8	51 N Grandview Ave	Dubuque	52001	Dubuque County	Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 552-4800	584	50	11.7	53.4%	388 (66.4%)	84 (14.4%)	42 (7.2%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.4%)	47 (8.0%)	$14,915	$508	$14,407	26.5	25.2	283	1	190948000620
283	Seymour High School	Public	5-12	100 South Park	Seymour	52590	Wayne County	Seymour Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 898-2291	121	10	12.2	57.0%	109 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.6%)	$13,915	$209	$13,706	26.4	11.9	314	31	192562001465
284	Iowa Valley Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	359 E Hilton St	Marengo	52301	Iowa County	Iowa Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 642-3332	229	19	11.8	30.6%	208 (90.8%)	3 (1.3%)	14 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	$14,626	$333	$14,293	26.3	54.3	176	108	191485000910
285	River Valley Junior- Senior High School	Public	6-12	916 Hackberry St	Correctionville	51016	Woodbury County	River Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 372-4656	137	15	9.2	40.1%	123 (89.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.9%)	$14,395	$258	$14,136	26.1	22.6	288	3	191034000658
286	Essex Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	111 Forbes St	Essex	51638	Page County	Essex Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 379-3115	87	9	9.5	31.0%	77 (88.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.4%)	$19,949	$371	$19,579	25.2	53.3	182	104	191104000683
287	Independence Junior Senior High School	Public	7-12	700 20th Ave SW	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 334-7405	712	45	15.8	29.4%	644 (90.4%)	8 (1.1%)	31 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.9%)	$15,700	$579	$15,121	25.1	36.4	249	38	191458000866
288	North Cedar Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	400 Ball Street	Clarence	52216	Cedar County	North Cedar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 452-3179	243	23	10.5	44.4%	225 (92.6%)	6 (2.5%)	5 (2.1%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)	$14,536	$158	$14,377	25.1	37.8	246	42	191710001001
289	Graettinger-Terril Middle School	Public	6-8	205 S Lincoln Ave	Graettinger	51342	Palo Alto County	Graettinger-Terril Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 859-3286	48	6	8.1	45.8%	47 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	$13,248	$220	$13,029	24.9	34.1	257	32	191281002118
290	Calamus-Wheatland Secondary Attendance Center	Public	7-12	110 E Park Rd	Wheatland	52777	Clinton County	Calamus-Wheatland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 374-1292	182	18	10	28.6%	172 (94.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	$13,932	$184	$13,748	24.5	42	227	63	190600002042

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About our rankings:

Schooldigger calculates school rankings based on ISASP English Language Arts, ISASP Mathematics, ISASP Science test scores released by the Iowa Department of Education.
These rankings were last updated on August 20, 2025, and are based on the most recent test scores available. We update rankings as we receive new test scores from the Iowa Department of Education, usually on a yearly basis.
Our sources of data include the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Education.
For more information about our ranking process, please see our Ranking FAQ. Details about our methodology are here.

Educational resources:

Per-Pupil Spending: Understanding the Breakdown of Federal, State, and Local Funds

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): Transforming Education in America

School														Students/Teachers											Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)							Ranking (2025 vs 2024)					ID
Rank (of 344)	School	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Disc Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel from Federal Funds	Total from Federal Funds	Personnel from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Total from State and Local Funds	Average Standard Score (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Rank (2024)	Rank Change from 2024	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	ID
281	Howar Middle School	Public	6-8	850 S Park Street	Centerville	52544	Appanoose County	Centerville Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 856-0760	298	17	17.2	56.0%	264 (88.6%)	3 (1.0%)	21 (7.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	$15,336			$616			$14,720	26.8	31.2	264	17		190675000279
282	George Washington Middle School	Public	6-8	51 N Grandview Ave	Dubuque	52001	Dubuque County	Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 552-4800	584	50	11.7	53.4%	388 (66.4%)	84 (14.4%)	42 (7.2%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.4%)	47 (8.0%)	$14,915			$508			$14,407	26.5	25.2	283	1		190948000620
283	Seymour High School	Public	5-12	100 South Park	Seymour	52590	Wayne County	Seymour Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 898-2291	121	10	12.2	57.0%	109 (90.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (6.6%)	$13,915			$209			$13,706	26.4	11.9	314	31		192562001465
284	Iowa Valley Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	359 E Hilton St	Marengo	52301	Iowa County	Iowa Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 642-3332	229	19	11.8	30.6%	208 (90.8%)	3 (1.3%)	14 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.7%)	$14,626			$333			$14,293	26.3	54.3	176	108		191485000910
285	River Valley Junior- Senior High School	Public	6-12	916 Hackberry St	Correctionville	51016	Woodbury County	River Valley Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 372-4656	137	15	9.2	40.1%	123 (89.8%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.9%)	$14,395			$258			$14,136	26.1	22.6	288	3		191034000658
286	Essex Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	111 Forbes St	Essex	51638	Page County	Essex Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 379-3115	87	9	9.5	31.0%	77 (88.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.4%)	$19,949			$371			$19,579	25.2	53.3	182	104		191104000683
287	Independence Junior Senior High School	Public	7-12	700 20th Ave SW	Independence	50644	Buchanan County	Independence Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 334-7405	712	45	15.8	29.4%	644 (90.4%)	8 (1.1%)	31 (4.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.9%)	$15,700			$579			$15,121	25.1	36.4	249	38		191458000866
288	North Cedar Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	400 Ball Street	Clarence	52216	Cedar County	North Cedar Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 452-3179	243	23	10.5	44.4%	225 (92.6%)	6 (2.5%)	5 (2.1%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)	$14,536			$158			$14,377	25.1	37.8	246	42		191710001001
289	Graettinger-Terril Middle School	Public	6-8	205 S Lincoln Ave	Graettinger	51342	Palo Alto County	Graettinger-Terril Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 859-3286	48	6	8.1	45.8%	47 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	$13,248			$220			$13,029	24.9	34.1	257	32		191281002118
290	Calamus-Wheatland Secondary Attendance Center	Public	7-12	110 E Park Rd	Wheatland	52777	Clinton County	Calamus-Wheatland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 374-1292	182	18	10	28.6%	172 (94.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	$13,932			$184			$13,748	24.5	42	227	63		190600002042