Best Elementary Schools in Iowa

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Find the best Iowa elementary 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
251	North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center	Public	PK, KG-5	111 3rd Ave NW	Buffalo Center	50424	Winnebago County	North Iowa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 562-2525	227	14	16.6	39.2%	195 (85.9%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	$12,778	$1,027	$11,751	61.3	65.3	197	54	190575000176
252	Mid-Prairie West Elementary School	Public	3-4	800 6th Ave	Wellman	52356	Washington County	Mid-Prairie Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 646-2984	330	21	15.5	19.1%	289 (87.6%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (9.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	$11,611	$953	$10,658	61.3	46.6	351	99	191914001134
253	Paton-Churdan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	606 Adrian St.	Churdan	50050	Greene County	Paton-Churdan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 389-3111	86	8	10.6	55.8%	80 (93.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	$11,878	$511	$11,367	61.3	70.4	158	95	192238001338
254	Radiant Elementary School	Public	K-5	5050 170th ST	Urbandale	50323	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5161	273	23	11.7	30.4%	150 (54.9%)	45 (16.5%)	25 (9.2%)	27 (9.9%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	22 (8.1%)				61.1	78.5	78	176	193051002249
255	Eisenhower Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3170 Spring Valley Rd	Dubuque	52001	Dubuque County	Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 552-3500	568	38	15	39.6%	469 (82.6%)	31 (5.5%)	21 (3.7%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	11 (1.9%)	30 (5.3%)	$13,730	$1,137	$12,593	61.1	63.1	223	32	190948000605
256	Central City Elementary School	Public	K-5	400 Barber Street	Central City	52214	Linn County	Central City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 438-6181	170	18	9.2	33.5%	160 (94.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.9%)	$15,538	$711	$14,827	61	55.1	300	44	190678000284
257	Nashua-Plainfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	621 Panama St	Nashua	50658	Chickasaw County	Nashua-Plainfield Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 435-4114	281	20	14	23.1%	263 (93.6%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.6%)	$12,584	$382	$12,202	60.7	64.6	202	55	192019001196
258	Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	112 Thomas Jefferson Dr	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-2498	380	26	14.5	45.0%	325 (85.5%)	5 (1.3%)	27 (7.1%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.3%)	$15,022	$900	$14,122	60.7	56.3	284	26	192061002123
259	Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2425 Watrous Ave	Des Moines	50321	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8416	312	22	14.2	41.3%	204 (65.4%)	33 (10.6%)	38 (12.2%)	10 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	24 (7.7%)	$13,945	$622	$13,323	60.7	49	341	82	190897000548
260	Lewis & Clark Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1603 Grand Ave	Council Bluffs	51503	Pottawattamie County	Council Bluffs Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 328-6471	271	17	15.8	33.9%	227 (83.8%)	6 (2.2%)	27 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (3.7%)	$19,301	$591	$18,710	60.3	39.6	388	128	190822000424

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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:

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Understanding an IEP: The Ultimate Guide for Parents and Educators

Student-Teacher Ratios and their Impact on Class Sizes & School Selection

School														Students/Teachers											Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)							Ranking (2025 vs 2024)					ID
Rank (of 576)	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
251	North Iowa Elementary Buffalo Center	Public	PK, KG-5	111 3rd Ave NW	Buffalo Center	50424	Winnebago County	North Iowa Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 562-2525	227	14	16.6	39.2%	195 (85.9%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.3%)	$12,778			$1,027			$11,751	61.3	65.3	197	54		190575000176
252	Mid-Prairie West Elementary School	Public	3-4	800 6th Ave	Wellman	52356	Washington County	Mid-Prairie Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 646-2984	330	21	15.5	19.1%	289 (87.6%)	1 (0.3%)	31 (9.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	$11,611			$953			$10,658	61.3	46.6	351	99		191914001134
253	Paton-Churdan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	606 Adrian St.	Churdan	50050	Greene County	Paton-Churdan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(515) 389-3111	86	8	10.6	55.8%	80 (93.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	$11,878			$511			$11,367	61.3	70.4	158	95		192238001338
254	Radiant Elementary School	Public	K-5	5050 170th ST	Urbandale	50323	Dallas County	Waukee Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 987-5161	273	23	11.7	30.4%	150 (54.9%)	45 (16.5%)	25 (9.2%)	27 (9.9%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	22 (8.1%)								61.1	78.5	78	176		193051002249
255	Eisenhower Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3170 Spring Valley Rd	Dubuque	52001	Dubuque County	Dubuque Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 552-3500	568	38	15	39.6%	469 (82.6%)	31 (5.5%)	21 (3.7%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	11 (1.9%)	30 (5.3%)	$13,730			$1,137			$12,593	61.1	63.1	223	32		190948000605
256	Central City Elementary School	Public	K-5	400 Barber Street	Central City	52214	Linn County	Central City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 438-6181	170	18	9.2	33.5%	160 (94.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.9%)	$15,538			$711			$14,827	61	55.1	300	44		190678000284
257	Nashua-Plainfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	621 Panama St	Nashua	50658	Chickasaw County	Nashua-Plainfield Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 435-4114	281	20	14	23.1%	263 (93.6%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.6%)	$12,584			$382			$12,202	60.7	64.6	202	55		192019001196
258	Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	112 Thomas Jefferson Dr	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(641) 792-2498	380	26	14.5	45.0%	325 (85.5%)	5 (1.3%)	27 (7.1%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.3%)	$15,022			$900			$14,122	60.7	56.3	284	26		192061002123
259	Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2425 Watrous Ave	Des Moines	50321	Polk County	Des Moines Independent Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 242-8416	312	22	14.2	41.3%	204 (65.4%)	33 (10.6%)	38 (12.2%)	10 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	24 (7.7%)	$13,945			$622			$13,323	60.7	49	341	82		190897000548
260	Lewis & Clark Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1603 Grand Ave	Council Bluffs	51503	Pottawattamie County	Council Bluffs Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 328-6471	271	17	15.8	33.9%	227 (83.8%)	6 (2.2%)	27 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (3.7%)	$19,301			$591			$18,710	60.3	39.6	388	128		190822000424