Best Public Schools in Zip Code 51012

The 51012 zip code area is home to three schools - Cherokee Elementary School, Washington High School, and Cherokee Middle School - all part of the Cherokee Community School District. While the schools show a mix of performance, with Washington High School and Cherokee Middle School standing out as relatively stronger performers, the data reveals some common challenges across the area.

Washington High School ranks 119 out of 340 Iowa high schools and has a 4-year graduation rate of 88.3%, performing well on ISASP tests with 75-84% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics. In contrast, Cherokee Middle School ranks 179 out of 344 Iowa middle schools, but demonstrates strong academic performance, with 63-91% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics across grades 5-8. Cherokee Elementary School, however, has seen a steady decline in its statewide ranking, from 274th in 2022-2023 to 487th in 2024-2025.

Across the schools, high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 21.6% to 21.6%, and relatively high free/reduced lunch rates, from 35.28% at Washington High School to 45.25% at Cherokee Elementary School, suggest that socioeconomic factors may play a role in the academic outcomes of these institutions. While the schools generally perform below state averages in ISASP test scores, particularly in English Language Arts, Washington High School and Cherokee Middle School have some areas where they outperform the state averages, such as in 9th and 10th grade English Language Arts and 5th and 8th grade Mathematics.