Summary:
The city of Iola, Texas, is served by two public schools within the highly-rated Iola Independent School District (Isd), which ranks in the 85th percentile statewide and offers a small-town educational environment with a total enrollment of just over 600 students across grades PK-12.
Iola High School is the district's standout, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 86th percentile among Texas high schools. It boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate, with exceptional proficiency in English and Biology—often 20-30 points above state averages. However, Algebra I is a relative weakness, with only 47.73% proficiency versus the state's 54.03%. In contrast, Iola Elementary holds a 3-star rating and ranks in the 70th percentile, showing strong 5th-grade Science (50% vs. 29.57% state) and Reading (70.91% vs. 57.83% state) but struggling with 4th-grade Mathematics (32% vs. 45.79% state). The elementary school's ranking has also declined from the 76th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 64th percentile in 2025-2026, signaling a need for attention.
Both schools benefit from very low student-teacher ratios (9.3:1 at the high school and 10.6:1 at the elementary school), which supports individualized instruction. A notable disparity exists in per-student spending: $12,517 at the high school versus $8,820 at the elementary school, which may contribute to the performance gap. With 38-42% of students economically disadvantaged, the district's small class sizes and high school excellence make it a compelling choice, though families should note the elementary math challenges and declining trend.
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