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, September 18, 2024.

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School	Students/Teachers	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)	Ranking (2024 vs 2023)
192664001549	51	South Hamilton Middle And High School	Public	7-12	315 Division St	Jewell	50130	Hamilton County	South Hamilton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 827-5418	328	24	13.4	26.2%	279 (85.1%)	3 (0.9%)	36 (11.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	$14,740	$192	$14,548	76.7	85.1	15	36
193102001808	52	West Lyon Junior High School	Public	7-8	1787 182nd Street	Inwood	51240	Lyon County	West Lyon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 753-4917	133	4	33.2	28.6%	118 (88.7%)	3 (2.3%)	11 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	$8,361	$50	$8,311	76.7	68.5	95	43
190543000928	53	West Hancock Middle School	Public	5-8	423 E. 5th St.	Kanawha	50447	Hancock County	West Hancock Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 762-3261	165	13	12.4	41.8%	129 (78.2%)	1 (0.6%)	30 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.0%)	$13,769	$334	$13,435	76.4	84.8	16	37
190651000229	54	Peet Junior High School	Public	7-9	525 E Seerley Blvd	Cedar Falls	50613	Black Hawk County	Cedar Falls Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 553-2710	670	49	13.6	26.6%	552 (82.4%)	36 (5.4%)	14 (2.1%)	25 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.9%)	36 (5.4%)	$12,622	$245	$12,377	76.3	79.4	41	13
190375000082	55	Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School	Public	6-8	215 10th St	Aplington	50604	Butler County	Aplington-Parkersburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 347-6621	179	15	11.7	25.7%	172 (96.1%)	2 (1.1%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	$12,819	$142	$12,677	76.3	75.3	58	3
191366002065	56	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Middle School	Public	5-8	509 Main St.	Sanborn	51248	O'Brien County	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 930-3281	174	13	13.3	50.6%	143 (82.2%)	1 (0.6%)	22 (12.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	6 (3.4%)	$30,374	$160	$30,215	76.1	62.1	130	74
190696000308	57	Central Lyon Secondary School	Public	7-12	1010 S Greene Street	Rock Rapids	51246	Lyon County	Central Lyon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 472-2664	363	25	14.3	24.0%	336 (92.6%)	4 (1.1%)	18 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	$22,953	$660	$22,293	76	70.2	88	31
191350000822	58	Harlan Community Middle School	Public	6-8	2108 Durant Street	Harlan	51537	Shelby County	Harlan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 755-3196	342	22	15.5	36.0%	301 (88.0%)	3 (0.9%)	27 (7.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.6%)	$12,934	$172	$12,761	75.8	77.4	50	8
193090001787	59	West Delaware Middle School	Public	5-8	1101 Doctor St	Manchester	52057	Delaware County	West Delaware County Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 927-3515	377	31	12.2	36.9%	345 (91.5%)	9 (2.4%)	17 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)	$12,591	$293	$12,298	75.8	71.6	77	18
191035000661	60	East Union Middle-High School	Public	6-12	1916 High School Dr	Afton	50830	Union County	East Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 347-8421	259	20	13.1	54.8%	241 (93.1%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	$14,506	$132	$14,373	75.8	57.3	162	102

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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 September 18, 2024, 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:

Charter Schools vs Regular Public Schools: Understanding the Key Differences

Public School Districts and Their Services: A Comprehensive Guide

School															Students/Teachers											Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)							Ranking (2024 vs 2023)
ID	Rank (of 337)	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 (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Rank (2023)	Rank Change from 2023	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)
192664001549	51	South Hamilton Middle And High School	Public	7-12	315 Division St	Jewell	50130	Hamilton County	South Hamilton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 827-5418	328	24	13.4	26.2%	279 (85.1%)	3 (0.9%)	36 (11.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	$14,740			$192			$14,548	76.7	85.1	15	36
193102001808	52	West Lyon Junior High School	Public	7-8	1787 182nd Street	Inwood	51240	Lyon County	West Lyon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 753-4917	133	4	33.2	28.6%	118 (88.7%)	3 (2.3%)	11 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	$8,361			$50			$8,311	76.7	68.5	95	43
190543000928	53	West Hancock Middle School	Public	5-8	423 E. 5th St.	Kanawha	50447	Hancock County	West Hancock Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 762-3261	165	13	12.4	41.8%	129 (78.2%)	1 (0.6%)	30 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.0%)	$13,769			$334			$13,435	76.4	84.8	16	37
190651000229	54	Peet Junior High School	Public	7-9	525 E Seerley Blvd	Cedar Falls	50613	Black Hawk County	Cedar Falls Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 553-2710	670	49	13.6	26.6%	552 (82.4%)	36 (5.4%)	14 (2.1%)	25 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.9%)	36 (5.4%)	$12,622			$245			$12,377	76.3	79.4	41	13
190375000082	55	Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School	Public	6-8	215 10th St	Aplington	50604	Butler County	Aplington-Parkersburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 347-6621	179	15	11.7	25.7%	172 (96.1%)	2 (1.1%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.7%)	$12,819			$142			$12,677	76.3	75.3	58	3
191366002065	56	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Middle School	Public	5-8	509 Main St.	Sanborn	51248	O'Brien County	Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 930-3281	174	13	13.3	50.6%	143 (82.2%)	1 (0.6%)	22 (12.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	6 (3.4%)	$30,374			$160			$30,215	76.1	62.1	130	74
190696000308	57	Central Lyon Secondary School	Public	7-12	1010 S Greene Street	Rock Rapids	51246	Lyon County	Central Lyon Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 472-2664	363	25	14.3	24.0%	336 (92.6%)	4 (1.1%)	18 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	$22,953			$660			$22,293	76	70.2	88	31
191350000822	58	Harlan Community Middle School	Public	6-8	2108 Durant Street	Harlan	51537	Shelby County	Harlan Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(712) 755-3196	342	22	15.5	36.0%	301 (88.0%)	3 (0.9%)	27 (7.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.6%)	$12,934			$172			$12,761	75.8	77.4	50	8
193090001787	59	West Delaware Middle School	Public	5-8	1101 Doctor St	Manchester	52057	Delaware County	West Delaware County Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 927-3515	377	31	12.2	36.9%	345 (91.5%)	9 (2.4%)	17 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)	$12,591			$293			$12,298	75.8	71.6	77	18
191035000661	60	East Union Middle-High School	Public	6-12	1916 High School Dr	Afton	50830	Union County	East Union Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 347-8421	259	20	13.1	54.8%	241 (93.1%)	1 (0.4%)	11 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)	$14,506			$132			$14,373	75.8	57.3	162	102