schoolsbycounty

Butler County Schools & Education

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

89.5%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

89.5%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,711

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

52/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#81

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Butler County

Measured School Summary

Butler County performs at an average level with a school score of 52/100 and a solid graduation rate of 89.5%.

Funding Context

At $7,711 per pupil, Butler County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 15% below the Iowa average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Butler County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

11 public schools and 3 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

52/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #81 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

89.5%

2.8 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,711

$120 above the state average

School coverage

11

3 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Butler County has 11 public schools across 3 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Butler County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Mixed school landscape

Butler County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#81

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 9 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

853 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

North Butler Comm School District

Elementary and high visible

567 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Clarksville Comm School District

Elementary and high visible

311 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 4 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Butler County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Butler County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Butler County, Iowa

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Intimate Schools for a Close-Knit County

Butler County provides 11 public schools across three districts, serving a total student body of 2,269. The infrastructure includes six elementary schools and three high schools focused on serving the local rural population.

Solid Performance and Local Investment

Butler County invests $7,711 per student, which is higher than the Iowa state average of $7,591. This investment yields a graduation rate of 89.5%, comfortably exceeding the national average of 87%.

Aplington-Parkersburg Leads Enrollment

The Aplington-Parkersburg Community School District is the largest in the county, managing four schools and 853 students. There are no charter schools in Butler County, as the community relies on its three well-established public districts.

The Heart of Rural Education

Every single school in Butler County is classified as rural, creating a consistent and cohesive educational environment. With an average school size of 206 students, schools like North Butler Elementary offer an intimate learning experience.

School Overview

Total Schools

11

in Butler County

Reported Enrollment

2,269

11 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary6
Middle2
High3
Other0

3 School Districts in Butler County

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

4 schools
853 students

North Butler Comm School District

2 schools
567 students

Clarksville Comm School District

2 schools
311 students

11 Public Schools in Butler County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 11 of 11 matching schools

North Butler Elementary

North Butler Comm School District

Allison, 50602 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary296 students

North Butler Jr/Sr High School

North Butler Comm School District

Greene, 50636 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High271 students

Aplington-Parkersburg High School

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

Parkersburg, 50665 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High264 students

Parkersburg Elementary School

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

Parkersburg, 50665 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–2Primary216 students

Dike-New Hartford Junior High School

Dike-New Hartford Comm School District

New Hartford, 50660 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle215 students

Aplington Elementary School

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

Aplington, 50604 / Rural: Distant

Record3–5Primary194 students

Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

Aplington, 50604 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle179 students

Shell Rock Elementary School

Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District

Shell Rock, 50670 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary172 students

Clarksville Elementary School

Clarksville Comm School District

Clarksville, 50619 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary170 students

New Hartford Elementary School

Dike-New Hartford Comm School District

New Hartford, 50660 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary151 students

Clarksville High School

Clarksville Comm School District

Clarksville, 50619 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High141 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,711

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Butler County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Iowa counties have the highest graduation rates?
Dallas County (97.3%), Clay County (97.0%), and Davis County (97.0%) currently lead Iowa among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Iowa?
Across Iowa counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,591. The highest current county values are Kossuth County ($8,712), Cerro Gordo County ($8,682), and Franklin County ($8,627). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Butler County?
Butler County has a school score of 52/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Butler County?
The high school graduation rate in Butler County is 89.5%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Butler County spend per student?
Butler County spends $7,711 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Butler County, Iowa — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Butler County, Iowa?

Butler County provides 11 public schools across three districts, serving a total student body of 2,269. The infrastructure includes six elementary schools and three high schools focused on serving the local rural population.

How do schools in Butler County perform academically?

Butler County invests $7,711 per student, which is higher than the Iowa state average of $7,591. This investment yields a graduation rate of 89.5%, comfortably exceeding the national average of 87%.

What are the major school districts in Butler County, Iowa?

The Aplington-Parkersburg Community School District is the largest in the county, managing four schools and 853 students. There are no charter schools in Butler County, as the community relies on its three well-established public districts.

What is the school experience like in Butler County?

Every single school in Butler County is classified as rural, creating a consistent and cohesive educational environment. With an average school size of 206 students, schools like North Butler Elementary offer an intimate learning experience.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.