Can I use Dallas County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Dallas County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Dallas County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Dallas County?

Start with the 38 listed public schools and 7 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Dallas County Schools & Education

Name: Dallas County, Iowa Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Dallas County, Iowa

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

School Score

68/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

97.3%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

97.3%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,920

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

68/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#34

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dallas County

Measured School Summary

Dallas County performs at an average level with a school score of 68/100 and a solid graduation rate of 97.3%.

Funding Context

At $6,920 per pupil, Dallas County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 11% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 5.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dallas 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

38 public schools and 7 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

68/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #34 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

97.3%

5.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,920

$671 below the state average

School coverage

7 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

Dallas County has 38 public schools across 7 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Dallas 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

Dallas 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

#34

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 7 points above 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.

Waukee Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

13,082 students

Elementary 10Middle 2High 2Other 3

17 listed schools in this county slice.

Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

2,282 students

Elementary 1Middle 2High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Adel DeSoto Minburn Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

2,254 students

Elementary 2Middle 2High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Perry Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,746 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Waukee Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 17 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 Dallas County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Dallas 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 Dallas 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.

A Rapidly Growing Education Network

Dallas County manages a robust infrastructure of 38 public schools, including 18 elementary and 10 middle schools. Over 21,911 students enroll across seven distinct districts to form one of the state's largest educational communities.

Waukee Leads the Way

Waukee Community School District serves as the local powerhouse with 13,082 students across 17 schools. No charter schools currently operate in the county, leaving traditional public districts as the primary educational providers.

A Diverse Mix of Suburban and Rural

Education here spans 23 rural and eight suburban locales, with Northwest High School serving as the largest campus with 1,427 students. The average school size of 577 students reflects a blend of large-scale high schools and smaller neighborhood elementary buildings.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Dallas County

Reported Enrollment

21,911

38 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary18

Middle10

High7

Other3

7 School Districts in Dallas County

Waukee Comm School District

Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District

Adel DeSoto Minburn Comm School District

5 schools

2,254 students

Perry Comm School District

3 schools

1,746 students

Woodward-Granger Comm School District

5 schools

1,210 students

Van Meter Comm School District

3 schools

1,090 students

West Central Valley Comm School District

4 schools

852 students

38 Public Schools in Dallas County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 5 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 38 matching schools

Public schools in Dallas County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Northwest High School	Profile	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Rural: Fringe	10–12	High	1,427
Waukee High School	Profile	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Suburb: Large	10–12	High	1,268
Waukee Middle School	Profile	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Suburb: Large	6–7	Middle	1,069
Prairieview School	Profile	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Suburb: Large	8–9	Other	1,039
Dallas Center-Grimes High School	Profile	Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District	Grimes, 50111Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	978
South Middle School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Rural: Fringe	6–7	Middle	909
Timberline School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Rural: Fringe	8–9	Other	889
Perry Elementary	Record	Perry Comm School District	Perry, 50220Town: Distant	PK–5	Primary	815
Radiant Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Urbandale, 50323Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	682
Waukee Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	682
Shuler Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Clive, 50325Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	658
ADM Senior High School	Record	Adel DeSoto Minburn Comm School District	Adel, 50003Town: Fringe	9–12	High	651
Eason Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	641
Walnut Hills Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Urbandale, 50323Suburb: Large	KG–5	Primary	625
Sugar Creek Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	623
Grant Ragan Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	Waukee, 50263Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	620
Brookview Elementary School	Record	Waukee Comm School District	West Des Moines, 50266City: Small	KG–5	Primary	603
DC-G Oak View	Record	Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District	Grimes, 50111Rural: Fringe	7–8	Middle	578
Van Meter Elementary School	Record	Van Meter Comm School District	Van Meter, 50261Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	571
Perry High School	Record	Perry Comm School District	Perry, 50220Town: Distant	9–12	High	564

Northwest High School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Rural: Fringe

Profile10–12High1,427 students

Waukee High School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Suburb: Large

Profile10–12High1,268 students

Waukee Middle School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–7Middle1,069 students

Prairieview School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Suburb: Large

Profile8–9Other1,039 students

Dallas Center-Grimes High School

Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District

Grimes, 50111 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High978 students

South Middle School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–7Middle909 students

Timberline School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Rural: Fringe

Record8–9Other889 students

Perry Elementary

Perry Comm School District

Perry, 50220 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary815 students

Radiant Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

Urbandale, 50323 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary682 students

Waukee Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary682 students

Shuler Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

Clive, 50325 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary658 students

ADM Senior High School

Adel DeSoto Minburn Comm School District

Adel, 50003 / Town: Fringe

Record9–12High651 students

Eason Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary641 students

Walnut Hills Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

Urbandale, 50323 / Suburb: Large

RecordKG–5Primary625 students

Sugar Creek Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary623 students

Grant Ragan Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

Waukee, 50263 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary620 students

Brookview Elementary School

Waukee Comm School District

West Des Moines, 50266 / City: Small

RecordKG–5Primary603 students

DC-G Oak View

Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District

Grimes, 50111 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–8Middle578 students

Van Meter Elementary School

Van Meter Comm School District

Van Meter, 50261 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary571 students

Perry High School

Perry Comm School District

Perry, 50220 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High564 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,920

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dallas 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 Dallas County?

Dallas County has a school score of 68/100, 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 Dallas County?

The high school graduation rate in Dallas County is 97.3%, 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 Dallas County spend per student?

Dallas County spends $6,920 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 Dallas County, Iowa — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Dallas County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Monroe County

Iowa

+0 pts

68/100

School score

Hamilton County

Iowa

-0 pts

67/100

School score

Buchanan County

Iowa

+0 pts

68/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed 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.

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