schoolsbycounty

Fayette County Schools & Education

School Score

63/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

90.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,386

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

63/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#50

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Fayette County

Measured School Summary

Fayette County performs at an average level with a school score of 63/100 and a solid graduation rate of 90.8%.

Funding Context

Fayette County spends $8,386 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 4% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 10% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Fayette 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

15 public schools and 4 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

63/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #50 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

90.8%

1.5 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,386

$795 above the state average

School coverage

15

4 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

Fayette County has 15 public schools across 4 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 Fayette 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

Fayette 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

#50

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 2 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.

Oelwein Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,345 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 1

5 listed schools in this county slice.

North Fayette Valley Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,080 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Starmont Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

584 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

West Central Comm School District

Elementary and high visible

321 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

North Fayette Valley Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 5 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 Fayette County?

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

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

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

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

Education Overview

About Schools in Fayette 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 Network of Rural and Town Schools

Fayette County supports 3,330 students across 15 public schools, including seven elementary and four high schools. Four distinct districts manage this infrastructure, providing a mix of educational environments from Oelwein to North Fayette Valley.

Oelwein and North Fayette Valley Lead the Way

The Oelwein Community School District is the largest provider, serving 1,345 students across five campuses. Notably, the county hosts one charter school, which represents approximately 6.7% of the local educational landscape.

Small Classrooms in a Rural Setting

With ten rural schools and five town-based sites, the average school size is a cozy 222 students. Oelwein Middle School is the largest campus with 359 students, while North Fayette Valley High School serves 333 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

15

in Fayette County

Reported Enrollment

3,330

15 schools reporting

School Districts

4

districts

Charter Schools

1

7% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary7
Middle3
High4
Other1

4 School Districts in Fayette County

Oelwein Comm School District

5 schools
1,345 students

North Fayette Valley Comm School District

5 schools
1,080 students

Starmont Comm School District

3 schools
584 students

West Central Comm School District

2 schools
321 students

15 Public Schools in Fayette 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 15 of 15 matching schools

Oelwein Middle School

Oelwein Comm School District

Oelwein, 50662 / Town: Distant

Record5–8Middle359 students

Wings Park Elementary School

Oelwein Comm School District

Oelwein, 50662 / Town: Distant

Record1–4Primary345 students

North Fayette Valley High School

North Fayette Valley Comm School District

West Union, 52175 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High333 students

Oelwein High School

Oelwein Comm School District

Oelwein, 50662 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High314 students

Starmont Elementary School

Starmont Comm School District

Arlington, 50606 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary264 students

West Central PK - 8 School

West Central Comm School District

Maynard, 50655 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary239 students

North Fayette Valley Middle School

North Fayette Valley Comm School District

Elgin, 52141 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle237 students

West Union Elementary School

North Fayette Valley Comm School District

West Union, 52175 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–3Primary223 students

Starmont High School

Starmont Comm School District

Arlington, 50606 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High191 students

Little Husky Learning Center

Oelwein Comm School District

Oelwein, 50622 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–KGPrimary185 students

Valley Elementary School

North Fayette Valley Comm School District

Elgin, 52141 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary182 students

Oelwein Online School

Oelwein Comm School District

Oelwein, 50662 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–12Virtual142 students

Starmont Middle School

Starmont Comm School District

Arlington, 50606 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle129 students

Fayette Elementary

North Fayette Valley Comm School District

Fayette, 52142 / Rural: Remote

Record4–5Primary105 students

West Central Charter High School

West Central Comm School District

Maynard, 50655 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12Charter82 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,386

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Fayette 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 Fayette County?
Fayette County has a school score of 63/100, 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 Fayette County?
The high school graduation rate in Fayette County is 90.8%, 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 Fayette County spend per student?
Fayette County spends $8,386 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 Fayette County, Iowa — FAQ

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

Fayette County supports 3,330 students across 15 public schools, including seven elementary and four high schools. Four distinct districts manage this infrastructure, providing a mix of educational environments from Oelwein to North Fayette Valley.

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

The Oelwein Community School District is the largest provider, serving 1,345 students across five campuses. Notably, the county hosts one charter school, which represents approximately 6.7% of the local educational landscape.

What is the school experience like in Fayette County?

With ten rural schools and five town-based sites, the average school size is a cozy 222 students. Oelwein Middle School is the largest campus with 359 students, while North Fayette Valley High School serves 333 students.

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.