schoolsbycounty

Lee County Schools & Education

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

91.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

91.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,384

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#73

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Lee County

Measured School Summary

Lee County performs at an average level with a school score of 54/100 and a solid graduation rate of 91.1%.

Funding Context

At $7,384 per pupil, Lee County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 11% below the Iowa average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 3% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Lee 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

12 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

54/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #73 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

91.1%

1.2 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,384

$207 below the state average

School coverage

12

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

Lee County has 12 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 Lee 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

Lee 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

#73

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

Fort Madison Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,797 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Keokuk Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,781 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 1

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Central Lee Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,250 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Keokuk 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 Lee County?

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

Diverse Educational Paths in Lee County

Lee County provides for 4,828 students through 12 public schools across three main districts. The facilities include five elementary, three middle, and three high schools, along with one alternative learning center.

Competitive Results Near the River

The county maintains a 91.1% graduation rate, which is higher than the national average of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure sits at $7,384, just below the state average of $7,591.

Strong Districts in Fort Madison and Keokuk

The Fort Madison Community School District is the largest with 1,797 students, closely followed by Keokuk with 1,781 students. The Central Lee district also plays a vital role, serving 1,250 students across three schools.

Balanced Town and Country Schools

With eight schools in town and four in rural settings, the average school size is 402 students. Fort Madison Middle School is the county's largest individual campus, serving 695 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

12

in Lee County

Reported Enrollment

4,828

12 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle3
High3
Other1

3 School Districts in Lee County

Fort Madison Comm School District

4 schools
1,797 students

Keokuk Comm School District

5 schools
1,781 students

Central Lee Comm School District

3 schools
1,250 students

12 Public Schools in Lee 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 12 of 12 matching schools

Fort Madison Middle School

Fort Madison Comm School District

Fort Madison, 52627 / Rural: Fringe

Record4–8Middle695 students

Central Lee Elementary School

Central Lee Comm School District

Donnellson, 52625 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary657 students

Keokuk High School

Keokuk Comm School District

Keokuk, 52632 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High598 students

Fort Madison High School

Fort Madison Comm School District

Fort Madison, 52627 / Town: Remote

Record9–12High555 students

Hawthorne Elementary School

Keokuk Comm School District

Keokuk, 52632 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–3Primary464 students

Keokuk Middle School

Keokuk Comm School District

Keokuk, 52632 / Town: Remote

Record6–8Middle377 students

Central Lee High School

Central Lee Comm School District

Donnellson, 52625 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High326 students

Richardson Elementary School

Fort Madison Comm School District

Fort Madison, 52627 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–3Primary311 students

Central Lee Middle School

Central Lee Comm School District

Donnellson, 52625 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle267 students

George Washington Elementary School

Keokuk Comm School District

Keokuk, 52632 / Town: Remote

Record4–5Primary251 students

Lincoln Elementary School

Fort Madison Comm School District

Fort Madison, 52627 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–3Primary236 students

Torrence Elementary

Keokuk Comm School District

Keokuk, 52632 / Town: Remote

RecordPKOther91 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,384

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Lee 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 Lee County?
Lee County has a school score of 54/100, 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 Lee County?
The high school graduation rate in Lee County is 91.1%, 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 Lee County spend per student?
Lee County spends $7,384 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 Lee County, Iowa — FAQ

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

Lee County provides for 4,828 students through 12 public schools across three main districts. The facilities include five elementary, three middle, and three high schools, along with one alternative learning center.

How do schools in Lee County perform academically?

The county maintains a 91.1% graduation rate, which is higher than the national average of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure sits at $7,384, just below the state average of $7,591.

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

The Fort Madison Community School District is the largest with 1,797 students, closely followed by Keokuk with 1,781 students. The Central Lee district also plays a vital role, serving 1,250 students across three schools.

What is the school experience like in Lee County?

With eight schools in town and four in rural settings, the average school size is 402 students. Fort Madison Middle School is the county's largest individual campus, serving 695 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.