schoolsbycounty

Linn County Schools & Education

School Score

63/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

92.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

92.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,511

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

63/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#52

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Linn County

Measured School Summary

Linn County performs at an average level with a school score of 63/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.8%.

Funding Context

At $7,511 per pupil, Linn County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 3% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 1% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Linn 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

79 public schools and 11 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 #52 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

92.8%

0.5 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,511

$80 below the state average

School coverage

79

11 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

Linn County has 79 public schools across 11 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 Linn 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.

Large multi-district county

Linn County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#52

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.

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

15,289 students

Elementary 21Middle 7High 4Other 1

33 listed schools in this county slice.

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

7,611 students

Elementary 7Middle 4High 1Other 0

12 listed schools in this county slice.

College Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

5,709 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 1Other 2

10 listed schools in this county slice.

Marion Independent School District

Elementary to high school visible

2,229 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 1

6 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Cedar Rapids Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 33 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 Linn County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Linn 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 Linn 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 Large Scale Educational Network

Linn County manages a massive infrastructure of 79 public schools across 11 districts, serving 36,317 students. The system includes 43 elementary, 18 middle, and 14 high schools, representing one of the largest networks in the state. This expansive framework provides a wide variety of academic paths for families in the region.

Cedar Rapids and Linn-Mar Lead the Way

Cedar Rapids Community School District serves as the county's anchor with 15,289 students across 33 schools. Linn-Mar and College Community districts also represent significant hubs, enrolling 7,611 and 5,709 students respectively. Notably, there are no charter schools in the county, with all students served by traditional public districts.

Diverse Learning Environments from City to Rural

The county offers a diverse locale mix with 42 schools in city settings and 15 in rural areas. Linn-Mar High School is the largest campus with 2,271 students, while the average school size across the county stands at 466. This variety allows parents to choose between large-scale urban high schools and smaller, more intimate rural settings.

School Overview

Total Schools

79

in Linn County

Reported Enrollment

36,317

79 schools reporting

School Districts

11

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary43
Middle18
High14
Other4

11 School Districts in Linn County

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Guide
33 schools
15,289 students
Open district guide

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Guide
12 schools
7,611 students
Open district guide

College Comm School District

Guide
10 schools
5,709 students
Open district guide

Marion Independent School District

6 schools
2,229 students

Center Point-Urbana Comm School District

4 schools
1,466 students

Mount Vernon Comm School District

3 schools
1,402 students

Alburnett Comm School District

3 schools
810 students

Lisbon Comm School District

2 schools
719 students

North Linn Comm School District

3 schools
535 students

Springville Comm School District

2 schools
438 students

79 Public Schools in Linn County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 6 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Level

Showing 20 of 79 matching schools

Linn-Mar High School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Profile9–12High2,271 students

John F Kennedy High School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52402 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,714 students

Thomas Jefferson High School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,543 students

Prairie Point

College Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / Rural: Fringe

Profile7–9Middle1,324 students

Prairie High School

College Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / City: Midsize

Profile10–12High1,298 students

George Washington High School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52403 / City: Midsize

Profile9–12High1,291 students

Prairie Creek

College Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52404 / City: Midsize

Record5–6Middle834 students

Marion High School

Marion Independent School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record9–12High722 students

Harding Middle School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52402 / City: Midsize

Record6–8Middle713 students

Vernon Middle School

Marion Independent School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record5–8Middle668 students

Excelsior Middle School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record7–8Middle617 students

Viola Gibson Elementary School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52411 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary591 students

Boulder Peak Intermediate School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–6Middle586 students

Taft Middle School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52405 / City: Midsize

Record6–8Middle578 students

Echo Hill Elementary

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

RecordPK–4Primary544 students

Hazel Point Intermediate School

Linn-Mar Comm School District

Marion, 52302 / Suburb: Midsize

Record5–6Middle540 students

Franklin Middle School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52402 / City: Midsize

Record6–8Middle537 students

Washington Elementary School

Mount Vernon Comm School District

Mount Vernon, 52314 / Town: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary537 students

West Willow Elementary School

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52405 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary534 students

Maple Grove Elementary

Cedar Rapids Comm School District

Cedar Rapids, 52405 / City: Midsize

RecordPK–5Primary529 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,511

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Linn 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 Linn County?
Linn 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 Linn County?
The high school graduation rate in Linn County is 92.8%, 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 Linn County spend per student?
Linn County spends $7,511 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 Linn County, Iowa — FAQ

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

Linn County manages a massive infrastructure of 79 public schools across 11 districts, serving 36,317 students. The system includes 43 elementary, 18 middle, and 14 high schools, representing one of the largest networks in the state. This expansive framework provides a wide variety of academic paths for families in the region.

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

Cedar Rapids Community School District serves as the county's anchor with 15,289 students across 33 schools. Linn-Mar and College Community districts also represent significant hubs, enrolling 7,611 and 5,709 students respectively. Notably, there are no charter schools in the county, with all students served by traditional public districts.

What is the school experience like in Linn County?

The county offers a diverse locale mix with 42 schools in city settings and 15 in rural areas. Linn-Mar High School is the largest campus with 2,271 students, while the average school size across the county stands at 466. This variety allows parents to choose between large-scale urban high schools and smaller, more intimate rural settings.

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.