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

No. Use the Marshall 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 Marshall 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 Marshall County?

Start with the 17 listed public schools and 3 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Marshall County Schools & Education

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

Marshall County, Iowa

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

School Score

51/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

91.7%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

91.7%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,022

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

51/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#82

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Marshall County

Measured School Summary

Marshall County performs at an average level with a school score of 51/100 and a solid graduation rate of 91.7%.

Funding Context

At $7,022 per pupil, Marshall County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 17% below the Iowa average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 0.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Marshall 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

17 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

51/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #82 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

91.7%

0.6 pts below the state average

Funding context

$7,022

$569 below the state average

School coverage

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

Marshall County has 17 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Marshall 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

Marshall 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

#82

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 10 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.

Marshalltown Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

5,078 students

Elementary 6Middle 2High 1Other 1

10 listed schools in this county slice.

West Marshall Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

970 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

East Marshall Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

713 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Marshalltown Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 10 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 Marshall County?

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

Robust Infrastructure in Marshall

Marshall County operates 17 public schools across 3 districts, providing education to 7,028 students. The system includes 9 elementary, 4 middle, and 3 high schools, along with one alternative learning center. This sizable network makes it one of the more significant educational hubs in central Iowa.

Marshalltown's Major Educational Impact

The Marshalltown Community School District is the county's largest by far, serving 5,078 students in 10 schools. West Marshall and East Marshall districts serve the remaining population with 970 and 713 students respectively. No charter schools exist in the county, keeping the focus on its three core public districts.

A Vibrant Mix of Town and Rural Locales

The county features 10 schools in town settings and 7 in rural areas, offering diverse environments for students. Marshalltown High School is a major regional campus with 1,582 students, while the overall average school size is 413. This scale allows for a wide range of extracurriculars and specialized academic programs.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Marshall County

Reported Enrollment

7,028

17 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary9

Middle4

High3

Other1

3 School Districts in Marshall County

Marshalltown Comm School District

West Marshall Comm School District

3 schools

970 students

East Marshall Comm School District

3 schools

713 students

17 Public Schools in Marshall County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; 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 17 of 17 matching schools

Public schools in Marshall County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Marshalltown High School	Profile	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	9–12	High	1,582
B R Miller Middle School	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	7–8	Middle	782
Lenihan Intermediate School	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	5–6	Middle	700
West Marshall Elementary School	Record	West Marshall Comm School District	State Center, 50247Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	448
Fisher Elementary School	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	376
Woodbury Elementary School	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	366
Franklin Elementary Sch	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	361
West Marshall High School	Record	West Marshall Comm School District	State Center, 50247Rural: Distant	9–12	High	327
J C Hoglan Elementary School	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	304
East Marshall Elementary School	Record	East Marshall Comm School District	Laurel, 50141Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	301
Anson Elementary School	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	275
GMG Elementary School	Record	GMG Comm School District	Green Mountain, 50632Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	267
Rogers Elementary School	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	PK–4	Primary	251
East Marshall Senior High School	Record	East Marshall Comm School District	Le Grand, 50142Rural: Distant	9–12	High	247
West Marshall Middle School	Record	West Marshall Comm School District	State Center, 50247Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	195
East Marshall Middle School	Record	East Marshall Comm School District	Gilman, 50106Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	165
Marshalltown Virtual Academy	Record	Marshalltown Comm School District	Marshalltown, 50158Town: Distant	PK–12	Virtual	81

Marshalltown High School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High1,582 students

B R Miller Middle School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

Record7–8Middle782 students

Lenihan Intermediate School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

Record5–6Middle700 students

West Marshall Elementary School

West Marshall Comm School District

State Center, 50247 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary448 students

Fisher Elementary School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary376 students

Woodbury Elementary School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary366 students

Franklin Elementary Sch

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary361 students

West Marshall High School

West Marshall Comm School District

State Center, 50247 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High327 students

J C Hoglan Elementary School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary304 students

East Marshall Elementary School

East Marshall Comm School District

Laurel, 50141 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary301 students

Anson Elementary School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary275 students

GMG Elementary School

GMG Comm School District

Green Mountain, 50632 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary267 students

Rogers Elementary School

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary251 students

East Marshall Senior High School

East Marshall Comm School District

Le Grand, 50142 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High247 students

West Marshall Middle School

West Marshall Comm School District

State Center, 50247 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle195 students

East Marshall Middle School

East Marshall Comm School District

Gilman, 50106 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle165 students

Marshalltown Virtual Academy

Marshalltown Comm School District

Marshalltown, 50158 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–12Virtual81 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,022

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Marshall 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 Marshall County?

Marshall County has a school score of 51/100, 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 Marshall County?

The high school graduation rate in Marshall County is 91.7%, 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 Marshall County spend per student?

Marshall County spends $7,022 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 Marshall County, Iowa — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Marshall County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Cedar County

Iowa

-1 pts

50/100

School score

Butler County

Iowa

+1 pts

52/100

School score

Decatur County

Iowa

+2 pts

52/100

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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