schoolsbycounty

Poweshiek County Schools & Education

School Score

64/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

93.1%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.1%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$7,459

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

64/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#47

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Poweshiek County

Measured School Summary

Poweshiek County performs at an average level with a school score of 64/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.1%.

Funding Context

At $7,459 per pupil, Poweshiek County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 5% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Poweshiek 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

11 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

64/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #47 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

93.1%

0.8 pts above the state average

Funding context

$7,459

$132 below the state average

School coverage

11

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

Poweshiek County has 11 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 Poweshiek 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

Poweshiek 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

#47

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 3 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.

Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,538 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Comm School District

Elementary and high visible

561 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

Montezuma Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

493 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Grinnell-Newburg 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 Poweshiek County?

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

Poweshiek County's Educational Outlook

Poweshiek County educates 2,592 students through 11 public schools across 3 school districts. The system is comprised of five elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools.

The Grinnell-Newburg Spotlight

The Grinnell-Newburg Community School District is the largest in the county, supporting 1,538 students across 5 schools. Like its neighbors, the county has zero charter schools, relying entirely on its three traditional public districts.

Rural Roots and Town Campuses

The area is predominantly rural, with eight schools in rural settings and three located in town. Grinnell Community Senior High is the largest school with 471 students, contributing to a county-wide average school size of 236.

School Overview

Total Schools

11

in Poweshiek County

Reported Enrollment

2,592

11 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary5
Middle2
High3
Other1

3 School Districts in Poweshiek County

Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District

5 schools
1,538 students

Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Comm School District

2 schools
561 students

Montezuma Comm School District

4 schools
493 students

11 Public Schools in Poweshiek 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 11 of 11 matching schools

Grinnell Community Senior High School

Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District

Grinnell, 50112 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High471 students

Grinnell Community Middle School

Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District

Grinnell, 50112 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–8Middle457 students

Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Elementary School

Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Comm School District

Brooklyn, 52211 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary296 students

Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Jr-Sr High School

Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Comm School District

Brooklyn, 52211 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High265 students

Fairview Elementary School

Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District

Grinnell, 50112 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–2Primary243 students

Montezuma Elementary School

Montezuma Comm School District

Montezuma, 50171 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–5Primary229 students

Davis Elementary School

Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District

Grinnell, 50112 / Town: Remote

Record3–4Primary215 students

Bailey Park Elementary School

Grinnell-Newburg Comm School District

Grinnell, 50112 / Town: Remote

RecordKG–2Primary152 students

Montezuma High School

Montezuma Comm School District

Montezuma, 50171 / Rural: Remote

Record9–12High148 students

Montezuma Junior High School

Montezuma Comm School District

Montezuma, 50171 / Rural: Remote

Record6–8Middle112 students

Montezuma Virtual Learning Academy

Montezuma Comm School District

Montezuma, 50171 / Rural: Remote

RecordKG–12Virtual4 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$7,459

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Poweshiek 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.

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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 Poweshiek County?
Poweshiek County has a school score of 64/100, 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 Poweshiek County?
The high school graduation rate in Poweshiek County is 93.1%, 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 Poweshiek County spend per student?
Poweshiek County spends $7,459 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 Poweshiek County, Iowa — FAQ

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

Poweshiek County educates 2,592 students through 11 public schools across 3 school districts. The system is comprised of five elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools.

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

The Grinnell-Newburg Community School District is the largest in the county, supporting 1,538 students across 5 schools. Like its neighbors, the county has zero charter schools, relying entirely on its three traditional public districts.

What is the school experience like in Poweshiek County?

The area is predominantly rural, with eight schools in rural settings and three located in town. Grinnell Community Senior High is the largest school with 471 students, contributing to a county-wide average school size of 236.

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.