Winnebago County Schools & Education
Winnebago County, Iowa
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
64/100
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
$7,558
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,591
School Score
64/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 61/100
State Score Position
#48
of 99 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Winnebago County
Measured School Summary
Winnebago County performs at an average level with a school score of 64/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.8%.
Funding Context
At $7,558 per pupil, Winnebago County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 4% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.5 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 0% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Winnebago 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
9 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 #48 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.
Completion
92.8%
0.5 pts above the state average
Funding context
$7,558
roughly matches the state average
School coverage
9
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
Winnebago County has 9 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.
What Winnebago 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
Winnebago 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
#48
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.
Forest City Comm School District
Elementary to high school visible
1,141 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Lake Mills Comm School District
Elementary to high school visible
671 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
North Iowa Comm School District
Elementary to high school visible
480 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Forest City Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 Winnebago County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Winnebago 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 Winnebago 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.
Balanced Grade Levels in Winnebago
Winnebago County features nine public schools divided evenly between elementary, middle, and high school levels. Three districts serve a total enrollment of 2,292 students across this well-distributed infrastructure.
Exceeding State and National Averages
The graduation rate in Winnebago County is a strong 92.8%, surpassing both state and national benchmarks. School performance scores of 56.2 are right in line with the Iowa state average, despite spending only $7,558 per pupil.
Forest City Leads Local Education
The Forest City Community School District is the largest in the county, serving 1,141 students across three campuses. The Lake Mills and North Iowa districts manage the remaining schools, all of which are traditional public institutions.
A High Proportion of Rural Schools
Two-thirds of the county's schools are located in rural areas, with the remainder in town settings. The average school size is 255 students, with Forest City Elementary being the largest at 487 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
9
in Winnebago County
Reported Enrollment
2,292
9 schools reporting
School Districts
3
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
3 School Districts in Winnebago County
Forest City Comm School District
Lake Mills Comm School District
North Iowa Comm School District
9 Public Schools in Winnebago 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 dataLevel
Showing 9 of 9 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City Elementary School | Record | Forest City Comm School District | Forest City, 50436Town: Remote | PK–4 | Primary | 487 |
| Forest City Middle School | Record | Forest City Comm School District | Forest City, 50436Town: Remote | 5–8 | Middle | 330 |
| Forest City High School | Record | Forest City Comm School District | Forest City, 50436Town: Remote | 9–12 | High | 324 |
| Lake Mills Elementary School | Record | Lake Mills Comm School District | Lake Mills, 50450Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 316 |
| North Iowa Elem Buffalo Center | Record | North Iowa Comm School District | Buffalo Center, 50424Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 256 |
| Lake Mills Senior High School | Record | Lake Mills Comm School District | Lake Mills, 50450Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 210 |
| Lake Mills Middle School | Record | Lake Mills Comm School District | Lake Mills, 50450Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 145 |
| North Iowa High School | Record | North Iowa Comm School District | Buffalo Center, 50424Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 117 |
| North Iowa Middle School | Record | North Iowa Comm School District | Buffalo Center, 50424Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 107 |
Forest City Elementary School
Forest City Comm School District
Forest City, 50436 / Town: Remote
Forest City Middle School
Forest City Comm School District
Forest City, 50436 / Town: Remote
Forest City High School
Forest City Comm School District
Forest City, 50436 / Town: Remote
Lake Mills Elementary School
Lake Mills Comm School District
Lake Mills, 50450 / Rural: Remote
North Iowa Elem Buffalo Center
North Iowa Comm School District
Buffalo Center, 50424 / Rural: Remote
Lake Mills Senior High School
Lake Mills Comm School District
Lake Mills, 50450 / Rural: Remote
Lake Mills Middle School
Lake Mills Comm School District
Lake Mills, 50450 / Rural: Remote
North Iowa High School
North Iowa Comm School District
Buffalo Center, 50424 / Rural: Remote
North Iowa Middle School
North Iowa Comm School District
Buffalo Center, 50424 / Rural: Remote
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,558
State avg $7,591
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Winnebago County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Iowa counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Iowa?
How should I read the school score in Winnebago County?
What is the graduation rate in Winnebago County?
How much does Winnebago County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Winnebago County, Iowa — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Winnebago County, Iowa?
Winnebago County features nine public schools divided evenly between elementary, middle, and high school levels. Three districts serve a total enrollment of 2,292 students across this well-distributed infrastructure.
How do schools in Winnebago County perform academically?
The graduation rate in Winnebago County is a strong 92.8%, surpassing both state and national benchmarks. School performance scores of 56.2 are right in line with the Iowa state average, despite spending only $7,558 per pupil.
What are the major school districts in Winnebago County, Iowa?
The Forest City Community School District is the largest in the county, serving 1,141 students across three campuses. The Lake Mills and North Iowa districts manage the remaining schools, all of which are traditional public institutions.
What is the school experience like in Winnebago County?
Two-thirds of the county's schools are located in rural areas, with the remainder in town settings. The average school size is 255 students, with Forest City Elementary being the largest at 487 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.