schoolsbycounty

Winneshiek County Schools & Education

School Score

80/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

96.3%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

96.3%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,201

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,591

School Score

80/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 61/100

State Score Position

#1

of 99 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Winneshiek County

Measured School Summary

Winneshiek County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 80/100 and a graduation rate of 96.3%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

Winneshiek County spends $8,201 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 32% above the Iowa average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 4.0 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 8% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Winneshiek 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

80/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #1 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.

Completion

96.3%

4.0 pts above the state average

Funding context

$8,201

$610 above the state average

School coverage

9

3 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Winneshiek 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.

Parent decision brief

What Winneshiek 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.

Higher-signal county

Winneshiek County screens well on the measured county-level school signal. The next check is whether that strength is broad across districts or concentrated in a few school pathways.

State position

#1

of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 19 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.

Decorah Community School District

Elementary to high school visible

1,589 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

South Winneshiek Comm School District

Elementary to high school visible

531 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Turkey Valley Comm School District

Elementary and high visible

375 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Decorah Community School District is the largest listed district slice, with 4 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 Winneshiek County?

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

Elite Educational Standards in Winneshiek

Winneshiek County operates nine public schools serving 2,495 students across three dedicated districts. The system includes four elementary schools and three high schools, providing ample capacity for the local population.

Decorah Community School District

The Decorah Community School District is the largest provider, educating 1,589 students in four schools. No charter schools operate in the county, leaving education in the hands of three highly successful local districts.

Small Schools with Big Results

Six schools are located in rural areas, while three are in town settings, maintaining an average size of 277 students. Decorah High School is the largest in the county with 576 students, offering a personal learning environment for every teenager.

School Overview

Total Schools

9

in Winneshiek County

Reported Enrollment

2,495

9 schools reporting

School Districts

3

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary4
Middle2
High3
Other0

3 School Districts in Winneshiek County

Decorah Community School District

4 schools
1,589 students

South Winneshiek Comm School District

3 schools
531 students

Turkey Valley Comm School District

2 schools
375 students

9 Public Schools in Winneshiek 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 9 of 9 matching schools

Decorah High School

Decorah Community School District

Decorah, 52101 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High576 students

Decorah Middle School

Decorah Community School District

Decorah, 52101 / Town: Remote

Record5–8Middle461 students

John Cline Elementary School

Decorah Community School District

Decorah, 52101 / Town: Remote

RecordPK–2Primary354 students

South Winneshiek High School

South Winneshiek Comm School District

Calmar, 52132 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High211 students

Carrie Lee Elementary

Decorah Community School District

Decorah, 52101 / Town: Remote

Record3–4Primary198 students

Turkey Valley Elementary School

Turkey Valley Comm School District

Jackson Junction, 52171 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary192 students

South Winneshiek Elementary School

South Winneshiek Comm School District

Ossian, 52161 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary191 students

Turkey Valley Jr-Sr High School

Turkey Valley Comm School District

Jackson Junction, 52171 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High183 students

South Winneshiek Middle School

South Winneshiek Comm School District

Ossian, 52161 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle129 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,201

State avg $7,591

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Winneshiek 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 Winneshiek County?
Winneshiek County has a school score of 80/100, which is a higher 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 Winneshiek County?
The high school graduation rate in Winneshiek County is 96.3%, 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 Winneshiek County spend per student?
Winneshiek County spends $8,201 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 Winneshiek County, Iowa — FAQ

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

Winneshiek County operates nine public schools serving 2,495 students across three dedicated districts. The system includes four elementary schools and three high schools, providing ample capacity for the local population.

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

The Decorah Community School District is the largest provider, educating 1,589 students in four schools. No charter schools operate in the county, leaving education in the hands of three highly successful local districts.

What is the school experience like in Winneshiek County?

Six schools are located in rural areas, while three are in town settings, maintaining an average size of 277 students. Decorah High School is the largest in the county with 576 students, offering a personal learning environment for every teenager.

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.