Best public high schools in Iowa

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A class of high schoolers as viewed from the rear.
Daniel Hoz // Shutterstock
- Location: Grinnell-Newburg Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 452 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#30. Grinnell Community Senior High School
A student filling out a scantron form for a multiple choice test.
Achira22 // Shutterstock
- Location: Van Meter Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 283 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#29. Van Meter Junior/Senior High School
A student talking to a teacher in the hallway.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
- Location: Cedar Falls Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,292 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#28. Cedar Falls High School
A student standing next to their backpack as seen from the knee down.
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
- Location: Eastern Allamakee Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 108 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#27. Kee High School
Students walking down a hallway with their backs facing the camera.
Mircea Moira // Shutterstock
- Location: Maquoketa Valley Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 191 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#26. Maquoketa Valley Senior High School
A high school student doing a chemical experiment.
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
- Location: Williamsburg Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 573 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#25. Williamsburg Junior/Senior High School
A high school student sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper.
panitanphoto // Shutterstock
- Location: Bettendorf Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,550 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#24. Bettendorf High School
A student raising their hand in class.
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
- Location: Le Mars Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 654 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#23. Le Mars High School
An empty school hallway lined with red lockers.
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
- Location: Marion Independent School District, IA
- Enrollment: 681 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#22. Marion High School
A student solving a math equation on a whiteboard.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
- Location: West Marshall Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 319 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#21. West Marshall High School
A row of empty desks with notebooks and pencils on them.
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
- Location: Ames Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,419 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#20. Ames High School
A hallway lined with green lockers.
SEALANDSKYPHOTO // Shutterstock
- Location: Spirit Lake Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 396 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#19. Spirit Lake High School
A side view of a person using a laptop in the school library.
sirtravelalot // Shutterstock
- Location: Pella Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 738 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#18. Pella High School
An empty classroom as viewed from the back.
maroke // Shutterstock
- Location: Cedar Rapids Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,741 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#17. John F. Kennedy High School
A pencil case full of pens, pencils, and highlighters spilling on a table.
Studio KIWI // Shutterstock
- Location: Iowa City Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,557 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#16. City High School
A group of students walking down the hall with their backs facing the camera.
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
- Location: Western Dubuque Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 935 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#15. Western Dubuque High School
An overhead view of high school pupils in group study sitting around circular tables.
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
- Location: Treynor Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 263 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#14. Treynor Middle/High School
Students using microscopes in science class.
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
- Location: Johnston Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,792 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A-
#13. Johnston Senior High School
High school students studying and reading together in their school library.
Joyseulay // Shutterstock
- Location: Iowa City Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,145 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#12. Liberty High School
Students raising their hands for class participation.
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
- Location: Linn-Mar Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 2,273 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#11. Linn-Mar High School
A stack of textbooks with pens on top of them next to an open notebook.
Canva
- Location: St. Ansgar Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 161 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#10. St. Ansgar High School
Two students sharing a book.
Canva
- Location: Gilbert Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 521 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#9. Gilbert High School
A high school student doing classwork on their laptop.
Canva
- Location: Ankeny Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,330 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#8. Ankeny High School
A teacher writing an equation on a blackboard using chalk.
Roman Kosolapov // Shutterstock
- Location: Decorah Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 577 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#7. Decorah High School
Students' backpacks sitting on a hallway floor.
LBeddoe // Shutterstock
- Location: MOC-Floyd Valley Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 471 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#6. MOC-Floyd Valley High School
Bookshelves at a high school's library.
Canva
- Location: Ankeny Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,419 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#5. Ankeny Centennial High School
A stack of spiral noteboooks in front of a wooden background.
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
- Location: West Des Moines Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 2,058 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#4. Valley High School
Two rows of red lockers.
Canva
- Location: Waukee Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,154 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A
#3. Waukee Senior High School
Empty desks in a high school classroom.
Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
- Location: Pleasant Valley Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,643 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+
#2. Pleasant Valley High School
A closeup of a student taking notes in class.
Canva
- Location: Iowa City Community School District, IA
- Enrollment: 1,455 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

#1. West Senior High School
LightField Studios // Shutterstock