What are the Top 100 Public High Schools in Iowa?

Our local education has always been something to take pride over. Preparing generations of future adults for the real world is challenging, to say the least, but also rewarding. The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and two area schools have placed themselves well in our Iowa education system.

Western Dubuque and Cascade High Schools have earned significant national recognition, with their recent inclusion in the esteemed U.S. News & World Report's "2023-2024 Best Public High Schools" rankings. These rankings (unveiled on August 29th) spotlight institutions that excel in academics and effectively prepare students for higher education. Western Dubuque High School secured an impressive #3,782 rank, while Cascade High School closely followed at #3,964, both solidly placing them in the top 25% of the nearly 18,000 public high schools evaluated across the country.

"We are thrilled to receive this recognition which highlights the unending effort of our staff, parents, and community to provide impactful individual learning opportunities for our students."
-Jacob Feldmann, Principal of Western Dubuque High School

Of real note, the state of Iowa was represented by only 40 high schools on this prestigious list of the top high schools nationwide. On a state level, Western Dubuque High School secured the #25 spot, and Cascade High School attained the #29 position among approximately 320 featured high schools in Iowa for this year. Other local schools making the top 100 included Hempstead High School at #69, and Dubuque Senior High School at #54.

"The Cascade Jr./Sr. High School community is excited to receive this recognition as it's a reflection of the high impact work our students, our staff, and our community provide to become better every day.”
-Ryan Fritz, Principal of Cascade High School

The comprehensive evaluation by the U.S. News & World Report encompassed six crucial factors: college readiness, proficiency in reading and math, performance in reading and math, accomplishments of students facing disadvantages, accessibility to advanced coursework, and graduation rates. These aspects underline the approach taken to assess a school's effectiveness in various educational domains.

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"This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, faculty, and families in providing an outstanding education. Our commitment to preparing students for higher education and their future careers remains unwavering."
-Dr. Dan Butler, Superintendent of the Western Dubuque County Community School District

Western Dubuque and Cascade High Schools' high national rankings in the U.S. News & World Report's assessment underscore our local community's dedication to academic excellence, comprehensive student development, and community collaboration. These achievements celebrate the commitment and hard work of all involved in the nurturing of exceptional educational environments.

Iowa's Top 100 Public High Schools are as follows:

100) Gladbrook-Reinbeck High School; Reinbeck
99) Prairie High School; Cedar Rapids
98) Sheldon High School; Sheldon
97) South Winneshiek High School; Calmar
96) North Cedar High School, Clarence
95) Atlantic High School; Atlantic
94) South Hamilton Middle and High School; Jewell
93) Washington High School; Cherokee
92) Nevada High School; Nevada
91) East High School; Sioux City
90) Lisbon High School; Lisbon
89) Central Springs High School; Manly
88) Emmetsburg High School; Emmetsburg
87) Coon Rapids-Bayard 4-12 Attendance Center; Coon Rapids
86) Okoboji High School; Milford
85) Moc-Floyd Valley High School; Orange City
84) Bondurant-Farrar High School; Bondurant
83) Indianola High School; Indianola
82) West High School; Waterloo
81) North High School; Sioux City
80) Independence Junior Senior High School; Independence
79) Iowa Valley Jr-Sr High School; Marengo
78) Albia High School; Albia
77) Vinton-Shellsburg High School; Vinton
76) Iowa Connections Academy High School; Anita
75) Spencer High School; Spencer
74) Glenwood Senior High School; Glenwood
73) Mediapolis High School; Mediapolis
72) Montezuma High School; Montezuma
71) Spirit Lake High School; Spirit Lake
70) H-L-V Junior-Senior High School; Victor
69) Hempstead High School; Dubuque
68) New Hampton High School; New Hampton
67) Mount Ayr High School; Mount Ayr
66) AHSTW High School; Avoca
65) Dallas Center-Grimes High School; Grimes
64) Waukon High School; Waukon
63) Treynor Middle School / High School; Treynor
62) Central Dewitt High School; De Witt
61) Underwood High School; Underwood
60) Logan-Magnolia Jr-Sr High School; Logan
59) Harlan High School; Harlan
58) Shenandoah High School; Shenandoah
57) Humboldt High School; Humboldt
56) Ballard Community Senior High School; Huxley
55) Grundy Center High School; Grundy Center
54) Dubuque Senior High School; Dubuque
53) Solon High School; Solon
52) Sioux Central High School; Sioux Rapids
51) Roosevelt High School; Des Moines
50) Mid-Prairie High School; Wellman
49) Southeast Polk High School; Pleasant Hill
48) Stanton High School; Stanton
47) Rock Valley Jr-Sr High School; Rock Valley
46) Hinton High School; Hinton
45) Lewis Central Senior High School; Council Bluffs
44) West Marshall High School; State Center
43) East Mills High School; Malvern
42) West Lyon High School; Inwood
41) Sergeant Bluff-Luton Senior High School; Sergeant Bluff
40) Baxter High School; Baxter
39) Clear Creek Amana High School; Tiffin
38) Lawton-Bronson Jr/Sr High School; Lawton
37) Marion High School; Marion
36) Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School; Waverly
35) St Ansgar High School; St Ansgar
34) Hudson High School; Hudson
33) Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove High School; Ida Grove
32) Norwalk Senior High School; Norwalk
31) Kingsley-Pierson High School; Kingsley
30) Bedford High School; Bedford
29) Cascade Junior-Senior High School; Cascade
28) Grinnell Community Senior High School; Grinnell
27) North Scott Senior High School; Eldridge
26) Central Lyon Senior High School; Rock Rapids
25) Western Dubuque High School; Epworth
24) Waukee Senior High School; Waukee
23) Johnston Senior High School; Johnston
22) Bettendorf High School; Bettendorf
21) Denver Senior High School; Denver
20) John F. Kennedy High School; Cedar Rapids
19) Linn-Mar High School; Marion
18) Ankeny Centennial High School; Ankeny
17) Cedar Falls High School; Cedar Falls
16) North Polk High School; Alleman
15) Mount Vernon High School; Mount Vernon
14) Ankeny High School; Ankeny
13) Ames High School; Ames
12) Iowa City High School; Iowa City
11) Maquoketa Valley Senior High School; Delhi
10) Adel DeSoto Minburn (ADM) High School; Adel
9) Gilbert High School; Gilbert
8) Pella High School; Pella
7) Valley High School; West Des Moines
6) Liberty High School; North Liberty
5) Williamsburg Jr-Sr High School; Williamsburg
4) Pleasant Valley High School; Bettendorf
3) Van Meter Jr-Sr High School; Van Meter
2) Decorah High School; Decorah
1) West Senior High School; Iowa City

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