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ENROLLMENT TRENDS · IOWA

Iowa schools in decline

Iowa public schools with the largest enrollment loss from 2017-18 to 2024-25.

Schools in this report
50
steepest declines in state
Largest drop
-83%
Southeast Elementary School
Range
-83% to -31%
2017-18 → 2024-25
TOP 50 IA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ENROLLMENT LOSS · 2017-18 → 2024-25
SchoolCityDistrict2017-182024-25% change ↑
Southeast Elementary SchoolWAVERLYWaverly-Shell Rock Comm School District17831-82.6%
Red Oak Early Childhood CenterRED OAKRed Oak Comm School District17151-70.2%
Early Childhood CenterWEST LIBERTYWest Liberty Comm School District23289-61.6%
Clay Central-Everly ElementaryROYALClay Central-Everly Comm School District12653-57.9%
Tiffin ElementaryTIFFINClear Creek Amana Comm School District448191-57.4%
George Washington Elementary SchoolKEOKUKKeokuk Comm School District514222-56.8%
Clark Early Childhood CenterSIOUX CITYSioux City Comm School District16375-54.0%
East Marshall Middle SchoolGILMANEast Marshall Comm School District316157-50.3%
Johnson ElementarySPENCERSpencer Comm School District396201-49.2%
Buford Garner ElementaryNORTH LIBERTYIowa City Comm School District663344-48.1%
Alden Elementary SchoolALDENAlden Comm School District281148-47.3%
Robert Lucas Elementary SchoolIOWA CITYIowa City Comm School District455245-46.2%
Rock Valley High SchoolROCK VALLEYRock Valley Comm School District430242-43.7%
Madison Elementary SchoolCEDAR RAPIDSCedar Rapids Comm School District271153-43.5%
Mark Twain ElementaryIOWA CITYIowa City Comm School District376213-43.4%
East Buchanan Middle SchoolWINTHROPEast Buchanan Comm School District13275-43.2%
James Wilson Grimes SchoolBURLINGTONBurlington Comm School District368212-42.4%
Crestwood High SchoolCRESCOHoward-Winneshiek Comm School District582346-40.5%
Novak Elementary SchoolMARIONLinn-Mar Comm School District582347-40.4%
Whiting Senior High SchoolWHITINGWhiting Comm School District10161-39.6%
Anthon ElementaryANTHONMaple Valley-Anthon Oto Comm School District10564-39.0%
George-Little Rock Middle SchoolGEORGEGeorge-Little Rock Comm School District10061-39.0%
River Valley Junior- Senior High SchoolCORRECTIONVILLERiver Valley Comm School District224137-38.8%
Dallas Center ElementaryDALLAS CENTERDallas Center-Grimes Comm School District275169-38.5%
Indian Creek Elementary SchoolMARIONLinn-Mar Comm School District568354-37.7%
Excelsior Middle SchoolMARIONLinn-Mar Comm School District948594-37.3%
Washington Elementary SchoolCHARLES CITYCharles City Comm School District328206-37.2%
Cleveland Elementary SchoolCEDAR RAPIDSCedar Rapids Comm School District397254-36.0%
English Valleys Elementary SchoolNORTH ENGLISHEnglish Valleys Comm School District286183-36.0%
Wickham ElementaryCORALVILLEIowa City Comm School District485315-35.1%
AHSTW High SchoolAVOCAAHSTW Comm School District315205-34.9%
Black Hawk Elementary SchoolBURLINGTONBurlington Comm School District467305-34.7%
MVAO Middle SchoolANTHONMaple Valley-Anthon Oto Comm School District151100-33.8%
Monroe Elementary SchoolDES MOINESDes Moines Independent Comm School District513341-33.5%
James Van Allen Elementary SchoolNORTH LIBERTYIowa City Comm School District565376-33.5%
AHSTW Primary SchoolAVOCAAHSTW Comm School District419280-33.2%
Melcher-Dallas ElementaryDALLASMelcher-Dallas Comm School District233157-32.6%
River Valley ElementaryWASHTARiver Valley Comm School District228154-32.5%
Windsor ElementaryDES MOINESDes Moines Independent Comm School District375254-32.3%
Prairie PointCEDAR RAPIDSCollege Comm School District1,280868-32.2%
Willard Elementary SchoolDES MOINESDes Moines Independent Comm School District362247-31.8%
Salem Elementary SchoolSALEMMount Pleasant Comm School District12686-31.7%
Oakland ElementaryOAKLANDRiverside Comm School District260178-31.5%
Frank L Smart Middle SchoolDAVENPORTDavenport Comm School District628430-31.5%
Butler Elementary SchoolFORT DODGEFort Dodge Comm School District479328-31.5%
Sunnyside Elementary SchoolBURLINGTONBurlington Comm School District434298-31.3%
BCLUW Middle SchoolUNIONBCLUW Comm School District192132-31.3%
Paton-Churdan ElementaryCHURDANPaton-Churdan Comm School District12586-31.2%
Solon Middle SchoolSOLONSolon Comm School District465320-31.2%
North Cedar Jr/Sr High SchoolCLARENCENorth Cedar Comm School District353243-31.2%
50 of 50 rows · Brick-and-mortar only. Virtual, online, and cyber schools excluded. Schools must have had ≥100 students in 2017-18 and be open in both school years.↓ Download schools-in-decline-by-state-ia.csv

How this list was built

Every Iowa public school that reported total enrollment in both the NCES SY 2017-18 and SY 2024-25 vintages was scored on percent change in enrollment. Schools needed at least 100 students in 2017-18 to qualify, and must have been open in both school years. Schools that closed entirely are tracked in the separate school closures report. Virtual academies, cyber charters, and online schools are excluded so the list reflects neighborhood schools that families have moved away from rather than program-design changes.

Enrollment loss is not a verdict on a school. Schools shrink because catchment populations shrink, because new schools open nearby, because a magnet program elsewhere pulls transfers, because districts redraw boundaries, or because the building physically aged out. Use this list as a starting point for understanding which Iowa schools are operating with substantially fewer students than they were seven years ago.

Source data

NCES Common Core of Data, EDGE_ADMINDATA_PUBLICSCH MapServer, vintages 2017-18 and 2024-25. Refreshed yearly when NCES publishes a new admin-data release. School names, slugs, and current district affiliation come from the 2024-25 snapshot.

HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT

Anyone is welcome to cite or republish these findings. Please credit allk12.com and link back to this page so readers can verify the underlying data.

allk12 (2026). "Iowa schools in decline: enrollment loss 2017–2024." Retrieved from https://allk12.com/reports/in-decline/iowa
For interview requests or custom data pulls: [email protected]
DOWNLOAD THE DATA
↓ schools-in-decline-by-state-ia.csv
RELATED
Iowa schools on the rise · All Iowa schools · Best Iowa schools · All states
DATA NOTICE

allk12 is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCES, the US Census Bureau, any state education agency or assessment program, or any other government agency. Source data is compiled from public records and provided "as is," without warranty of accuracy or completeness. You rely on it, and any analysis derived from it, at your own risk. See the full disclaimer.