Clarke County
Across Clarke County, 5 public K-12 schools educate around 1,672 students, roughly 1 in 6 residents. The level mix runs 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high.
4-year change in Clarke County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25How Clarke County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Iowa | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 59.5% | #86 of 89 | N/A |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,672 | #71 of 90 | #2,383 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 5 | #83 of 90 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.3:1 | #4 of 90 | #619 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 54.8% | #9 of 90 | #1,366 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 51.9% | #13 of 89 | #1,010 of 2,707 |
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Clarke County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
Test scores in Clarke County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 5 schools ranked. Iowa state average: 73.7%.
- Clarke Community High School· 69.8%
- Murray Jr/Sr High· 68.0%
- Murray Elementary School· 67.2%
- Clarke Community Middle School· 64.0%
- Clarke Community Elementary School· 54.9%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke Community Elementary School | Osceola | Elementary | PK-05 | 652 | · |
| Clarke Community High School | Osceola | High | 09-12 | 421 | · |
| Clarke Community Middle School | Osceola | Middle | 06-08 | 289 | · |
| Murray Elementary School | Murray | Elementary | PK-05 | 165 | · |
| Murray Jr/Sr High | Murray | High | 06-12 | 145 | · |
Cities in Clarke County
About Clarke County
Across the small Iowa county of Clarke County of about 9,662 residents, the public-school footprint covers 5 schools and about 1,672 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show the median household earns about $71,641 a year, about 16% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 4%.
In terms of grade levels, Clarke County spans 2 elementary schools (817 students), 1 middle school (289), and 2 high schools (566).
The largest single district in Clarke County is Clarke Comm School District, which alone enrolls about 1,362 students.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Clarke County has grew 3% since SY 2020-21, moving from about 1,620 students to 1,672.
In the discussion threads here, the community for Clarke County discusses enrollment trends, district policy changes, and bus-route updates. Members of the local community share what they see day-to-day.