Top Rankings
Essex Community School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Iowa for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 10%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025-26 school year, there is 1 public middle school serving 94 students in Essex Community School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public middle schools in Iowa.
Public Middle School in Essex Community School District have an average math proficiency score of 77% (versus the Iowa public middle school average of 68%), and reading proficiency score of 87% (versus the 71% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 11% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Iowa public middle school average of 25% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (IA)
# Schools
2 Schools
376 Schools
# Students
215 Students
127,807 Students
# Teachers
18 Teachers
8,868 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Essex Community School District, which is ranked within the top 30% of all 325 school districts in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 50% has decreased from 80% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#59 out of 327 school districts
(Top 20%)
(Top 20%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
76%
68%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
80-84%
70%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
80-89%
63%
Graduation Rate
(21-22)≥50%
90%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.16
0.43
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
n/a
2%
% Hispanic
5%
11%
% Black
n/a
6%
% White
92%
75%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
3%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $19,167 is higher than the state median of $16,468. The school district revenue/student has declined by 11% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,949 is higher than the state median of $16,042. The school district spending/student has declined by 11% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$4 MM
$8,262 MM
Spending
$4 MM
$8,048 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,167
$16,468
Spending / Student
$16,949
$16,042
Best Essex Community School District Public Middle Schools (2025-26)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Essex Junior-senior High School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
111 Forbes St
Essex, IA 51638
(712) 379-3115
Essex, IA 51638
(712) 379-3115
Gr: 6-12 | 94 students Student-teacher ratio: 9:1 Minority enrollment: 11%
Recent Articles

10 Major Challenges Facing Public Schools in 2025
Explore the 10 biggest challenges facing U.S. public schools in 2025, from funding shortages to mental health and technology gaps.

Broward County School Bus Service Update 2025
A 2025 review of Broward County public school bus service: challenges, innovations, and what parents should know.

Failures of U.S. Public Education in 2025
Explore the 15 biggest failures of the American public education system in 2025, with updated data, expert insights, and real-world examples.