Deciding on where to send your child to school can be one of the biggest decisions a parent makes.

Do you want your child to attend public school, can you afford private school, or are you able to commute to a different/better district that fits your child's needs? In Iowa, children are entitled to a free public education in the district where they live. However, parents can also enroll their kids in a different district if they choose to, according to Iowa Legal Aid.

If you want to enroll your child, Iowa school districts must give parents a notice about open enrollment by the end of September every year. Parents who go this route are involved in a two-part process. First, you have the "resident district," which is where your child lives. Secondly, there is the "receiving district" which is where you want to enroll your child.

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Since Iowa parents have the option to send their kids to a different school district if they choose, let's find out which districts are considered the 'best' in Iowa! There are 313 different districts in the state parents can choose from.

Iowa's Best School Districts in 2024

The website Niche put together Iowa's best school districts in 2024 and they based their findings on things like teach quality, best sports, test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, etc. Here are their top 10 results!

• 10 - Morning Sun Community School District - Overall Grade: A
• 9 - Van Meter Community School District - Overall Grade: A
• 8 - West Des Moines Community School District - Overall Grade: A
• 7 - Treynor Community School District - Overall Grade: A
• 6 - Decorah Community School District - Overall Grade: A
• 5 - Waukee Community School District - Overall Grade: A
• 4 - Ankeny Community School District - Overall Grade: A
• 3 - MOC-Floyd Valley Community School District - Overall Grade: A+
• 2 - Gilbert Community School District - Overall Grade: A+

The number 1 rated school district in Iowa is Pleasant Valley Community School District, located in Bettendorf. Pleasant Valley received an overall grade of A+ from Niche. There are 5,803 students in grades PK-12, and the district holds a student-teacher ratio of 17-1. 87% of students are proficient in math and 85% are proficient in reading, according to the state test scores.

Pleasant Valley Community School District is rated number 1 for best district, number 2 for best teachers in Iowa, and number 3 for best places to teach in Iowa. Pleasant Valley Community School District received an A+ grade for Academics, Teachers, Clubs/Activities, and College Prep. They received an A grade in Administration and a B- grade for Diversity.

Do you see a district you'd be interested in enrolling your child in on Niche's list? Do you agree or disagree with their findings? Let us know in the comments!