Oct 20, 2021 - News

Des Moines-area public high schools, ranked

Top high schools in Iowa state and Des Moines
Data: U.S. News; Table: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

West Des Moines' Valley High School was recently ranked as the top public high school in the metro, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Why it matters: The rankings assess how schools are doing, and they can help direct resources for improvement.

Context: The scores are largely based on college readiness, as well as math and reading proficiency and performance.

  • Graduation rates, underserved student performance and AP and IB exams also play a role.

The big picture: Iowa's overall education score (#18) is middle-of-the-road, compared to the state's No. 5 standing just three years ago.

  • Back in 2018, Gov. Kim Reynolds appeared on "CBS This Morning" to tout the state's achievements.

Yes, but: Iowa's still got one of the top graduation rates in the nation.

Go deeper: See how Des Moines metro high schools compare.

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