Top 4 charter schools in Iowa (2025)
Publicly funded charter schools. Ranked by the Success Index (US) from official American data; 4 schools shown.
- 177Great Oaks High School and Career CenterDes Moines · Charter High4.2% Free/reduced-price lunch · 72 students
- 274West Central Charter High SchoolMaynard · Charter High69.5% Math proficiency · 97 students
- 331Horizon Science Academy Des MoinesDes Moines · Charter Elementary79.3% Free/reduced-price lunch · 150 students
- 422Empowering Excellence Charter SchoolCedar Rapids · Charter High86.7% Free/reduced-price lunch · 120 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index (US) | Key result | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Oaks High School and Career Center Des Moines · High · Grades 9–12 | Charter | 76.5 Top 25% | 4.2% Free/reduced-price lunch | 72 |
| 2 | West Central Charter High School Maynard · High · Grades 9–12 | Charter | 74.4 Top 25% | 69.5% Math proficiency | 97 |
| 3 | Horizon Science Academy Des Moines Des Moines · Elementary · Grades PK–4 | Charter | 30.9 Lower 50% | 79.3% Free/reduced-price lunch | 150 |
| 4 | Empowering Excellence Charter School Cedar Rapids · High · Grades 9–12 | Charter | 21.8 Lower 50% | 86.7% Free/reduced-price lunch | 120 |
Great Oaks High School and Career Center in Des Moines leads the 2025 list of charter schools in Iowa with a Success Index (US) of 76.5. Of the 4 schools shown, 4 are charter.
Scores are percentiles within school type, so a elementary school and a high school with the same score sit at the same point in their own distributions. Use the rankings to build a shortlist, then visit the schools and ask how they support students at your child's level.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best charter school in Iowa?
Great Oaks High School and Career Center in Des Moines ranks first among charter schools in Iowa with a Success Index (US) of 76.5 out of 100 (Enrollment: 72).
How are charter schools in Iowa ranked?
Each school's Success Index (US) combines 4 factors: math proficiency (30%), reading proficiency (30%), community advantage (fewer free/reduced-price lunch) (25%), students per teacher (15%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across United States. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.
Are these 2025 rankings official?
No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official American data (Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES CCD, EDFacts); NCES Common Core of Data). States set their own assessments and proficiency cut scores, so proficiency rates are most comparable within a state. Use the state rankings for like-for-like comparisons.