Norwalk’s public schools beat 85% of Iowa districts
The public schools Norwalk’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 85% of Iowa’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
What Norwalk’s schools are like
Strong results on a lean budget
Norwalk spends 17% less per student than the state average, and classes are bigger (15.4 students per teacher vs 14.1). Even so, its schools beat 85% of Iowa districts. Test scores ↓
One of the best graduation rates in Iowa
98% of students graduate on time, 7 points above the state’s 91%. That ranks #2 in Iowa.
How it compares with its neighbors
Counting the two towns on its borders, Norwalk ranks 1st of 3. West Des Moines (A−) and Des Moines (D−) are lower. Compare ↓
This summary is written from the data on this page. Test scores are from 2020–21, a pandemic year, so treat small gaps with caution.
How Norwalk compares
How the School Grade works
- Results, not inputs. Math and reading proficiency on Iowa’s state tests against the state average, plus the four-year graduation rate. Spending and class size are shown but don’t count. Tests: 2020–21; graduation: class of 2020.
- The whole path. A town’s grade follows its kids through every district that serves it, weighted by students tested. Tests count 60%, graduation 40%.
- Graded within the state. Each state writes its own tests, so districts are compared with the rest of Iowa only. A+ is the top 5%, A the next 10%, A− the next 10%, the B range the next 30%, the C range the next 30%, D the rest.
- What a grade can’t tell you. Test results track family income, so we also compare towns with similar incomes. Visit, ask other parents, and read neighbor reviews. It’s our own summary of U.S. Department of Education data, not an official rating.
Where will my kid go?
Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Norwalk.
The district
Each district’s own page has its spending, test scores, enrollment and every school.
Well above the state in reading
Norwalk vs. its neighbors
Norwalk’s schools rank 1st of 3 among the towns that share its borders. School Grade, by percentile among Iowa districts.
Every school in Norwalk
6 schools. Grades are based on state tests and graduation. Any other ratings are made by neighbors.
Parents talk
What Norwalk families are saying about school.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Colleges near Norwalk
There’s no college in Norwalk, but 7 are within 30 miles. The closest is Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center in West Des Moines, 7.2 miles away.
Straight-line distance from the center of Norwalk. Degree-granting colleges with students on campus · College Scorecard · IPEDS.
School data: U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts, F-33 school finance). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within Iowa. Stars are from neighbors.