WASHINGTON, D.C. – North Mahaska was notified this past week that it has been ranked
No. 51st in Iowa among the 2025 Best Elementary School rankings by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings include more than 79,000 public elementary and middle schools across the country. Schools are ranked at the state and district level, with Best Charter Schools ranked as a stand-alone category.
“I am incredibly proud that our school has been recognized for the second year in a row as one of the top elementary schools in Iowa by U.S. News and World Report,” said elementary principal Amber Goemaat. “This achievement reflects the hard work of our students, the dedication of our staff, and the strong commitment from our parents and community to prioritize education. Congratulations, Warhawks.”
District superintendent Tim Vieseth also echoed that sentiment.
““I am so proud of this honor as it is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our students, teachers, staff, and families,” said Vieseth. “This recognition reflects the strong academic achievement, supportive school environment, and collaborative efforts that make North Mahaska Elementary a truly special place.”
The methodology focuses on state assessments of students who were proficient or above proficient in mathematics and reading/language while accounting for student backgrounds, achievement in core subjects, and how well schools are educating their students. Student-teacher ratios are applied to break ties in the overall score.
The 2025 Best Elementary and Best Middle Schools rankings are based on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education. For district-level rankings, at least two of the top performing schools must rank in the top 75 percent of the overall elementary or middle school rankings to qualify for district-level recognition.
“Schools play a vital role in our communities. Parents want to ensure that the schools their child attends provide a high-quality learning environment,” LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News. “The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings not only offer
accessible data but it also provides a valuable insight into how well elementary and middle schools are supporting and preparing students for high school.”
Parents, educators and students can see how North Mahaska compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com.
