Public schools in Cedar Rapids, IA
40 open public schools with an address in Cedar Rapids, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
40
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
20,175
38 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.3:1
Iowa median 13.7:1
Charter schools
2
0 virtual
An overview of Cedar Rapids public schools
The federal directory lists 40 public schools in Cedar Rapids, IA: 22 elementary, 9 middle, 6 high, 3 combined or other. The 38 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 20,175 students, an average of 531 per school. The largest campus is Prairie High School (1,766 students), and the largest elementary school is Viola Gibson Elementary School (565).
Cedar Rapids Comm School District operates the most schools here (27), and 3 regular districts have at least one Cedar Rapids campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 14.3:1, similar to the statewide school median of 13.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 2 charter schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 49% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids Comm School District
Public school district
27 schools in Cedar Rapids · 30 total
College Comm School District
Public school district
10 schools in Cedar Rapids
Empowering Excellence Charter Schools
Independent charter agency
1 school in Cedar Rapids
Linn-Mar Comm School District
Public school district
1 school in Cedar Rapids · 12 total
Opportunity Ed_Cedar Rapids
Independent charter agency
1 school in Cedar Rapids
Elementary schools in Cedar Rapids
22| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowman Woods Elementary School Linn-Mar Comm School District | PK–04 | 413 | 14.5:1 | |
| Cedar River Academy at Taylor Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 355 | 12.9:1 | |
| Cleveland Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | 254 | 12.2:1 | |
| Erskine Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | 308 | 16:1 | |
| Grant Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | 312 | 11.5:1 | |
| Grant Wood Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 356 | 14.7:1 | |
| Harrison at Madison Elementary Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | — | — | |
| Hoover Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | 420 | 10.7:1 | |
| Johnson STEAM Academy School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 324 | 11.7:1 | |
| Kenwood Leadership Academy School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 386 | 13.3:1 | |
| Maple Grove Elementary Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 539 | 15.4:1 | |
| Pierce Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | 334 | 14.1:1 | |
| Prairie Crest Elementary College Comm School District | PK–04 | 434 | 13.9:1 | |
| Prairie Heights Elementary School College Comm School District | PK–04 | 403 | 13.5:1 | |
| Prairie Hill Elementary School College Comm School District | PK–04 | 466 | 13.8:1 | |
| Prairie Ridge Elementary College Comm School District | PK–04 | 438 | 13.6:1 | |
| Prairie View Elementary School College Comm School District | PK–04 | 430 | 14.3:1 | |
| Trailside Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | 429 | 14.2:1 | |
| Van Buren Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | KG–05 | 429 | 12.3:1 | |
| Viola Gibson Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 565 | 17.3:1 | |
| West Willow Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 555 | 16.3:1 | |
| Wright Elementary School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–05 | 282 | 14.7:1 |
Middle schools in Cedar Rapids
9| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Middle School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 06–08 | 469 | 13.9:1 | |
| Harding Middle School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 06–08 | 710 | 16:1 | |
| McKinley STEAM Academy Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 06–08 | 426 | 13.4:1 | |
| OEN - Cedar Rapids Prep Opportunity Ed_Cedar Rapids · Charter | 06–08 | — | — | |
| Prairie Creek College Comm School District | 05–06 | 846 | 14.3:1 | |
| Prairie Point College Comm School District | 07–08 | 868 | 15.8:1 | |
| Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 06–08 | 484 | 14.2:1 | |
| Taft Middle School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 06–08 | 593 | 15.4:1 | |
| Wilson Middle School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 06–08 | 422 | 13.7:1 |
High schools in Cedar Rapids
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empowering Excellence Charter School Empowering Excellence Charter Schools · Charter | 09–12 | 120 | 120:1 | |
| George Washington High School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 09–12 | 1,182 | 15.3:1 | |
| John F Kennedy High School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 09–12 | 1,648 | 17.8:1 | |
| Metro High School Cedar Rapids Comm School District · Alternative School | 09–12 | 288 | 11.4:1 | |
| Prairie High School College Comm School District | 09–12 | 1,766 | 18.6:1 | |
| Thomas Jefferson High School Cedar Rapids Comm School District | 09–12 | 1,501 | 17.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Cedar Rapids
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Crossing College Comm School District | KG–12 | 67 | 4.3:1 | |
| Prairie Early Childhood Center College Comm School District | PK–PK | 74 | 18:1 | |
| Truman Early Learning Center Cedar Rapids Comm School District | PK–PK | 279 | 16.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White57.7%
- Hispanic8.9%
- Black20.9%
- Asian1.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.9%
- Multiracial9.7%
Enrollment-weighted across 38 Cedar Rapids schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (20,175 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Cedar Rapids
How many public schools are in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The current NCES directory lists 40 open public schools with a location address in Cedar Rapids: 22 elementary, 9 middle, 6 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 20,175 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Cedar Rapids?
Schools with an address in Cedar Rapids belong to 5 education agencies, led by Cedar Rapids Comm School District (27 schools), College Comm School District (10 schools), Empowering Excellence Charter Schools (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Cedar Rapids?
Prairie High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Cedar Rapids, with 1,766 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Cedar Rapids?
Yes. 2 of the 40 public schools in Cedar Rapids are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Empowering Excellence Charter School, OEN - Cedar Rapids Prep. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Cedar Rapids schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Cedar Rapids public schools is 14.3:1, similar to the Iowa school median of 13.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Cedar Rapids guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Iowa cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Iowa cities