For the first time, Iowa's education ranking has tumbled into the bottom half of states, falling to 27th nationally, according to the 2026 Kids Count Data Book.
The study from the Anne E. Casey Foundation, dedicated to improving children's lives, measures data for each state's standing in overall child well-being, education, health, economic well-being, and family and community.
The report is based on data collected from 2020-24, scoring and ranking each state compared with the nation in the five categories.
Iowa ranks 10th nationally and has a score of 667 in overall child well-being, above the national score of 547. Iowa ranks 10th in economic well-being, 14th in health and 17th in family and community.
However, the state lags in education.
Iowa's education ranking of 27th is the first time since the creation of the Kids Count report in 1990 that Iowa has fallen into the lower 25 states.
The report gave Iowa a score of 394, below the national score of 417 in education.
"The schools have been asked to continue doing the same quality of work, but with fewer resources, and that has just kind of continued year after year after year," Finn said.
Iowans will vote Nov. 3 on an amendment to constitution requiring a two-thirds majority in Iowa legislature to increase income taxes. Finn said that if passed, the amendment would make it "really, really hard to make sure that the schools continue to get resources," through state funding.
"On an individual school to school level, the needs vary across districts and schools, but the state's responsibility is making sure they get enough funding to cover those needs," Finn said.
The state Legislature has also put limits on property tax increases, which school districts use to generate revenue.
Republicans have argued they've increased funding for K-12 education each year since taking over control of the Iowa Legislature in 2017.
Gov. Kim Reynolds gave a funding boost of $160 per student for Iowa schools in February for the 2026-27 fiscal year, increasing the education budget by 2% by spending $3.98 billion on K-12 education.
But Anne Discher, the executive director of Common Good Iowa, said in a press release that lack of funding "will create consequences that will ripple for generations."
"Iowa has a robust history of serving children well, but recent leaders have lost the plot," Discher said. "This report clearly demonstrates that we are heading in the wrong direction."
Iowa students' English Language Arts test scores show recent improvements, with proficiency rates ranging from 68% to 80%, according to an Iowa Department of Education press release last August. Kids Count said eighth graders' math level showed 73% were not proficient in math in 2024, increasing from 67% in 2019.
Lack of preschool participation for 3 and 4 year olds in Iowa rose, going from 53% in 2015-19 to 57% in 2020-24.
"One of the things that's probably, pretty alarming I think, is the decrease of kids accessing preschoolers," Drake University Literacy Education professor Jill Johnson said. "There are a lot of younger kindergarteners that haven't had any type of schooling or early literary experience with a formal setting outside what they may or may not have received in their homes."
Johnson believes the decrease in preschool participation is the result of cost.
"Preschools are expensive. And while we recognize the value of them, even in our state, it's a real expense for some families," Johnson said. "If you have to choose between putting groceries on the table or not, you're going to choose groceries. Families are having to make really hard decisions."
Iowa Department of Education Communications Director Heather Doe said the Kids Count report "does not reflect student performance based on the most recent data." She said a recent report by the National Institute for Early Education Research nationally ranks Iowa sixth in preschool access for 4 year olds and 21st for 3 year olds.
"Using the most recent statewide data, Iowa demonstrates it is delivering remarkable results for students across multiple measures, including those outlined above," Doe said.
The Iowa Department of Education said in April that 88.8% of high school students in the class of 2025 graduated, meaning 11.3% of the class did not.
"Sometimes our school systems have been slow to respond to the change of the needs of the kids coming," Johnson said. "I think that diversity is certainly beneficial to our community in so many ways, but that also means that as schools we need to respond and be flexible in how we address the needs of all learners that come to us."
Johnson said the Iowa school systems are "really trying to respond and meet the kids where they are," but it's difficult.
"We want to meet their needs, but their needs are changing and are different than 10 years ago," Johnson said. "While we want to focus solely on academics, we have kids that are coming hungry, we have kids that are special needs, that have health issues. So we're trying to meet them where they're at so that we can get to the learning."
The Anne E. Casey Foundation released a report Monday that ranks Iowa below the national score in education and places 27th nationally
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The study from the Anne E. Casey Foundation, dedicated to improving children's lives, measures data for each state's standing in overall child well-being, education, health, economic well-being, and family and community.
The report is based on data collected from 2020-24, scoring and ranking each state compared with the nation in the five categories.
Iowa ranks 10th nationally and has a score of 667 in overall child well-being, above the national score of 547. Iowa ranks 10th in economic well-being, 14th in health and 17th in family and community.
However, the state lags in education.
Iowa's education ranking of 27th is the first time since the creation of the Kids Count report in 1990 that Iowa has fallen into the lower 25 states.
The report gave Iowa a score of 394, below the national score of 417 in education.
Advocacy group says lagging resources dragging down Iowa ranking
Sean Finn, a policy analyst for Common Good Iowa, a nonpartisan advocacy organization, said the organization finds Iowa's ranking "very concerning." He blames a lack of school resources for the state's poor ranking."The schools have been asked to continue doing the same quality of work, but with fewer resources, and that has just kind of continued year after year after year," Finn said.
Iowans will vote Nov. 3 on an amendment to constitution requiring a two-thirds majority in Iowa legislature to increase income taxes. Finn said that if passed, the amendment would make it "really, really hard to make sure that the schools continue to get resources," through state funding.
"On an individual school to school level, the needs vary across districts and schools, but the state's responsibility is making sure they get enough funding to cover those needs," Finn said.
The state Legislature has also put limits on property tax increases, which school districts use to generate revenue.
Republicans have argued they've increased funding for K-12 education each year since taking over control of the Iowa Legislature in 2017.
Gov. Kim Reynolds gave a funding boost of $160 per student for Iowa schools in February for the 2026-27 fiscal year, increasing the education budget by 2% by spending $3.98 billion on K-12 education.
But Anne Discher, the executive director of Common Good Iowa, said in a press release that lack of funding "will create consequences that will ripple for generations."
"Iowa has a robust history of serving children well, but recent leaders have lost the plot," Discher said. "This report clearly demonstrates that we are heading in the wrong direction."
Kids Count shows where Iowa education lags
In Iowa, 71% of fourth graders were not proficient in reading in 2024 — 6 percentage points higher than the 2019 findings. The report noted the importance of mastering reading at that age, which makes it easier for the student to progress in other subjects such as social studies and science.Iowa students' English Language Arts test scores show recent improvements, with proficiency rates ranging from 68% to 80%, according to an Iowa Department of Education press release last August. Kids Count said eighth graders' math level showed 73% were not proficient in math in 2024, increasing from 67% in 2019.
Lack of preschool participation for 3 and 4 year olds in Iowa rose, going from 53% in 2015-19 to 57% in 2020-24.
"One of the things that's probably, pretty alarming I think, is the decrease of kids accessing preschoolers," Drake University Literacy Education professor Jill Johnson said. "There are a lot of younger kindergarteners that haven't had any type of schooling or early literary experience with a formal setting outside what they may or may not have received in their homes."
Johnson believes the decrease in preschool participation is the result of cost.
"Preschools are expensive. And while we recognize the value of them, even in our state, it's a real expense for some families," Johnson said. "If you have to choose between putting groceries on the table or not, you're going to choose groceries. Families are having to make really hard decisions."
Iowa Department of Education Communications Director Heather Doe said the Kids Count report "does not reflect student performance based on the most recent data." She said a recent report by the National Institute for Early Education Research nationally ranks Iowa sixth in preschool access for 4 year olds and 21st for 3 year olds.
"Using the most recent statewide data, Iowa demonstrates it is delivering remarkable results for students across multiple measures, including those outlined above," Doe said.
Graduation on-time rates also fall
In 2023 and 2024, 13% of Iowa high schoolers failed to graduate on time, increasing from 8% in 2019. Johnson believes a change in demographics is a reason behind the increase.The Iowa Department of Education said in April that 88.8% of high school students in the class of 2025 graduated, meaning 11.3% of the class did not.
"Sometimes our school systems have been slow to respond to the change of the needs of the kids coming," Johnson said. "I think that diversity is certainly beneficial to our community in so many ways, but that also means that as schools we need to respond and be flexible in how we address the needs of all learners that come to us."
Johnson said the Iowa school systems are "really trying to respond and meet the kids where they are," but it's difficult.
"We want to meet their needs, but their needs are changing and are different than 10 years ago," Johnson said. "While we want to focus solely on academics, we have kids that are coming hungry, we have kids that are special needs, that have health issues. So we're trying to meet them where they're at so that we can get to the learning."
The Anne E. Casey Foundation released a report Monday that ranks Iowa below the national score in education and places 27th nationally
