"The guide only cares about Math and Reading." Fact: For high schools, Science, Social Studies, and College Entrance Exam benchmarks (ACT/SAT) are baked into the "Post-Secondary Readiness" indicator.
For the overall school rating, the state requires a minimum of in at least two grade levels (3-11). Very small rural schools may receive a “Low N” designation instead of a star rating, meaning the data is not statistically reliable.
The official Iowa School Performance Profiles Technical Guide is the essential "rulebook" for how the state measures school success. It is not light reading—but understanding it is crucial for anyone who wants to move beyond a simple star rating and truly diagnose the health of a school.
The guide does not use raw percentages. It uses a .