{"id":6012,"date":"2025-01-15T15:56:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T15:56:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/?p=6012"},"modified":"2026-01-13T17:40:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T17:40:51","slug":"the-best-school-districts-in-cedar-rapids-ia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/the-best-school-districts-in-cedar-rapids-ia\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best School Districts in Cedar Rapids, IA"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\n<p>Are you <a href=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/movers\/ia\/cedar-rapids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moving to Cedar Rapids<\/a> or the surrounding area? Not sure where to start your search for the best school district? With so many great choices, the process can be overwhelming. As an Iowa native, I\u2019m here to simplify your search! Let\u2019s dive into the top 3 school districts in Cedar Rapids, where I\u2019ll share insights about their locations, facilities, and academics. With this quick overview, you\u2019ll be one step closer to making an informed choice for your family. Let\u2019s make this big decision a little easier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#h-cedar-rapids-community-school-district\" >Cedar Rapids Community School District<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-location\" >Location<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-buildings\" >Buildings<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-academics\" >Academics<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-college-community-school-district\" >College Community School District<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-location-0\" >Location<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-buildings-0\" >Buildings<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-academics-0\" >Academics<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-linn-mar-school-district\" >Linn Mar School District<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#h-location-1\" >Location<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-buildings-1\" >Buildings<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-academics-1\" >Academics<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-faqs\" >FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/nav><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/Pin-Best-School-Districts-Promo-2-576x1024.png\" alt=\"Graphic reading, &quot;moving blog, the best school district in Cedar Rapids, IA&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-7651\" style=\"width:412px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/Pin-Best-School-Districts-Promo-2-576x1024.png 576w, https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/Pin-Best-School-Districts-Promo-2-169x300.png 169w, https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/Pin-Best-School-Districts-Promo-2-768x1365.png 768w, https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/Pin-Best-School-Districts-Promo-2-864x1536.png 864w, https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/Pin-Best-School-Districts-Promo-2.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Save our post on Pinterest!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cedar-rapids-community-school-district\">Cedar Rapids Community School District<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/crschools.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cedar Rapids Community School District<\/a> is the largest school district in Cedar Rapids, IA. This district was <span>founded in 19<\/span>72 with the merger of the four township high schools (and the schools that fed into them). Along with K-12 education, this district includes a preschool, alternative kindergarten, and other nontraditional education options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-location\">Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Location is arguably one of the most important factors when choosing a school district. The Cedar Rapids Community School District is located in the heart of the City of Five Seasons. This district has four high schools, six middle schools, and twenty-one elementary schools sprinkled throughout the city, so there is sure to be one close to your new <a href=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/the-best-neighborhoods-in-cedar-rapids-ia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cedar Rapids neighborhood<\/a>. This district has no strict school zoning rules, so open enrollment is an option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-buildings\">Buildings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Cedar Rapids Community School District is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niche.com\/k12\/search\/largest-school-districts\/s\/iowa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">second largest district<\/a> in the state. To accommodate a large and growing student population, the district is expanding its infrastructure, with a three-tier plan to modify all the buildings. Most of the buildings in this district are dated; however, renovations are in progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-academics\">Academics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As far as academics go, this school district has an average of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/k12\/iowa\/districts\/cedar-rapids-comm-school-district-103552\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">49% of students proficient in mathematics<\/a> and 65% of students proficient in reading at the high school level. The overall four-year graduation rate from the high schools (Jefferson, Washington, Kennedy, and Metro) is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iaschoolperformance.gov\/ECP\/StateDistrictSchool\/DistrictSummary?k=7050&amp;y=2018\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">83.73%<\/a>. They also offer band and orchestra to students ranging from freshmen to seniors, as well as world language options like French, German, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-college-community-school-district\">College Community School District<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crprairie.org\/district\/history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Founded in 1954<\/a>, this district gets its name from the unique layout of the schools. The schools are all within walking distance on a four-block grid located just southwest of Cedar Rapids. Because of this, many elements of the schools are intertwined, like the bus system. In this district, the high school contains tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders, while the middle school features seventh, eighth, and ninth graders. There is also an intermediate school that has fifth and sixth graders, separate from the elementary schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-location-0\">Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Located in the southwest region of Cedar Rapids, this district contains a total of nine schools. This includes one high school, one middle school, one intermediate school, and six elementary schools. Because of their location, smaller towns like Ely, Swisher, Fairfax, and Walford are all included in this district, along with southwest Cedar Rapids. If you are living outside the city, this would be the best school district for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-buildings-0\">Buildings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The district recently renovated its high school and they&#8217;re planning for more construction. They also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcrg.com\/2023\/09\/14\/college-community-school-district-celebrates-opening-new-prairie-creek-intermediate-school\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recently opened a new intermediate school<\/a> for fifth and sixth graders. Much like the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the buildings are a couple of decades old but are in the process of updating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-academics-0\">Academics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this district, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niche.com\/k12\/d\/college-community-school-district-ia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">61% of students are proficient in mathematics<\/a>, and 69% are proficient in reading. The graduation rate is much higher than the national average, sitting at 91% of students. They also offer band and choir classes for all students starting in the fifth grade. For languages, the district offers Spanish and German. There are also out-of-classroom opportunities, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/iowabig.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Iowa BIG<\/a>, a unique, student-centered program. This district used <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teacherease.com\/standards-based-grading.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">standards-based grading<\/a>, which they adopted in 2017 to help bring centralized learning goals to students. Standards-based grading is a big change from the regular grading system, so it is worth researching more before deciding on a district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-image aligncenter uagb-block-7e33e44d wp-block-uagb-image--layout-default wp-block-uagb-image--effect-static wp-block-uagb-image--align-center\"><figure class=\"wp-block-uagb-image__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/05\/happy-diverse-schoolchildren-standing-near-whiteboard-in-classroom-stockpack-pexels-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Smiling students in school\" class=\"uag-image-17793\" width=\"924\" height=\"616\" title=\"students-near-whiteboard\" loading=\"lazy\" role=\"img\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-linn-mar-school-district\">Linn Mar School District<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linnmar.k12.ia.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Linn Mar School District<\/a>, composed of 12 schools total, was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linnmar.k12.ia.us\/district\/district-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">founded in 1948<\/a>. It includes seven elementary schools, two intermediate schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Much like the College Community School District, this district has its own building for fifth and sixth graders in the intermediate school. The middle school houses seventh and eighth graders, and the high school has the traditional grades nine through twelve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-location-1\">Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This district is located in the northeastern part of Cedar Rapids near surrounding cities like Marion. Their boundaries also include more towns outside of northern Cedar Rapids and near Robins. As their name suggests, the district is partly in Linn County and partly in the city of Marion. If you are looking to be closer to the northern edge of the city or want a smaller district while living in Cedar Rapids, this would be the best district. They also have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linnmar.k12.ia.us\/district\/district-boundaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">boundaries map<\/a> you can use to see which schools your child would attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-buildings-1\">Buildings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This district is the oldest of the three mentioned, but almost all of its buildings are newly renovated or in the process of renovation. Since the addition of the intermediate schools, a lot of the grades have been shuffled around to different buildings. The good news is that they have finally landed on where each grade is being taught, and there probably won&#8217;t be any more switching buildings for a while. They also have an amazing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linnmar.k12.ia.us\/schools\/aquatic-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new aquatics facility<\/a>, where they offer a lap swim for adults in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-academics-1\">Academics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Linn Mar is well-known by people in the Cedar Rapids area for its academics. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niche.com\/k12\/d\/linn-mar-community-school-district-ia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">proficiency rate<\/a> is 74% for math and 75% for reading. In addition to this, the graduation rate is 96%\u2014the highest rate of all the school districts in Cedar Rapids, IA. They offer a unique program called <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/linnmar.k12.ia.us\/lmhsreach\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">REACH<\/a>, which offers extracurricular clubs, athletics, and fine arts for students. Thus, along with offering many opportunities to expand learning outside of the classroom, this district is hands-down the best in terms of academics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"h-the-above-districts-are-great-options-for-prospective-students-it-mostly-boils-down-to-if-you-want-to-live-in-cedar-rapids-versus-the-surrounding-areas-and-if-you-are-looking-for-a-larger-district-versus-a-smaller-one\">To conclude, Cedar Rapids has a variety of great school districts for your kids. It mostly boils down to whether you want to live in Cedar Rapids versus the surrounding areas, and if you are looking for a larger district versus a smaller one. The Cedar Rapids Community School District is the biggest in the area. The College Community School District is innovative, with standards-based grading, and the Linn Mar School District has the most highly regarded academics. <br><br>If you have other questions about <a href=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/top-cedar-rapids-ia-things-you-need-to-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">moving to Cedar Rapids<\/a> or moving in general, you&#8217;re not alone. Check out our blogs on <a href=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/top-cedar-rapids-ia-things-you-need-to-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">things to do in Cedar Rapids<\/a>, the other <a href=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/why-cedar-rapids-iowa-city-tops-best-places-to-live\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">highlights of living there<\/a>, and more, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UniMovers&#8217; affordable moving services<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faqs\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-696683a36b2c1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What are the school districts in Cedar Rapids?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Cedar Rapids contains three school districts: the Cedar Rapids Community School District, the College Community School District, and the Linn Mar School District. <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-696683a36b2c4\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the best school district in Cedar Rapids?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Linn Mar School District has the most highly regarded academics. However, the College Community School District and the Cedar Rapids Community School District offer their own unique advantages too. College Community School District is notable for its 91% graduation rate which is much higher than the national average. The Cedar Rapids Community School District is expansive and has no zoning regulations making open enrollment possible.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you moving to Cedar Rapids or the surrounding area? Not sure where to start your search for the best school district? With so many great choices, the process can be overwhelming. As an Iowa native, I\u2019m here to simplify your search! Let\u2019s dive into the top 3 school districts in Cedar Rapids, where I\u2019ll [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":6025,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_has_post_settings":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,878,97,6,62],"tags":[1385,1387,1386,573,604],"class_list":["post-6012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-cedar-rapids","category-iowa-moving-to","category-iowa","category-moving-to","tag-best-schools-in-cedar-rapids","tag-elementary-schools-in-cedar-rapids","tag-high-schools-in-cedar-rapids","tag-moving-to-cedar-rapids","tag-school-district"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6012"}],"version-history":[{"count":63,"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6012\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27713,"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6012\/revisions\/27713"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unimovers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}