South O'brien Community School District

216 S Rutledge
Paullina, IA 51046-0638
(District boundaries shown in map)
7/
10
Top 50%

Top Rankings

South O'brien Community School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Iowa for:

Category
Attribute
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 20%)
For the 2026 school year, there is 1 public elementary school serving 316 students in South O'brien Community School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 7/10, which is in the top 50% of public elementary schools in Iowa.
Public Elementary School in South O'brien Community School District have an average math proficiency score of 77% (versus the Iowa public elementary school average of 70%), and reading proficiency score of 77% (versus the 69% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 7% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Iowa public elementary school average of 29% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IA)
# Schools
2 Schools
924 Schools
# Students
558 Students
320,020 Students
# Teachers
44 Teachers
23,100 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

South O'brien Community School District, which is ranked within the top 50% of all 325 school districts in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 85% has increased from 80-89% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IA)
#110 out of 327 school districts
(Top 50%)
74%
68%
77%
70%
70-74%
63%
85%
90%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.15
0.47
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
n/a
3%
% Hispanic
6%
13%
% Black
n/a
7%
% White
92%
71%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
2%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $18,039 is higher than the state median of $16,468. The school district revenue/student has grown by 18% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,091 is higher than the state median of $16,042. The school district spending/student has grown by 19% over four school years.
This School District
This State (IA)
Total Revenue
$10 MM
$8,262 MM
Spending
$9 MM
$8,048 MM
Revenue / Student
$18,039
$16,468
Spending / Student
$16,091
$16,042

Best South O'brien Community School District Public Elementary Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
South O'brien Elementary Sch Primghar Center
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 75-79%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
155 3rd St Ne
Primghar, IA 51245
(712) 957-3755
Gr: PK-6 | 316 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 7%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 2 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 558 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 13:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 8%
  • : 85% (Top 30% in IA)
  • : Top 50%
  • : 74% (Top 50%)
  • : 77% (Top 30%)
  • : 70-74% (Top 20%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

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