There is no elementary school in Huxley. Ballard's two elementary buildings are in Slater (PK-2) and Cambridge (3-5); Huxley itself has the middle school and the high school. The district bands by grade rather than zoning by neighborhood, so there's no elementary zone to shop for - every Ballard student follows the same path. That catches a lot of buyers off guard, so here's the full picture up front.
Ballard serves roughly 1,800 students across three towns - Huxley, Slater and Cambridge - and only two of its four buildings are in Huxley itself: the middle school and the high school. The elementary grades sit in the other two towns. That is the single most important thing to know before buying here with young children.
Every public school building physically inside Huxley city limits, and the grades each one serves. Attendance is assigned by address, not by city line - verify the zone for the exact property before you write an offer.
| School | Grades | District |
|---|---|---|
| High schools | ||
| Ballard High School | 9-12 | Ballard CSD |
| Middle and junior high schools | ||
| Ballard Middle School | 6-8 | Ballard CSD |
Source: Iowa Department of Education, 2026-27 public school building directory.
No elementary building sits inside Huxley for Ballard CSD students. Those grades are served from: Ballard East Elementary (3-5) in Cambridge · Ballard West Elementary (PK-2) in Slater.
Ballard CSD bands its elementary grades instead of zoning them. There is no elementary attendance zone to shop for here - every student in the district moves through the same buildings in order: Ballard West Elementary (PK-2, Slater) → Ballard East Elementary (3-5, Cambridge).
Not your elementary, because Huxley does not have one. Ballard bands its grades across two towns - Slater for PK-2, Cambridge for 3-5 - and only brings students back to Huxley for middle and high school. Every Huxley address follows that path. So the thing to weigh is the elementary-years drive, not a school zone, and it is worth driving both routes before you decide.
Huxley vs Ames: Ames is larger with more program depth and ISU partnerships. Ballard offers smaller class sizes and tighter community.
Huxley vs Gilbert: Both smaller districts. Ballard is more accessible price-wise; Gilbert carries higher price points and sits closer to Ames.
2 of Ballard CSD’s 4 buildings sit inside Huxley, and 2 sit in neighboring towns. Check any of it yourself:
Huxley is served by the Ballard Community School District. 2 of its 4 school buildings are located inside Huxley.
2 public school buildings sit inside Huxley: Ballard High School (grades 9-12), Ballard Middle School (grades 6-8). This list comes from the Iowa Department of Education 2026-27 building directory.
There is no elementary attendance zone to choose in Huxley. Ballard CSD assigns elementary grades by band rather than by neighborhood, so every student in the district attends Ballard West Elementary for grades PK-2 then Ballard East Elementary for grades 3-5.
Buyers weighing Huxley usually have one or two other towns on the list. Each of these is the same guide for that city, built from the same state directory:
I'm happy to help you weigh the Huxley school zones and match them to the right neighborhood - no pressure, just a real conversation. Grab a free 15 minutes with me whenever it's useful:
Jackson Krile is a REALTOR® on the Flanders Team at RE/MAX Real Estate Center. Licensed in Iowa #S66867000. DMAAR + CIBR member.
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