Johnston runs two middle schools, and its high school starts at grade 10 - not 9. Summit takes 6-7, Johnston Middle takes 8-9, and Johnston Senior High is 10-12. Add five K-5 elementaries and that's a four-step path through the district. Here's every building with the grades it actually serves, from the Iowa Department of Education directory.
Johnston serves roughly 7,500 students from eight buildings, all inside the city. Five K-5 elementaries feed two middle schools - Summit for 6-7, Johnston Middle for 8-9 - and then a high school that begins at grade 10. That extra middle-school step is the part buyers moving in from another district most often do not expect.
Every public school building physically inside Johnston 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 | ||
| Johnston Senior High School | 10-12 | Johnston CSD |
| Middle and junior high schools | ||
| Johnston Middle School | 8-9 | Johnston CSD |
| Summit Middle School | 6-7 | Johnston CSD |
| Elementary and intermediate schools | ||
| Beaver Creek Elementary School | K-5 | Johnston CSD |
| Henry A Wallace Elementary School | PK-5 | Johnston CSD |
| Horizon Elementary | K-5 | Johnston CSD |
| Lawson Elementary School | K-5 | Johnston CSD |
| Timber Ridge Elementary | K-5 | Johnston CSD |
Source: Iowa Department of Education, 2026-27 public school building directory.
Your elementary, then two separate middle-school moves. Johnston zones five K-5 buildings, so the address matters early - after that every student passes through Summit for 6-7 and Johnston Middle for 8-9 before the high school at grade 10. Four buildings, three transitions. Johnston adjusts boundaries as it grows, so confirm the current zone rather than the one a neighbor had.
Johnston vs Waukee: Waukee district is newer and larger. Johnston is more concentrated with a tighter community feel.
Johnston vs Urbandale: Both established west-metro districts. Compare published results on the Iowa DOE profiles; Urbandale is the older and larger district.
Johnston vs Ankeny: Ankeny is larger with more program options; Johnston is smaller and more concentrated; compare published results on the Iowa DOE profiles.
8 of Johnston CSD’s 8 buildings sit inside Johnston. Check any of it yourself:
Johnston is served by the Johnston Community School District. 8 of its 8 school buildings are located inside Johnston.
8 public school buildings sit inside Johnston: Johnston Senior High School (grades 10-12), Johnston Middle School (grades 8-9), Summit Middle School (grades 6-7), Beaver Creek Elementary School (grades K-5), Henry A Wallace Elementary School (grades PK-5), Horizon Elementary (grades K-5), Lawson Elementary School (grades K-5), Timber Ridge Elementary (grades K-5). This list comes from the Iowa Department of Education 2026-27 building directory.
Johnston has 5 elementary buildings and the assignment is made by address: Beaver Creek Elementary School, Henry A Wallace Elementary School, Horizon Elementary, Lawson Elementary School, Timber Ridge Elementary. Boundaries change as the district grows, so verify the zone for the exact property.
In Johnston CSD the high school does not begin at grade 9. Johnston Senior High School serves grades 10-12 in Johnston. Confirm the current configuration with the district before you plan around it.
Buyers weighing Johnston 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:
Wherever you land, I'm happy to help you weigh the school zones and the trade-offs that come with each - no pressure, no sales pitch. A quick 15-minute conversation is often all it takes to point you in the right direction:
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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