Education
Education has long been a tradition in Mount Pleasant, where lifelong learning is part of the strong foundation of its community. From early childhood development through higher education, Mount Pleasant is truly dedicated to providing only the finest educational experience possible to its residents.
Encouraging the love of learning at a young age is important here, and thanks to several exceptional daycare and preschool options in the area, young learners are afforded that opportunity. The Owl’s Nest Childcare and Preschool offers an outstanding level of care for its students, who range in age from six weeks to 12 years old. This institution provides both before- and after-school childcare programming, as well as a preschool for three and four-year-olds.
Another exceptional option for schooling is through the Mount Pleasant Christian School, a nondenominational, nonprofit educational entity. In addition to offering preschool education for three and four-year-olds, Mount Pleasant Christian School provides a full curriculum of regular academic courses for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.
The majority of the area’s students are enrolled at Mount Pleasant Community School District. The district enrolls approximately 2,300 students in its seven facilities, making it one of Iowa’s largest public school systems (36th of 370). The Mount Pleasant Community School District is composed of four elementary schools (K-5), one middle school (6-8), one high school (9-12) and one alternative high school (10-12).
Students are readily prepared for the future with a challenging curriculum that stresses technology, as well as the fundamentals of math, reading and science. Regular and enriched academics are complemented by advanced placement courses, special education, talented and gifted programming, vocational education, individualized classes and an array of extracurricular activities.
Students in the district continually score well on achievement tests, with 90 percent of students scoring at the proficient level and 25 percent scoring at the advanced proficient level. Mount Pleasant High School students regularly excel, typically scoring above national and state averages on college testing exams. In fact, students average an impressive average of 24 on the ACT test. More than 85 percent of graduating students look to continue the learning path to higher education or further training opportunities in post- secondary education.
Mount Pleasant is home to two renowned institutions of higher learning, offering first-rate education to those students who do not wish to travel far from home. A private, four-year liberal arts institution located within Mount Pleasant and affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Iowa Wesleyan College (IWC) is one of the country’s oldest colleges, having been established in 1842. IWC offers an excellent student- to-teacher ratio of 12:1, with an average class size of 14. Currently, approximately 850 full- and part-time students are enrolled at IWC, taking advantage of more than 30 majors and academic programs, plus 13 pre-professional programs.
An affordable way to begin the college years can be discovered through Southeastern Community College’s Mount Pleasant campus center. Students have access to credit courses offering opportunities for obtaining an associates or bachelor’s degree, along with an array of non-credit courses for professional development and personal enrichment. Day and evening classes allow for flexibility that allow students to work education into even the busiest schedule.
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