Fairfield’s Maharishi School is now ranked the #1 Best Private High School in Iowa, the #1 Best K-12 Private School in Iowa, and the Most Diverse Private School in Iowa for 2019, according to Niche.com Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The school, which features the Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) program in its educational approach, received top grades in numerous areas. Evaluators considered Academics (A+), Diversity (A+), Teachers (B+), College Prep (A+), Clubs & Activities (A), and Sports (B-) in arriving at their conclusions. Niche examines millions of reviews and public data to produce its findings.

These results reflect growth since 2017, when the school placed second in rankings of 27 Iowa schools. The school also reports that 98 percent of its students go on to attend a four-year college.

“Our students and teachers take time to transcend twice a day, with the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique and yoga. This allows everyone at the school to gain deep rest and dissolve stress before it accumulates.” —Richard Beall, Ph.D., School Head

Unique Curriculum Develops All Aspects of the Self 

The innovative Preschool-12 day and boarding school combines college preparatory academics and inner development, “where students think deeply and become creative, compassionate, contributing citizens of the world,” according to the school website.

“Our students and teachers take time to transcend twice a day, with the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique and yoga. This allows everyone at the school to gain deep rest and dissolve stress before it accumulates,” says Richard Beall, Ph.D., School Head.

“We systematically expand the container of knowledge, the student’s own consciousness,” he adds. “With this expansion, absorbing new ideas becomes simpler, friendships deepen, and you start to understand how you are connected to and interconnected with the world. We call this Consciousness-Based EducationSM, because expanding consciousness is a game-changer.”

Learn more about Maharishi School programs, students, and faculty ►

Student Creativity in Action 

Maharishi School students have produced a series of fun videos that showcase various aspects of the school’s curriculum.

Here they dramatize what project-based learning looks like (2:44)

This Halloween-inspired production shows how the TM technique enhances student life and helps kids connect with their inner self (3:15)