[citation needed] Ankeny Schools are accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (AdvancEd) and the Iowa Department of Education, and are part of the Central Iowa Metro League (CIML).

[4] The district serves most of Ankeny, a very small portion of Polk City,[5] and also a section of the Saylorville census-designated place.

Ankeny's first school was located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) south of town where the east entrance of the Iowa State Experimental farm joined Highway 69.

This school was later re-located on the east side of Ankeny Boulevard, just south of First Street.

Records show that Mr. A. H. Feigenbaum was one of the early teachers, serving in one of the one-room schools about 1880.

Additional buildings include (in order of opening): In 2009, construction began on the new Ankeny High School in Prairie Trail, and construction on the new Ankeny Centennial High School began with a groundbreaking ceremony on September 1, 2010.

At the same time, East Elementary School was expanded to accommodate three sections of students at each grade level (K-5).