Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Parkersburg, Iowa - 4 schools

An equity score of 46/100 ranks Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District #173 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,443 per pupil, Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District ranks #267 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

876
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$11,443
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District operates 4 public schools serving 876 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Butler County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,443 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending. See how Iowa compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 38.8% local, 51.6% state, and 9.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 46/100, ranked #173 of 303 in Iowa against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 235.1:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 17.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.0% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Parkersburg Elementary School, with a diversity index of 19.2/100.

Its largest campus is Aplington-Parkersburg High School, enrolling 247 students (30% of the district's total enrollment).

Aplington-Parkersburg High School accounts for 28.2% of all Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 235:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 17.2% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District is typically wider than the Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.6%
Federal
51.6%
State
38.8%
Local

Funding Equity

46
Equity Score
173 / 303
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District.

White 92.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
African American 1.4%
Multiracial 3.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 15.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District's schools, below the Iowa average of 33.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Parkersburg Elementary School 19.2
  2. 2 Aplington Elementary School 19.2
  3. 3 Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School 13.5
  4. 4 Aplington-Parkersburg High School 8.0

Programs & Resources

235.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

School Enrollment
Aplington-Parkersburg High School
247
Parkersburg Elementary School
211
Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School
198
Aplington Elementary School
165

How Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
West Branch Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Northeast Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Van Buren County Comm School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Hudson Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mfl Marmac Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Iowa

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Des Moines Independent Comm School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District?

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 876 students.

How much does Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District spend per student?

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District spends $11,443 per student. The district has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #173 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District?

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District students are 92.0% White, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District?

Aplington-Parkersburg Comm School District has an equity score of 46/100, ranking #173 out of 303 districts in Iowa.