Carlisle 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.

Carlisle, Iowa - 4 schools

An equity score of 29/100 ranks Carlisle Comm School District #245 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,562 per pupil, Carlisle Comm School District ranks #316 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,369
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$10,562
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Carlisle Comm School District operates 4 public schools serving 2,369 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 Warren County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,562 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 33 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending. See how Iowa compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 34.0% local, 56.1% state, and 9.9% 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 29/100, ranked #245 of 303 in Iowa against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (10 AP courses district-wide), a 380.2:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 19.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 80.1% White, 10.5% Hispanic or Latino, 4.1% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Carlisle Middle School, with a diversity index of 37.1/100.

Its largest campus is Carlisle High School, enrolling 754 students (33% of the district's total enrollment).

Carlisle High School accounts for 31.8% of all Carlisle Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Carlisle 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

Carlisle Comm School District school enrollment varies 2.5× across entities

Carlisle Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 303 students (lowest) to 754 students (highest), a spread of 451 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

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

Carlisle Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 380:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Carlisle Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 19.0% — 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 Carlisle Comm School District is typically wider than the Carlisle 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?

9.9%
Federal
56.1%
State
34.0%
Local

Funding Equity

29
Equity Score
245 / 303
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Carlisle Comm School District.

White 80.1%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
African American 1.6%
Asian 4.1%
Multiracial 3.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 34.4/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Carlisle Comm School District's schools, about the same as the Iowa average of 33.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Carlisle Middle School 37.1
  2. 2 Carlisle Elementary School 36.7
  3. 3 Hartford Upper Elementary 32.1
  4. 4 Carlisle High School 31.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
10 AP courses total
380.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Carlisle Comm School District

School Enrollment
Carlisle High School
754
Carlisle Elementary School
715
Carlisle Middle School
518
Hartford Upper Elementary
303

How Carlisle Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Waverly-Shell Rock Comm School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Spencer Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Le Mars Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Denison Comm School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Adel Desoto Minburn Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Carlisle 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 Carlisle 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 Carlisle Comm School District?

Carlisle Comm School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,369 students.

How much does Carlisle Comm School District spend per student?

Carlisle Comm School District spends $10,562 per student. The district has an equity score of 29/100, ranking #245 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Carlisle Comm School District?

Carlisle Comm School District students are 80.1% White, 10.5% Hispanic or Latino, 4.1% Asian, 1.6% African American, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Carlisle Comm School District?

Carlisle Comm School District has an equity score of 29/100, ranking #245 out of 303 districts in Iowa.