Emmetsburg 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.

Emmetsburg, Iowa - 3 schools

An equity score of 34/100 ranks Emmetsburg Comm School District #226 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,661 per pupil, Emmetsburg Comm School District ranks #247 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

790
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$11,661
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Emmetsburg Comm School District operates 3 public schools serving 790 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 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 Palo Alto County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,661 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 49.9% local, 38.0% state, and 12.1% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 34/100, ranked #226 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 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 243.4:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 16.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.3% White, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Emmetsburg High School, with a diversity index of 24.8/100.

Its largest campus is West Elementary School, enrolling 293 students (40% of the district's total enrollment).

West Elementary School accounts for 37.1% of all Emmetsburg Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Emmetsburg Comm School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Emmetsburg Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 243:1 — 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

Emmetsburg Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 16.6% — 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 Emmetsburg Comm School District is typically wider than the Emmetsburg 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?

12.1%
Federal
38.0%
State
49.9%
Local

Funding Equity

34
Equity Score
226 / 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 3 schools in Emmetsburg Comm School District.

White 88.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%
African American 0.9%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 2.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 21.5/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Emmetsburg High School 24.8
  2. 2 West Elementary School 20.1
  3. 3 Emmetsburg Middle School 19.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
243.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Emmetsburg Comm School District

School Enrollment
West Elementary School
293
Emmetsburg High School
235
Emmetsburg Middle School
199

How Emmetsburg Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Treynor Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Central Lyon Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Manson Northwest Webster Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Pleasantville Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
West Sioux Comm School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Emmetsburg 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 Emmetsburg 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 Emmetsburg Comm School District?

Emmetsburg Comm School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 790 students.

How much does Emmetsburg Comm School District spend per student?

Emmetsburg Comm School District spends $11,661 per student. The district has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #226 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Emmetsburg Comm School District?

Emmetsburg Comm School District students are 88.3% White, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.5% Asian, 0.9% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Emmetsburg Comm School District?

Emmetsburg Comm School District has an equity score of 34/100, ranking #226 out of 303 districts in Iowa.