Fairfield 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.

Fairfield, Iowa - 4 schools

An equity score of 79/100 ranks Fairfield Comm School District #24 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,725 per pupil, Fairfield Comm School District ranks #64 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,525
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$13,725
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Fairfield Comm School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,525 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 combined 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 Jefferson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,725 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending. See how Iowa compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 42.1% local, 43.0% state, and 14.9% 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 79/100, ranked #24 of 303 in Iowa against a state average of 50, notably more 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 (4 AP courses district-wide), a 248.2:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 24.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 78.4% White, 8.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.4% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Washington Elementary, with a diversity index of 43.9/100.

Its largest campus is Fairfield High School, enrolling 442 students (31% of the district's total enrollment).

Fairfield High School accounts for 29.0% of all Fairfield Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Fairfield 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

Fairfield Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 248:1 — 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

Fairfield Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 24.6% — 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 Fairfield Comm School District is typically wider than the Fairfield 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?

14.9%
Federal
43.0%
State
42.1%
Local

Funding Equity

79
Equity Score
24 / 303
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

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

White 78.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
African American 1.9%
Asian 4.4%
Multiracial 7.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 37.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Washington Elementary 43.9
  2. 2 Pence Elementary 36.4
  3. 3 Fairfield Middle School 35.6
  4. 4 Fairfield High School 32.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
248.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
24.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Fairfield Comm School District

School Enrollment
Fairfield High School
442
Fairfield Middle School
410
Pence Elementary
317
Washington Elementary
239

How Fairfield Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Solon Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Humboldt Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Harlan Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Charles City Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Nevada Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield Comm School District?

Fairfield Comm School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 2 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 1,525 students.

How much does Fairfield Comm School District spend per student?

Fairfield Comm School District spends $13,725 per student. The district has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #24 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Fairfield Comm School District?

Fairfield Comm School District students are 78.4% White, 8.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.4% Asian, 1.9% African American, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Fairfield Comm School District?

Fairfield Comm School District has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #24 out of 303 districts in Iowa.