Forest City 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.

Forest City, Iowa - 3 schools

An equity score of 57/100 ranks Forest City Comm School District #129 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,100 per pupil, Forest City Comm School District ranks #203 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,141
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,100
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Forest City Comm School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,141 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high 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 Winnebago County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,100 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 42.3% local, 47.7% state, and 10.0% 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 57/100, ranked #129 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 362.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 15.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 82.5% White, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Forest City Elementary School, with a diversity index of 35.3/100.

Its largest campus is Forest City Elementary School, enrolling 448 students (41% of the district's total enrollment).

Forest City Elementary School accounts for 39.3% of all Forest City Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Forest City 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

Forest City Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 363:1 — 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

Forest City Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 15.9% — 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 Forest City Comm School District is typically wider than the Forest City 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?

10.0%
Federal
47.7%
State
42.3%
Local

Funding Equity

57
Equity Score
129 / 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 3 schools in Forest City Comm School District.

White 82.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%
African American 1.1%
Asian 1.1%
Multiracial 5.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 30.5/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Forest City Elementary School 35.3
  2. 2 Forest City Middle School 28.2
  3. 3 Forest City High School 28.0

Programs & Resources

362.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
15.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Forest City Comm School District

School Enrollment
Forest City Elementary School
448
Forest City Middle School
330
Forest City High School
304

How Forest City Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Pcm Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Roland-Story Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Albia Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Allamakee Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
North Fayette Valley Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Forest City 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 Forest City 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 Forest City Comm School District?

Forest City Comm School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high. Total enrollment is 1,141 students.

How much does Forest City Comm School District spend per student?

Forest City Comm School District spends $12,100 per student. The district has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #129 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Forest City Comm School District?

Forest City Comm School District students are 82.5% White, 9.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% African American, 1.1% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Forest City Comm School District?

Forest City Comm School District has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #129 out of 303 districts in Iowa.