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Harlan, Iowa - 4 schools
An equity score of 43/100 ranks Harlan Comm School District #181 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $11,794 per pupil, Harlan Comm School District ranks #232 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
1,514
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$11,794
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Harlan Comm School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,514 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 Shelby County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,794 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 39.7% local, 48.7% state, and 11.6% 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 43/100, ranked #181 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.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 306.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 20.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.8% White, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Harlan Primary, with a diversity index of 32.9/100.
Its largest campus is Harlan High School, enrolling 486 students (33% of the district's total enrollment).
Harlan High School accounts for 32.1% of all Harlan Comm School District student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Harlan 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.
Harlan Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 307:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within Harlan Comm School District is typically wider than the Harlan Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Harlan Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 20.9% — 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 Harlan Comm School District is typically wider than the Harlan Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in Harlan Comm School District?
Harlan Comm School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,514 students.
How much does Harlan Comm School District spend per student?
Harlan Comm School District spends $11,794 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #181 in Iowa.
What is the demographic composition of Harlan Comm School District?
Harlan Comm School District students are 84.8% White, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Harlan Comm School District?
Harlan Comm School District has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #181 out of 303 districts in Iowa.