Indianola 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.

Indianola, Iowa - 6 schools

An equity score of 35/100 ranks Indianola Comm School District #220 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,417 per pupil, Indianola Comm School District ranks #269 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,665
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$11,417
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Indianola Comm School District operates 6 public schools serving 3,665 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 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 Warren County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,417 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, 52.4% state, and 7.9% 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 35/100, ranked #220 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 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 368.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 19.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.6% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Whittier Elementary School, with a diversity index of 25.8/100.

Its largest campus is Indianola High School, enrolling 1,165 students (32% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Whittier Elementary School, at 369 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

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

That dominant concentration means Indianola 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

Indianola Comm School District school enrollment varies 3.2× across entities

Indianola Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 369 students (lowest) to 1,165 students (highest), a spread of 796 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

Indianola Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 369:1 — 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

Indianola Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 19.9% — 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 Indianola Comm School District is typically wider than the Indianola 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?

7.9%
Federal
52.4%
State
39.7%
Local

Funding Equity

35
Equity Score
220 / 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 6 schools in Indianola Comm School District.

White 88.6%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 4.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 20.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Whittier Elementary School 25.8
  2. 2 Emerson Elementary School 22.2
  3. 3 Wilder Elementary School 21.6
  4. 4 Indianola Middle School 21.2
  5. 5 Indianola High School 20.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
368.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Indianola Comm School District

School Enrollment
Indianola High School
1,165
Indianola Middle School
818
Wilder Elementary School
456
Emerson Elementary School
396
Irving Elementary School
395
Whittier Elementary School
369

How Indianola Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Fort Dodge Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mason City Comm School District Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Western Dubuque Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Norwalk Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dallas Center-Grimes Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Indianola 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 Indianola 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 Indianola Comm School District?

Indianola Comm School District has 6 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 3,665 students.

How much does Indianola Comm School District spend per student?

Indianola Comm School District spends $11,417 per student. The district has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #220 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Indianola Comm School District?

Indianola Comm School District students are 88.6% White, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Indianola Comm School District?

Indianola Comm School District has an equity score of 35/100, ranking #220 out of 303 districts in Iowa.