Iowa 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.

Iowa City, Iowa - 29 schools

An equity score of 72/100 ranks Iowa City Comm School District #44 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,920 per pupil, Iowa City Comm School District ranks #58 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

14,805
Total Enrollment
29
Schools
$13,920
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Iowa City Comm School District operates 29 public schools serving 14,805 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 19 combined, 4 high, 3 middle, 3 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Johnson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,920 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 45.7% local, 41.5% state, and 12.8% 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 72/100, ranked #44 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 4 of 29 schools offering Advanced Placement (67 AP courses district-wide), a 359.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 27.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 48.4% White, 26.3% African American, 14.1% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Central Elementary School, with a diversity index of 71.2/100.

Its largest campus is Iowa City High School, enrolling 1,666 students (11% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Hills Elementary School, at 141 students, a 12x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Iowa City Comm School District school enrollment varies 12× across entities

Iowa City Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 141 students (lowest) to 1,666 students (highest), a spread of 1,525 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Iowa City Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 360:1 — 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

Iowa City Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 27.1% — 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 Iowa City Comm School District is typically wider than the Iowa 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?

12.8%
Federal
41.5%
State
45.7%
Local

Funding Equity

72
Equity Score
44 / 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 29 schools in Iowa City Comm School District.

White 48.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.1%
African American 26.3%
Asian 4.5%
Multiracial 6.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 62.2/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Central Elementary School 71.2
  2. 2 Northwest Junior High School 70.0
  3. 3 Elizabeth Tate Alt. High School 69.8
  4. 4 Alexander Elementary 69.3
  5. 5 West Senior High School 69.1

Programs & Resources

4 / 29
Schools with AP
67 AP courses total
359.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Iowa City Comm School District

School Enrollment
Iowa City High School
1,666
West Senior High School
1,514
Liberty High School
1,286
Southeast Junior High School
1,269
Northwest Junior High School
1,113
North Central Junior High School
925
Penn Elementary School
512
Herbert Hoover Elementary School
464
Weber Elementary
456
Ernest Horn Elementary School
453
Alexander Elementary
436
Christine Grant Elementary
426
Norman Borlaug Elementary School
405
James Van Allen Elementary School
376
Buford Garner Elementary
344
Central Elementary School
343
Helen Lemme Elementary School
340
Longfellow Elementary School
325
Wickham Elementary
315
Grant Wood Elementary School
306
Kirkwood Elementary School
270
Robert Lucas Elementary School
245
Lincoln Elementary School
217
Mark Twain Elementary
213
Horace Mann Elementary School
207
Bohumil Shimek Elementary School
181
Elizabeth Tate Alt. High School
180
Iccsd Pk-12 Online Learning Program
173
Hills Elementary School
141

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

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Sioux City Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Davenport Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Cedar Rapids Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Waukee Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Ankeny Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

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

Iowa City Comm School District has 29 schools, including 4 high, 3 middle, 19 combined, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 14,805 students.

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

Iowa City Comm School District spends $13,920 per student. The district has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #44 in Iowa.

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

Iowa City Comm School District students are 48.4% White, 26.3% African American, 14.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.5% Asian, averaged across 29 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

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

Iowa City Comm School District has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #44 out of 303 districts in Iowa.