Maquoketa 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.

Maquoketa, Iowa - 4 schools

An equity score of 86/100 ranks Maquoketa Comm School District #9 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,517 per pupil, Maquoketa Comm School District ranks #72 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,314
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$13,517
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Maquoketa Comm School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,314 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 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 Jackson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,517 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 36.4% local, 52.5% state, and 11.0% 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 86/100, ranked #9 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.

a 255.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 31.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 83.2% White, 3.5% African American, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Briggs Elementary School, with a diversity index of 35.9/100.

Its largest campus is Maquoketa Community High School, enrolling 477 students (38% of the district's total enrollment).

Maquoketa Community High School accounts for 36.3% of all Maquoketa Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Maquoketa 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

Maquoketa Comm School District school enrollment varies 2.3× across entities

Maquoketa Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 207 students (lowest) to 477 students (highest), a spread of 270 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

Maquoketa Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 256:1 — 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 Maquoketa Comm School District is typically wider than the Maquoketa Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Maquoketa Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 31.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.0%
Federal
52.5%
State
36.4%
Local

Funding Equity

86
Equity Score
9 / 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 Maquoketa Comm School District.

White 83.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%
African American 3.5%
Multiracial 3.5%
Other 6.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 29.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Briggs Elementary School 35.9
  2. 2 Cardinal Elementary School 32.1
  3. 3 Maquoketa Middle School 26.6
  4. 4 Maquoketa Community High School 25.0

Programs & Resources

255.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Maquoketa Comm School District

School Enrollment
Maquoketa Community High School
477
Maquoketa Middle School
315
Cardinal Elementary School
260
Briggs Elementary School
207

How Maquoketa Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Spirit Lake Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Hampton-Dumont Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Saydel Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
West Liberty Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Oelwein Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Maquoketa 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 Maquoketa 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 Maquoketa Comm School District?

Maquoketa Comm School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 1 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,314 students.

How much does Maquoketa Comm School District spend per student?

Maquoketa Comm School District spends $13,517 per student. The district has an equity score of 86/100, ranking #9 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Maquoketa Comm School District?

Maquoketa Comm School District students are 83.2% White, 3.5% African American, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Maquoketa Comm School District?

Maquoketa Comm School District has an equity score of 86/100, ranking #9 out of 303 districts in Iowa.