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Marion, Iowa - 5 schools
An equity score of 54/100 ranks Marion Independent School District #144 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,964 per pupil, Marion Independent School District ranks #115 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
2,229
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$12,964
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Marion Independent School District operates 5 public schools serving 2,229 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 1 high, 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 Linn County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,964 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 47.7% local, 43.1% state, and 9.2% 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 54/100, ranked #144 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 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 302.8:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 25.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 78.1% White, 6.6% African American, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Starry Elementary School, with a diversity index of 44.2/100.
Its largest campus is Marion High School, enrolling 735 students (34% of the district's total enrollment).
Marion High School accounts for 33.0% of all Marion Independent School District student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Marion Independent 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.
Marion Independent School District school enrollment varies 2.9× across entities
Marion Independent School District school enrollment ranges from 254 students (lowest) to 735 students (highest), a spread of 481 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.
Marion Independent School District student-counselor ratio is 303:1 — 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 Marion Independent School District is typically wider than the Marion Independent School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Marion Independent School District chronic absenteeism rate is 25.0% — 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 Marion Independent School District is typically wider than the Marion Independent School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Comparisons are relative to Marion Independent 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.
How many schools are in Marion Independent School District?
Marion Independent School District has 5 schools, including 1 high, 3 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 2,229 students.
How much does Marion Independent School District spend per student?
Marion Independent School District spends $12,964 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #144 in Iowa.
What is the demographic composition of Marion Independent School District?
Marion Independent School District students are 78.1% White, 6.6% African American, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Marion Independent School District?
Marion Independent School District has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #144 out of 303 districts in Iowa.