Martensdale-St Marys 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.

Martensdale, Iowa - 2 schools

An equity score of 37/100 ranks Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District #214 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,151 per pupil, Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District ranks #198 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

580
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$12,151
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District operates 2 public schools serving 580 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 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 $12,151 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 48.1% local, 43.2% state, and 8.7% 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 37/100, ranked #214 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.

a 266:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.9% White, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Martensdale Elementary School, enrolling 307 students (58% of the district's total enrollment).

Martensdale Elementary School accounts for 52.9% of all Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District a distant remainder — means Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 266:1 — 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 Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District is typically wider than the Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 22.9% — 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 Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District is typically wider than the Martensdale-St Marys 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?

8.7%
Federal
43.2%
State
48.1%
Local

Funding Equity

37
Equity Score
214 / 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 2 schools in Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District.

White 91.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
African American 0.8%
Multiracial 2.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

266:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
22.9%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District

School Enrollment
Martensdale Elementary School
307
Martensdale-St Marys Jr-Sr High School
225

How Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Nashua-Plainfield Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Newell-Fonda Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
East Buchanan Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
South O'brien Comm School District Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Starmont Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Martensdale-St Marys 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 Martensdale-St Marys 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 Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District?

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 580 students.

How much does Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District spend per student?

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District spends $12,151 per student. The district has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #214 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District?

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District students are 91.9% White, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District?

Martensdale-St Marys Comm School District has an equity score of 37/100, ranking #214 out of 303 districts in Iowa.