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Melcher-Dallas, Iowa - 2 schools
An equity score of 57/100 ranks Melcher-Dallas Comm School District #133 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,568 per pupil, Melcher-Dallas Comm School District ranks #152 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
330
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$12,568
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Melcher-Dallas Comm School District operates 2 public schools serving 330 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 Marion County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,568 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 45.9% local, 44.7% state, and 9.4% 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 57/100, ranked #133 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.
and 29.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 97.1% White, 1.6% African American, 0.3% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.
Its largest campus is Melcher-Dallas Elem, enrolling 157 students (51% of the district's total enrollment).
Melcher-Dallas Elem accounts for 47.6% of all Melcher-Dallas Comm School District student enrollment
That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Melcher-Dallas Comm School District a distant remainder — means Melcher-Dallas 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.
Melcher-Dallas Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 29.7% — 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 Melcher-Dallas Comm School District is typically wider than the Melcher-Dallas Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Comparisons are relative to Melcher-Dallas 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.
How many schools are in Melcher-Dallas Comm School District?
Melcher-Dallas Comm School District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 330 students.
How much does Melcher-Dallas Comm School District spend per student?
Melcher-Dallas Comm School District spends $12,568 per student. The district has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #133 in Iowa.
What is the demographic composition of Melcher-Dallas Comm School District?
Melcher-Dallas Comm School District students are 97.1% White, 1.6% African American, 0.3% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Melcher-Dallas Comm School District?
Melcher-Dallas Comm School District has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #133 out of 303 districts in Iowa.