North Cedar 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.

Stanwood, Iowa - 3 schools

An equity score of 77/100 ranks North Cedar Comm School District #32 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,715 per pupil, North Cedar Comm School District ranks #29 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

631
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$14,715
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

North Cedar Comm School District operates 3 public schools serving 631 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 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 Cedar County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,715 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 33 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending. See how Iowa compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 48.6% local, 42.5% state, and 8.9% 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 77/100, ranked #32 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 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), and 35.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.7% White, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is North Cedar Mechanicsville Elem Ctr, with a diversity index of 16.2/100.

Its largest campus is North Cedar Jr/Sr High School, enrolling 243 students (44% of the district's total enrollment).

North Cedar Jr/Sr High School accounts for 38.5% of all North Cedar Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means North Cedar 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

North Cedar Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 35.0% — 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?

8.9%
Federal
42.5%
State
48.6%
Local

Funding Equity

77
Equity Score
32 / 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 3 schools in North Cedar Comm School District.

White 92.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%
African American 1.6%
Multiracial 2.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 13.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 North Cedar Mechanicsville Elem Ctr 16.2
  2. 2 North Cedar Jr/Sr High School 14.1
  3. 3 North Cedar Lowden Elementary Center 11.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
35.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in North Cedar Comm School District

School Enrollment
North Cedar Jr/Sr High School
243
North Cedar Lowden Elementary Center
168
North Cedar Mechanicsville Elem Ctr
139

How North Cedar Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Boyden-Hull Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Mount Ayr Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
West Monona Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Earlham Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Wayne Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to North Cedar 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 North Cedar 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 North Cedar Comm School District?

North Cedar Comm School District has 3 schools, including 3 combined. Total enrollment is 631 students.

How much does North Cedar Comm School District spend per student?

North Cedar Comm School District spends $14,715 per student. The district has an equity score of 77/100, ranking #32 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of North Cedar Comm School District?

North Cedar Comm School District students are 92.7% White, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for North Cedar Comm School District?

North Cedar Comm School District has an equity score of 77/100, ranking #32 out of 303 districts in Iowa.