North Tama County 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.

Traer, Iowa - 2 schools

An equity score of 70/100 ranks North Tama County Comm School District #57 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,889 per pupil, North Tama County Comm School District ranks #122 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

476
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$12,889
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

North Tama County Comm School District operates 2 public schools serving 476 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 Tama County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,889 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 42.8% local, 46.3% state, and 10.9% 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 70/100, ranked #57 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 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (1 AP courses district-wide), a 446.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 18.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.7% White, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is North Tama Elementary, enrolling 276 students (58% of the district's total enrollment).

North Tama Elementary accounts for 57.6% of all North Tama County Comm School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of North Tama County Comm School District a distant remainder — means North Tama County 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 Tama County Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 447:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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

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

North Tama County Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 18.0% — 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 North Tama County Comm School District is typically wider than the North Tama County 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?

10.9%
Federal
46.3%
State
42.8%
Local

Funding Equity

70
Equity Score
57 / 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 2 schools in North Tama County Comm School District.

White 92.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%
Multiracial 2.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 2
Schools with AP
1 AP courses total
446.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in North Tama County Comm School District

School Enrollment
North Tama Elementary
276
North Tama High School
203

How North Tama County Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Gmg Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Belle Plaine Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Central Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
North Iowa Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Guthrie Center Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to North Tama County 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 Tama County 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 Tama County Comm School District?

North Tama County Comm School District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 476 students.

How much does North Tama County Comm School District spend per student?

North Tama County Comm School District spends $12,889 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #57 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of North Tama County Comm School District?

North Tama County Comm School District students are 92.7% White, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for North Tama County Comm School District?

North Tama County Comm School District has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #57 out of 303 districts in Iowa.