Oskaloosa 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.

Oskaloosa, Iowa - 5 schools

An equity score of 52/100 ranks Oskaloosa Comm School District #154 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,439 per pupil, Oskaloosa Comm School District ranks #164 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,115
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$12,439
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Oskaloosa Comm School District operates 5 public schools serving 2,115 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Mahaska County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,439 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 32.9% local, 55.9% state, and 11.2% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 52/100, ranked #154 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 2 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), a 241.6:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 38.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.8% White, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.1% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Oskaloosa Early Childhood Center - Pk, with a diversity index of 31.0/100.

Its largest campus is Oskaloosa Elementary School, enrolling 903 students (43% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Oskaloosa Virtual Academy, at 42 students, a 22x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Oskaloosa Elementary School accounts for 42.7% of all Oskaloosa Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Oskaloosa Comm School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Oskaloosa Comm School District school enrollment varies 22× across entities

Oskaloosa Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 42 students (lowest) to 903 students (highest), a spread of 861 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Oskaloosa Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 242:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

Oskaloosa Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 38.8% — 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?

11.2%
Federal
55.9%
State
32.9%
Local

Funding Equity

52
Equity Score
154 / 303
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Oskaloosa Comm School District.

White 84.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
African American 2.1%
Asian 1.9%
Multiracial 6.5%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 27.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Oskaloosa Early Childhood Center - Pk 31.0
  2. 2 Oskaloosa Elementary School 27.8
  3. 3 Oskaloosa Middle School 26.4
  4. 4 Oskaloosa High School 24.5

Programs & Resources

2 / 5
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
241.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
38.8%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Oskaloosa Comm School District

School Enrollment
Oskaloosa Elementary School
903
Oskaloosa High School
632
Oskaloosa Middle School
404
Oskaloosa Early Childhood Center - Pk
109
Oskaloosa Virtual Academy
42

How Oskaloosa Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Glenwood Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Boone Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Marion Independent School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
North Polk Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Adel Desoto Minburn Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Oskaloosa 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 Oskaloosa 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 Oskaloosa Comm School District?

Oskaloosa Comm School District has 5 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 2,115 students.

How much does Oskaloosa Comm School District spend per student?

Oskaloosa Comm School District spends $12,439 per student. The district has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #154 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Oskaloosa Comm School District?

Oskaloosa Comm School District students are 84.8% White, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.1% African American, 1.9% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Oskaloosa Comm School District?

Oskaloosa Comm School District has an equity score of 52/100, ranking #154 out of 303 districts in Iowa.