Prairie Valley 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.

Gowrie, Iowa - 2 schools

An equity score of 55/100 ranks Prairie Valley Comm School District #140 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,949 per pupil, Prairie Valley Comm School District ranks #57 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

561
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$13,949
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Prairie Valley Comm School District operates 2 public schools serving 561 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 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 Webster County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,949 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 56.7% local, 36.1% state, and 7.2% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 55/100, ranked #140 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.

a 280.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 18.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Use the school table below to drill into any individual campus for its own demographic and resource profile.

Its largest campus is Southeast Valley High School, enrolling 331 students (59% of the district's total enrollment).

Southeast Valley High School accounts for 59.0% of all Prairie Valley Comm School District student enrollment

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

Prairie Valley Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 281:1 — 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 Prairie Valley Comm School District is typically wider than the Prairie Valley Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Prairie Valley Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 18.1% — 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 Prairie Valley Comm School District is typically wider than the Prairie Valley 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?

7.2%
Federal
36.1%
State
56.7%
Local

Funding Equity

55
Equity Score
140 / 303
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Programs & Resources

280.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
18.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Prairie Valley Comm School District

School Enrollment
Southeast Valley High School
331
Prairie Valley Elementary School
230

How Prairie Valley Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Highland Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Woodbury Central Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
North Butler Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
South Winneshiek Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Prairie Valley 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

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Compare Prairie Valley 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 Prairie Valley Comm School District?

Prairie Valley Comm School District has 2 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 561 students.

How much does Prairie Valley Comm School District spend per student?

Prairie Valley Comm School District spends $13,949 per student. The district has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #140 in Iowa.

What is the equity score for Prairie Valley Comm School District?

Prairie Valley Comm School District has an equity score of 55/100, ranking #140 out of 303 districts in Iowa.