Union 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.

La Porte City, Iowa - 4 schools

An equity score of 59/100 ranks Union Comm School District #117 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,522 per pupil, Union Comm School District ranks #157 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,008
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$12,522
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Union Comm School District operates 4 public schools serving 1,008 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 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 Black Hawk County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,522 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 42.2% local, 49.4% state, and 8.4% 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 59/100, ranked #117 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 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), a 238:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 25.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.5% White, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School, with a diversity index of 19.5/100.

Its largest campus is Union High School, enrolling 279 students (29% of the district's total enrollment).

Union High School accounts for 27.7% of all Union Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Union 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

Union Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 238:1 — 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

Union Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 25.7% — 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 Union Comm School District is typically wider than the Union 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?

8.4%
Federal
49.4%
State
42.2%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
117 / 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 4 schools in Union Comm School District.

White 91.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
African American 0.6%
Multiracial 3.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 15.9/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School 19.5
  2. 2 Union High School 16.1
  3. 3 La Porte City Elementary School 14.5
  4. 4 Union Middle School 13.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
238:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
25.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Union Comm School District

School Enrollment
Union High School
279
La Porte City Elementary School
260
Dysart-Geneseo Elementary School
219
Union Middle School
194

How Union Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Eagle Grove Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Osage Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
West Lyon Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Camanche Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Denver Comm School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Union 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 Union 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 Union Comm School District?

Union Comm School District has 4 schools, including 1 high, 2 combined, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,008 students.

How much does Union Comm School District spend per student?

Union Comm School District spends $12,522 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #117 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Union Comm School District?

Union Comm School District students are 91.5% White, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Union Comm School District?

Union Comm School District has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #117 out of 303 districts in Iowa.