West Delaware 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.

Manchester, Iowa - 3 schools

An equity score of 70/100 ranks West Delaware County Comm School District #53 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,945 per pupil, West Delaware County Comm School District ranks #119 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,380
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,945
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

West Delaware County Comm School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,380 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary 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 Delaware County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,945 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 41.1% local, 48.9% state, and 10.0% 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 #53 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.

a 358.7:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 21.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 89.8% White, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 2.8% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lambert Elementary School, with a diversity index of 28.0/100.

Its largest campus is Lambert Elementary School, enrolling 449 students (36% of the district's total enrollment).

Lambert Elementary School accounts for 32.5% of all West Delaware County Comm School District student enrollment

That dominant concentration means West Delaware 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

West Delaware County Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 359:1 — 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

West Delaware County Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 21.7% — 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 West Delaware County Comm School District is typically wider than the West Delaware 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?

10.0%
Federal
48.9%
State
41.1%
Local

Funding Equity

70
Equity Score
53 / 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 West Delaware County Comm School District.

White 89.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%
African American 2.8%
Multiracial 3.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 18.8/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lambert Elementary School 28.0
  2. 2 West Delaware High School 15.2
  3. 3 West Delaware Middle School 13.2

Programs & Resources

358.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
21.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in West Delaware County Comm School District

School Enrollment
Lambert Elementary School
449
West Delaware High School
436
West Delaware Middle School
378

How West Delaware County Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Clarke Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Mount Vernon Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Centerville Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Oelwein Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Saydel Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to West Delaware 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 West Delaware 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 West Delaware County Comm School District?

West Delaware County Comm School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 1,380 students.

How much does West Delaware County Comm School District spend per student?

West Delaware County Comm School District spends $12,945 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #53 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of West Delaware County Comm School District?

West Delaware County Comm School District students are 89.8% White, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 2.8% African American, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for West Delaware County Comm School District?

West Delaware County Comm School District has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #53 out of 303 districts in Iowa.