Iowa Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
Iowa reported 473,329 students in public school districts and public charter schools for 2025-26, plus 41,892 students in accredited nonpublic schools. The statewide total across those sectors was 515,221.
Finance measures use their stated reporting periods: Iowa's 2025-26 education budget totals $7.516 billion, while the latest final U.S. Census measure shows $14,369 in current spending per public school pupil for FY2024.
Iowa Education Snapshot
Each value retains the school year or fiscal year used by its official source.
General Fund Spending by District Size
Average general fund expenditure per certified pupil, Iowa public school districts, 2023-24.
Per-Pupil Expenditure Across Six Enrollment Bands
District size bands use certified enrollment; values are nominal dollars.
Districts under 300 students reported the highest band average at $14,398 per pupil. The statewide average was $12,742.
Chart analysis
- The under-300 band reported the highest average at $14,398 per pupil.
- The 600-999 band reported the lowest average at $12,164.
- The gap between those two bands was $2,234 per pupil.
- Districts with 7,500 or more students averaged $13,232, above the statewide figure.
- The measure covers general fund expenditure and does not equal the broader Census current-spending measure.
District-Size Spending Table
Iowa Department of Education general fund expenditure divided by certified enrollment for 2023-24.
| Enrollment band | Per pupil | Difference from state | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 300 | $14,398 | +$1,656 | 2023-24 |
| 300-599 | $13,161 | +$419 | 2023-24 |
| 600-999 | $12,164 | -$578 | 2023-24 |
| 1,000-2,499 | $12,353 | -$389 | 2023-24 |
| 2,500-7,499 | $12,358 | -$384 | 2023-24 |
| 7,500+ | $13,232 | +$490 | 2023-24 |
| State | $12,742 | $0 | 2023-24 |
Table analysis
- Three size bands were above the $12,742 statewide average.
- Three size bands were below the statewide average.
- The under-300 band was 13.0% above the statewide figure.
- The 600-999 band was 4.5% below the statewide figure.
- Both the smallest and largest bands were above the state average.
- Values exclude expenditure categories omitted from the Iowa general fund per-pupil calculation.
Schools and Enrollment
State and federal counts use different collection rules and are labeled separately.
2025-26 Certified Enrollment by Sector
| Sector | Enrollment | Share | Count basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public districts and public charters | 473,329 | 91.87% | Fall certified enrollment |
| Accredited nonpublic schools | 41,892 | 8.13% | Fall certified enrollment |
| Total | 515,221 | 100.00% | Combined sectors |
Table analysis
- Public districts and charters enrolled 91.87% of the combined total.
- Accredited nonpublic schools enrolled 8.13%.
- The combined total declined by 4,800 students, or 0.92%, from 520,021 in 2024-25.
- Public district and charter enrollment declined by 1.53% from the prior year.
- Public charter enrollment accounted for 1,594 of the public-sector total.
- Certified enrollment is the Iowa funding count and can differ from an attending-student headcount.
Iowa Public School System Measures
| Measure | Value | Period | Source | Coverage note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public school districts | 325 | 2025-26 | Iowa Department of Education | Independent charter organizations excluded |
| Operating public schools | 1,318 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | All operating public schools |
| Regular operating schools | 1,304 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | School type |
| Special education schools | 1 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | School type |
| Alternative education schools | 13 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | School type |
| Full-time public school teachers | 37,892 | 2024-25 | Iowa Department of Education | Full-time teacher count |
| Average regular teacher salary | $65,220 | 2024-25 | Iowa Department of Education | Regular teacher salary |
| Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch | 42.2% | 2024-25 | Iowa Department of Education | Public K-12 students |
| English learners | 8.0% | 2024-25 | Iowa Department of Education | Public K-12 students |
Table analysis
- Regular schools made up 1,304 of 1,318 operating public schools in the NCES count.
- Iowa retained 325 public school districts in 2025-26.
- The full-time teacher count was 37,892 in 2024-25.
- The average regular teacher salary was $65,220.
- Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility reached 42.2% of public K-12 students.
- English learners represented 8.0% of public K-12 enrollment.
- NCES school counts and Iowa certified enrollment are separate collections.
Per-Pupil Finance Measures
| Measure | Iowa | Period | Source | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per pupil | $14,369 | FY2024 | U.S. Census Bureau | Current operations |
| Total expenditure per pupil | $17,804 | FY2024 | U.S. Census Bureau | Includes capital and other expenditure |
| Revenue per pupil | $17,387 | FY2024 | U.S. Census Bureau | Federal, state, and local revenue |
| General fund expenditure per pupil | $12,742 | 2023-24 | Iowa Department of Education | Iowa general fund definition |
Table analysis
- FY2024 Census current spending was $14,369 per pupil.
- FY2024 total expenditure was $3,435 per pupil above current spending.
- FY2024 revenue was $17,387 per pupil.
- Iowa's current-spending figure was $3,250 below the $17,619 U.S. figure for FY2024.
- The Iowa general fund measure uses a narrower state definition and an earlier reporting period.
- All FY2024 Census dollar values are nominal and are not adjusted for regional prices.
General Fund Revenue Mix
| Order | Revenue source | Share | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Local taxes | 30.1% | 2023-24 |
| 2 | Interagency | 6.4% | 2023-24 |
| 3 | Other local sources | 2.6% | 2023-24 |
| 4 | Intermediate sources | 0.0% | 2023-24 |
| 5 | State foundation aid | 47.3% | 2023-24 |
| 6 | Other state sources | 6.5% | 2023-24 |
| 7 | Federal sources | 6.6% | 2023-24 |
| 8 | Other financing sources | 0.5% | 2023-24 |
Table analysis
- State foundation aid supplied the largest single share at 47.3%.
- Foundation aid and other state sources together supplied 53.8%.
- Local taxes supplied 30.1%.
- Federal sources supplied 6.6%.
- All listed sources sum to 100.0% after rounding.
- The distribution applies to general fund revenue, not every education fund.
General Fund Expenditure Functions
| Function | Share | Year | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instruction | 67.4% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
| Student support services | 4.3% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
| Staff support services | 5.2% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
| Administration and central services | 10.7% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
| Operations and maintenance | 8.3% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
| Student transportation | 4.0% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
| Community services | 0.1% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
| Other support services | 0.0% | 2023-24 | General fund expenditure |
Table analysis
- Instruction accounted for 67.4% of general fund expenditure.
- Administration and central services accounted for 10.7%.
- Operations and maintenance accounted for 8.3%.
- Student and staff support services together accounted for 9.5%.
- Student transportation accounted for 4.0%.
- Function shares sum to 100.0% after rounding.
Iowa Education Budget Trend
| Budget year | Total budget | Change from prior listed year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | $3,260,918,574 | Baseline | Historical budget |
| 2024-25 | $7,429,593,489 | +127.84% | Budget |
| 2025-26 | $7,515,822,681 | +1.16% | Budget |
Budget analysis
- The 2025-26 budget totals $7.516 billion.
- The budget increased by $86.2 million from 2024-25.
- The one-year nominal increase was 1.16%.
- The 2000-01 figure is a historical baseline and is not adjusted for inflation.
- A budget is planned authority and does not equal audited expenditure.
What the Iowa Data Shows
The measures describe system size, enrollment, finance, and reporting scope without assigning causes.
Enrollment movement
Combined public, charter, and accredited nonpublic certified enrollment fell 0.92% in 2025-26. Public-sector enrollment fell while nonpublic enrollment rose.
System structure
Iowa operated 325 public school districts in 2025-26. NCES counted 1,318 operating public schools in its final 2023-24 CCD file.
Spending definitions
Census current spending, Census total expenditure, Iowa general fund expenditure, and the Iowa education budget are separate measures. Direct substitution would give a false comparison.
District scale
Both the smallest and largest enrollment bands reported above-state general fund expenditure per pupil in 2023-24. The table describes band averages, not every district.
Revenue structure
State foundation aid supplied 47.3% of general fund revenue in 2023-24. State sources together supplied 53.8%, compared with 30.1% from local taxes.
Price adjustment
Dollar figures are nominal. The source tables do not adjust Iowa values for inflation or regional price levels.
Source and Methodology
Iowa Department of Education, 2025-26 certified enrollment
2025 Condition of Education
NCES CCD school type table, 2023-24
2024 Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data
Annual Survey of School System Finances methodology
Iowa public school districts, public charter schools, accredited nonpublic schools, and public school finance measures as labeled.
Certified enrollment is an annual Iowa funding count taken in early October. NCES CCD counts operating public schools under federal reporting rules. Census finance data cover public elementary-secondary school systems for fiscal years and aggregate revenue and expenditure across systems. Iowa general fund figures come from Certified Annual Financial Reports. Percentages and displayed differences may vary by one-tenth or one dollar because of rounding.
The 2026 title identifies the publication edition, not a single common data year. Enrollment is final for 2025-26; the statewide budget is for 2025-26; Census spending is final for FY2024; and NCES school counts are final for 2023-24. Budget authority, revenue, current spending, total expenditure, and general fund expenditure are not interchangeable.