Adair County Schools & Education
Adair County, Iowa
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
58/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
91.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
91.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 92.3%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,757
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,591
School Score
58/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 61/100
State Score Position
#66
of 99 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Adair County
Measured School Summary
Adair County performs at an average level with a school score of 58/100 and a solid graduation rate of 91.0%.
Funding Context
At $7,757 per pupil, Adair County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 5% below the Iowa average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.3 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 2% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Adair County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
5 public schools and 2 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
58/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #66 of 99 Iowa counties with school score data.
Completion
91.0%
1.3 pts below the state average
Funding context
$7,757
$166 above the state average
School coverage
5
2 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Adair County has 5 public schools across 2 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Adair County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Small-system county
Adair County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#66
of 99 Iowa counties with school score data. The county score is 3 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Nodaway Valley Comm School District
Elementary to high school visible
621 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
Orient-Macksburg Comm School District
Elementary and high visible
150 students
2 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Nodaway Valley Comm School District is the largest listed district slice, with 3 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Adair County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Adair County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Adair County, Iowa
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Concentrated Rural Education Network
Adair County operates five public schools across two school districts, serving a total of 771 students. This small-scale infrastructure includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools.
High Graduation Rates with Efficient Spending
The county boasts a 91.0% graduation rate, which beats the national average of 87.0% but falls just shy of the Iowa state average. Education investment remains efficient at $7,757 per pupil, slightly exceeding the state average of $7,591 while remaining far below the $13,000 national benchmark.
Focus on the Nodaway Valley District
Nodaway Valley Community School District is the county's largest, educating 621 students across its three schools. No charter schools currently operate here, meaning 100% of the county's infrastructure is traditionally district-run.
An Intimate Rural Learning Environment
All five schools are classified as rural, offering an intimate average size of only 154 students per school. The largest facility is Nodaway Valley Elementary with 296 students, while Orient-Macksburg Senior High provides a highly personalized setting with just 66 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
5
in Adair County
Reported Enrollment
771
5 schools reporting
School Districts
2
districts
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
2 School Districts in Adair County
Nodaway Valley Comm School District
Orient-Macksburg Comm School District
5 Public Schools in Adair County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 5 of 5 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nodaway Valley Elementary School | Record | Nodaway Valley Comm School District | Greenfield, 50849Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 296 |
| Nodaway Valley High School | Record | Nodaway Valley Comm School District | Greenfield, 50849Rural: Remote | 9–12 | High | 193 |
| Nodaway Valley Middle School | Record | Nodaway Valley Comm School District | Fontanelle, 50846Rural: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 132 |
| Orient Elementary School | Record | Orient-Macksburg Comm School District | Orient, 50858Rural: Distant | PK–6 | Primary | 84 |
| Orient-Macksburg Senior High School | Record | Orient-Macksburg Comm School District | Orient, 50858Rural: Distant | 7–12 | High | 66 |
Nodaway Valley Elementary School
Nodaway Valley Comm School District
Greenfield, 50849 / Rural: Remote
Nodaway Valley High School
Nodaway Valley Comm School District
Greenfield, 50849 / Rural: Remote
Nodaway Valley Middle School
Nodaway Valley Comm School District
Fontanelle, 50846 / Rural: Remote
Orient Elementary School
Orient-Macksburg Comm School District
Orient, 50858 / Rural: Distant
Orient-Macksburg Senior High School
Orient-Macksburg Comm School District
Orient, 50858 / Rural: Distant
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,757
State avg $7,591
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Adair County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Iowa counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Iowa?
How should I read the school score in Adair County?
What is the graduation rate in Adair County?
How much does Adair County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Adair County, Iowa — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Adair County, Iowa?
Adair County operates five public schools across two school districts, serving a total of 771 students. This small-scale infrastructure includes two elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools.
How do schools in Adair County perform academically?
The county boasts a 91.0% graduation rate, which beats the national average of 87.0% but falls just shy of the Iowa state average. Education investment remains efficient at $7,757 per pupil, slightly exceeding the state average of $7,591 while remaining far below the $13,000 national benchmark.
What are the major school districts in Adair County, Iowa?
Nodaway Valley Community School District is the county's largest, educating 621 students across its three schools. No charter schools currently operate here, meaning 100% of the county's infrastructure is traditionally district-run.
What is the school experience like in Adair County?
All five schools are classified as rural, offering an intimate average size of only 154 students per school. The largest facility is Nodaway Valley Elementary with 296 students, while Orient-Macksburg Senior High provides a highly personalized setting with just 66 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.