It was established on July 1, 2019, by the merger of the Harmony Community School District and the Van Buren Community School District.[4] The predecessor districts had begun a grade-sharing arrangement in which Harmony-zoned students attended Van Buren schools for grades 7–12 in 2016.[5] The state of Iowa had changed its scheme for funding public schools, and the numbers of students in area schools had decreased.[6]
In January 2018, the administrations of the Van Buren and Harmony districts began to consider merging. In February 2018 83% of the voters in the Van Buren and Harmony districts voted to merge, with 94% (of 637 voters) in favor in the pre-merger Van Buren district and 72% (of 619 voters) in favor in the pre-merger Harmony district.[7]
The requirement for a merge was for both districts to each have over 50% of voters in favor.[8]
There was a single superintendent and school board for both areas beginning on July 1, 2019.[7]
^"Van Buren Directory". Retrieved April 6, 2020. Elementary School - Douds Center 14574 Jefferson Street Douds IA 52551 [...] Elementary School - Harmony Center 33727 Route J40 Farmington IA 52626[...]Middle School 405 Fourth Street Keosauqua IA 52565 [...] High School 405 Fourth Street Keosauqua IA 52565 - Compare the elementary school's address to the Leando CDP map