The district was established on July 1, 2011, by the merger of North Central Community School District and Nora Springs–Rock Falls Community School District.[4] The vote to merge the districts, held on September 14, 2010,[5] was successful, with North Central voters doing so on a 431–63 (85.35%) basis and Nora Springs–Rock Falls voters doing so on a 437–262 (59.95%) basis.[6] These two districts had, since 2007, enacted a whole grade sharing program.[7]
"Central Springs" was chosen as the name of the consolidated district as the grade-shared secondary schools already used that name.[8] The projected enrollment of the combined school district upon its tentative formation was 850.[9]
The school colors are royal blue and black, with the former from North Central and the latter from Nora Springs–Rock Falls. The school wanted a mascot showing strength, so the panther was chosen as the mascot.[10]
In 2015, the grade distribution was PK-4 at the elementary level, 5–8 at the middle school level, and 9–12 at the high school level. By 2015, the enrollment had declined further, so the district was considering whether or how to reconfigure grade levels.[11]
