Top Rankings
Des Moines Independent Comm School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Iowa for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 12 public middle schools serving 6,429 students in Des Moines Independent Comm School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Iowa.
Public Middle Schools in Des Moines Independent Comm School District have an average math proficiency score of 42% (versus the Iowa public middle school average of 68%), and reading proficiency score of 48% (versus the 71% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 67% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Iowa public middle school average of 27% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (IA)
# Schools
59 Schools
372 Schools
# Students
29,676 Students
129,526 Students
# Teachers
1,894 Teachers
9,068 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 325 school districts in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 73% has decreased from 81% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#325 out of 327 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
43%
68%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
49%
70%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
63%
Graduation Rate
73%
87.5%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)45.7%
24.7%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.75
0.45
% American Indian
n/a
1%
% Asian
8%
2%
% Hispanic
32%
12%
% Black
22%
6%
% White
31%
73%
% Hawaiian
n/a
1%
% Two or more races
7%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $19,671 is higher than the state median of $18,179. The school district revenue/student has grown by 9% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $18,957 is higher than the state median of $18,122. The school district spending/student has grown by 14% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$584 MM
$9,049 MM
Spending
$563 MM
$9,021 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,671
$18,179
Spending / Student
$18,957
$18,122
Best Des Moines Independent Comm School District Public Middle Schools (2026-27)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Cowles Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
6401 College Ave
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 242-7818
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 242-7818
Gr: PK-8 | 392 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #22.
Merrill Middle School
(Math: 67% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
5301 Grand Ave
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8448
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8448
Gr: 6-8 | 657 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 41%
Rank: #33.
Callanan Middle School
(Math: 46% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
3010 Center Street
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8101
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8101
Gr: 6-8 | 553 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 73%
Rank: #44.
Mccombs Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
201 Sw County Line Rd
Des Moines, IA 50320
(515) 242-8447
Des Moines, IA 50320
(515) 242-8447
Gr: 6-8 | 670 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 75%
Rank: #55.
Hoyt Middle School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 51%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
2700 E 42nd St
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8446
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8446
Gr: 6-8 | 455 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 61%
Rank: #66.
Brody Middle School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 49%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
2501 Park Ave
Des Moines, IA 50321
(515) 242-8443
Des Moines, IA 50321
(515) 242-8443
Gr: 6-8 | 641 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 55%
Rank: #77.
Meredith Middle School
(Math: 44% | Reading: 46%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
4827 Madison Ave
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 242-7250
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 242-7250
Gr: 6-8 | 662 students Student-teacher ratio: 17:1 Minority enrollment: 77%
Rank: #88.
Goodrell Middle School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
3300 E. 29th Street
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8444
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8444
Gr: 6-8 | 511 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 67%
Rank: #99.
Weeks Middle School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
901 East Park Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50315
(515) 242-8449
Des Moines, IA 50315
(515) 242-8449
Gr: 6-8 | 688 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 81%
Rank: #1010.
Harding Middle School
(Math: 32% | Reading: 38%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
203 E Euclid Ave
Des Moines, IA 50313
(515) 242-8445
Des Moines, IA 50313
(515) 242-8445
Gr: 6-8 | 603 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 84%
Rank: #1111.
Hiatt Middle School
(Math: 32% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1430 E. University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50316
(515) 242-7774
Des Moines, IA 50316
(515) 242-7774
Gr: 6-8 | 488 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 87%
Rank: #1212.
Ruby Van Meter
Special Education School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: ≤10%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
710 28th St
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8220
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8220
Gr: K-12 | 109 students Student-teacher ratio: 5:1 Minority enrollment: 55%
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