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 2024 school year, there are 13 public middle schools serving 7,535 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 64%), and reading proficiency score of 45% (versus the 69% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 64% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is more than the Iowa public middle school average of 25% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (IA)
# Schools
59 Schools
377 Schools
# Students
30,811 Students
132,074 Students
# Teachers
1,982 Teachers
9,097 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
District Rank
Des Moines Independent Comm School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 327 school districts in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2020-2021 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 75% has decreased from 81% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#327 out of 327 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
43%
64%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
68%
Graduation Rate
75%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.75
0.42
# American Indian Students
135 Students
712 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
2,529 Students
2,838 Students
% Asian Students
8%
2%
# Hispanic Students
9,097 Students
14,938 Students
% Hispanic Students
30%
11%
# Black Students
6,449 Students
7,717 Students
% Black Students
21%
6%
# White Students
10,450 Students
99,474 Students
% White Students
34%
75%
# Hawaiian Students
46 Students
576 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
1%
# Two or more races Students
2,105 Students
5,807 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
4%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
1,333
176
# Students in K Grade:
2,366
240
# Students in 1st Grade:
2,173
254
# Students in 2nd Grade:
2,281
259
# Students in 3rd Grade:
2,194
261
# Students in 4th Grade:
2,160
698
# Students in 5th Grade:
2,184
5,475
# Students in 6th Grade:
2,058
25,470
# Students in 7th Grade:
2,184
37,347
# Students in 8th Grade:
2,271
38,760
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,361
8,432
# Students in 10th Grade:
2,345
5,038
# Students in 11th Grade:
2,215
4,923
# Students in 12th Grade:
2,686
4,741
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $19,161 is higher than the state median of $16,392. The school district revenue/student has grown by 18% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $16,664 is higher than the state median of $15,968. The school district spending/student has grown by 11% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$590 MM
$8,262 MM
Spending
$513 MM
$8,048 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,161
$16,392
Spending / Student
$16,664
$15,968
Best Des Moines Independent Comm School District Public Middle Schools (2024)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Cowles Elementary School
(Math: 77% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
6401 College Ave
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 242-7818
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 242-7818
Grades: PK-8
| 380 students
Rank: #22.
Merrill Middle School
(Math: 59% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
5301 Grand Ave
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8448
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8448
Grades: 6-8
| 669 students
Rank: #33.
Virtual Campus
(Math: 40-49% | Reading: 70-79%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
1800 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 242-8502
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 242-8502
Grades: 6-12
| 935 students
Rank: #44.
Brody Middle School
(Math: 51% | Reading: 48%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
2501 Park Ave
Des Moines, IA 50321
(515) 242-8443
Des Moines, IA 50321
(515) 242-8443
Grades: 6-8
| 603 students
Rank: #55.
Callanan Middle School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
3010 Center Street
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8101
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 242-8101
Grades: 6-8
| 534 students
Rank: #66.
Weeks Middle School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
901 East Park Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50315
(515) 242-8449
Des Moines, IA 50315
(515) 242-8449
Grades: 6-8
| 685 students
Rank: #77.
Goodrell Middle School
(Math: 37% | Reading: 44%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
3300 E. 29th Street
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8444
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8444
Grades: 6-8
| 512 students
Rank: #88.
Meredith Middle School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
4827 Madison Ave
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 242-7250
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515) 242-7250
Grades: 6-8
| 675 students
Rank: #99.
Mccombs Middle School
(Math: 40% | Reading: 38%)
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
Grades: 6-8
| 684 students
Rank: #1010.
Hoyt Middle School
(Math: 33% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
2700 E 42nd St
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8446
Des Moines, IA 50317
(515) 242-8446
Grades: 6-8
| 508 students
Rank: #1111.
Hiatt Middle School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 35%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1430 E. University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50316
(515) 242-7774
Des Moines, IA 50316
(515) 242-7774
Grades: 6-8
| 558 students
Rank: #1212.
Harding Middle School
(Math: 31% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
203 E Euclid Ave
Des Moines, IA 50313
(515) 242-8445
Des Moines, IA 50313
(515) 242-8445
Grades: 6-8
| 676 students
Rank: #1313.
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
Grades: K-12
| 116 students
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