Morris Elementary School

1401 Geil Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50315
(School attendance zone shown in map)
Rating
1/
10
Bottom 50%
Morris Elementary School serves 448 students in grades Kindergarten-5.
Morris Elementary School placed in the bottom 50% of all schools in Iowa for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is bottom 50%) for the 2020-21 school year.
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 43% (which is lower than the Iowa state average of 64%) for the 2020-21 school year. The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 41% (which is lower than the Iowa state average of 68%) for the 2020-21 school year.
The student:teacher ratio of 11:1 is lower than the Iowa state level of 14:1.
Minority enrollment is 63% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is higher than the Iowa state average of 27% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Quick Stats (2023-24)

  • Grades: Kindergarten-5
  • Enrollment: 448 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 11:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 63%
  • Overall Testing Rank
    : Bottom 50% in IA
  • Math Proficiency
    : 43% (Btm 50%)
  • Reading Proficiency
    : 41% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

Top Rankings

Morris Elementary School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Iowa for:

School Overview

Morris Elementary School's student population of 448 students has declined by 25% over five school years.
The teacher population of 39 teachers has declined by 13% over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades Kindergarten-5
Total Students
448 students
This chart display total students of Morris Elementary School by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Gender %
This chart display gender of Morris Elementary School
Total Classroom Teachers
39 teachers
This chart display the total teachers of Morris Elementary School by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Students by Grade
This chart display the students of Morris Elementary School by grade.

School Rankings

Morris Elementary School is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 1,221 schools in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2020-21 school year.
The diversity score of Morris Elementary School is 0.70, which is more than the diversity score at state average of 0.45. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Definition of Terms 2021-2022 School Year Data
This School
State Level (IA)
Overall Testing Rank
#1160 out of 1221 schools
(Bottom 50%)
This chart display the overall school rank of Morris Elementary School, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
43%
64%
This chart display the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Morris Elementary School and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of public schools in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
68%
This chart display the percentage of students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Morris Elementary School and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
11:1
14:1
This chart display the student teacher ratio of Morris Elementary School and the public school average student teacher ratio of Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
American Indian
n/a
n/a
This chart display the percentage of American Indian students in Morris Elementary School and percentage of American Indian public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
Asian
3%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Morris Elementary School and the percentage of Asian public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Hispanic
36%
12%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Morris Elementary School and the percentage of Hispanic public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Black
19%
7%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Morris Elementary School and the percentage of Black public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
White
37%
73%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Morris Elementary School and the percentage of White public school students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
Two or more races
5%
5%
This chart display the percentage of students of two or more races in Morris Elementary School and the percentage of public school students of two or more races in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
All Ethnic Groups
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Morris Elementary School.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of public school students of all ethnic groups in IA.
Diversity Score
0.70
This chart display the diversity score of Morris Elementary School and the public school average diversity score of Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Yes
Eligible for Free Lunch
75%
35%
This chart display the percentage of students who is eligible for free lunch in Morris Elementary School and the percentage of public school students who is eligible for free lunch in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
11%
5%
This chart display the percentage of students who is eligible for reduced lunch in Morris Elementary School and the percentage of public school students who is eligible for reduced lunch in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
Source: 2021-2022 (latest school year available) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Morris Elementary School's ranking?
Morris Elementary School is ranked #1160 out of 1,221 schools, which ranks it among the bottom 50% of public schools in Iowa.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
43% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 64% IA state average), while 41% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 68% IA state average).
How many students attend Morris Elementary School?
448 students attend Morris Elementary School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
37% of Morris Elementary School students are White, 36% of students are Hispanic, 19% of students are Black, 5% of students are Two or more races, and 3% of students are Asian.
What is the student:teacher ratio of Morris Elementary School?
Morris Elementary School has a student ration of 11:1, which is lower than the Iowa state average of 14:1.
What grades does Morris Elementary School offer ?
Morris Elementary School offers enrollment in grades Kindergarten-5
What school district is Morris Elementary School part of?
Morris Elementary School is part of Des Moines Independent Comm School District.

School Reviews

4   9/20/2018
Good teachers but there are things they could improve on
- Posted by Student/Alumni - lily

Review Morris Elementary School. Reviews should be a few sentences in length. Please include any comments on:

  • Quality of academic programs, teachers, and facilities
  • Availability of music, art, sports and other extracurricular activities
Rate this school:

Recent Articles

Spitting Rhymes for Flashy Grades: The Link Between Hip Hop Curriculum and Improved Learning
Spitting Rhymes for Flashy Grades: The Link Between Hip Hop Curriculum and Improved Learning
Can rap lyrics and hip hop beats help students learn more? Studies and some public schools say yes!
When Field Trips Turn Deadly: Who is Responsible?
When Field Trips Turn Deadly: Who is Responsible?
Recent deaths during field trips have parents and school officials questioning the safety of these excursions. Learn about these tragedies and what parameters should be in place to ensure a safe field trip.
D.C. Schools: Controversial Growth of Charter Schools
D.C. Schools: Controversial Growth of Charter Schools
Charter schools are growing in DC, and we analyze the response to recent numbers that show the student population in D.C. charter schools has outpaced the numbers for traditional public schools throughout the district.

Quick Stats (2023-24)

  • Grades: Kindergarten-5
  • Enrollment: 448 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 11:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 63%
  • Overall Testing Rank
    : Bottom 50%
  • Math Proficiency
    : 43% (Btm 50%)
  • Reading Proficiency
    : 41% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

Quick Links