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 2025 school year, there are 12 public middle schools serving 6,351 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 39% (versus the Iowa public middle school average of 64%), and reading proficiency score of 48% (versus the 71% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 66% 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
376 Schools
# Students
29,871 Students
127,807 Students
# Teachers
1,899 Teachers
8,868 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 325 school districts in Iowa (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 76% has decreased from 82% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#327 out of 327 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
40%
64%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
49%
70%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
41%
63%
Graduation Rate
76%
90%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.75
0.43
# American Indian Students
132 Students
711 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
2,333 Students
2,758 Students
% Asian Students
8%
2%
# Hispanic Students
9,313 Students
14,712 Students
% Hispanic Students
31%
11%
# Black Students
6,410 Students
7,560 Students
% Black Students
22%
6%
# White Students
9,505 Students
95,300 Students
% White Students
32%
75%
# Hawaiian Students
68 Students
746 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
1%
# Two or more races Students
2,075 Students
5,934 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
5%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
1,358
157
# Students in K Grade:
2,136
170
# Students in 1st Grade:
2,303
177
# Students in 2nd Grade:
2,265
171
# Students in 3rd Grade:
2,087
167
# Students in 4th Grade:
2,226
559
# Students in 5th Grade:
2,152
5,544
# Students in 6th Grade:
1,963
24,308
# Students in 7th Grade:
2,033
36,022
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,957
37,018
# Students in 9th Grade:
2,185
8,339
# Students in 10th Grade:
2,330
5,155
# Students in 11th Grade:
2,339
5,047
# Students in 12th Grade:
2,537
4,973
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $19,764 is higher than the state median of $16,468. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $17,189 is higher than the state median of $16,042. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$590 MM
$8,262 MM
Spending
$513 MM
$8,048 MM
Revenue / Student
$19,764
$16,468
Spending / Student
$17,189
$16,042
Best Des Moines Independent Comm School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Cowles Elementary School
(Math: 75-79% | Reading: 85-89%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
6401 College Ave
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 242-7818
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 242-7818
Grades: PK-8
| 403 students
Rank: #22.
Merrill Middle School
(Math: 60% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 651 students
Rank: #33.
Callanan Middle School
(Math: 45% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 543 students
Rank: #44.
Brody Middle School
(Math: 42% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 598 students
Rank: #55.
Mccombs Middle School
(Math: 38% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 644 students
Rank: #66.
Hoyt Middle School
(Math: 31% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 486 students
Rank: #77.
Meredith Middle School
(Math: 36% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 653 students
Rank: #88.
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
Grades: 6-8
| 668 students
Rank: #99.
Goodrell Middle School
(Math: 31% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 493 students
Rank: #1010.
Harding Middle School
(Math: 30% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 634 students
Rank: #1111.
Hiatt Middle School
(Math: 31% | 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
Grades: 6-8
| 466 students
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
Grades: K-12
| 112 students
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