West Des Moines Comm School District

3550 Mills Civic Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(District boundaries shown in map)
5/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

West Des Moines 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 14 public schools serving 9,047 students in West Des Moines Comm School District. This district's average testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public schools in Iowa.
Public Schools in West Des Moines Comm School District have an average math proficiency score of 66% (versus the Iowa public school average of 64%), and reading proficiency score of 71% (versus the 70% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 45% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Iowa public school average of 29% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (IA)
# Schools
14 Schools
1,320 Schools
# Students
9,047 Students
501,674 Students
# Teachers
619 Teachers
34,800 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1

District Rank

West Des Moines 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 93% has decreased from 94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (IA)
#184 out of 327 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of West Des Moines Comm   School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
66%
64%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of West Des Moines Comm   School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
71%
70%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of West Des Moines Comm   School District 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 2021-22 school year data.
61%
63%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of West Des Moines Comm   School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
93%
90%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of West Des Moines Comm   School District and public school graduation rate of Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.64
0.47
# American Indian Students
16 Students
1,876 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
530 Students
12,487 Students
% Asian Students
6%
3%
# Hispanic Students
1,797 Students
65,144 Students
% Hispanic Students
20%
13%
# Black Students
1,059 Students
35,173 Students
% Black Students
12%
7%
# White Students
4,992 Students
358,105 Students
% White Students
55%
71%
# Hawaiian Students
1 Student
3,371 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
1%
# Two or more races Students
650 Students
25,133 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
5%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
309
23,213
# Students in K Grade:
590
36,488
# Students in 1st Grade:
632
34,545
# Students in 2nd Grade:
662
35,477
# Students in 3rd Grade:
589
35,334
# Students in 4th Grade:
627
35,902
# Students in 5th Grade:
669
35,813
# Students in 6th Grade:
652
35,551
# Students in 7th Grade:
636
36,022
# Students in 8th Grade:
661
37,018
# Students in 9th Grade:
747
39,092
# Students in 10th Grade:
748
39,818
# Students in 11th Grade:
795
38,859
# Students in 12th Grade:
730
38,542
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $16,892 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 $15,953 is less than the state median of $16,042. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (IA)
Total Revenue
$153 MM
$8,262 MM
This chart displays total revenue of West Des Moines Comm   School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$144 MM
$8,048 MM
This chart displays total spending of West Des Moines Comm   School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$16,892
$16,468
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in West Des Moines Comm   School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$15,953
$16,042
This chart displays average spending per public school student in West Des Moines Comm   School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best West Des Moines Comm School District Public Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Westridge Elementary School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
5500 E P True Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 633-5400
Grades: PK-6
| 775 students
Rank: #22.
Jordan Creek Elementary School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 76%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
4105 Fuller Rd
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5200
Grades: PK-6
| 646 students
Rank: #33.
Crossroads Park Elementary School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 74%)
Rank:
7/
10
Top 50%
1050 50th St
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 633-5600
Grades: K-6
| 539 students
Rank: #44.
Fairmeadows Elementary School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
807 23rd St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6500
Grades: PK-6
| 545 students
Rank: #55.
Indian Hills Junior High School
(Math: 68% | Reading: 74%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
9401 Indian Hills Dr
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 633-4700
Grades: 7-8
| 653 students
Rank: #66.
Valley High School
(Math: 66% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
6/
10
Top 50%
3650 Woodland Ave
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 633-4000
Grades: 10-12
| 2,111 students
Rank: #77.
Stilwell Junior High School
(Math: 64% | Reading: 74%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
1601 Vine St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6000
Grades: 7-8
| 644 students
Rank: #88.
Valley Southwoods
(Math: 57% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
625 S 35th St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-4500
Grades: 9
| 744 students
Rank: #99.
Hillside Elementary School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
713 8th St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6200
Grades: PK-6
| 581 students
Rank: #1010.
Western Hills Elementary School
(Math: 62% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
600 39th St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5900
Grades: PK-6
| 560 students
Rank: #1111.
Clive Learning Academy
(Math: 61% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
1600 73rd Street
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 633-5800
Grades: PK-6
| 512 students
Rank: #1212.
Crestview School Of Inquiry
(Math: 50% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
8355 Franklin Avenue
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 633-5700
Grades: PK-6
| 549 students
Rank: #1313.
Walnut Creek Campus
Alternative School
(Math: 10-14% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1020 8th Street
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6480
Grades: 9-12
| 165 students
Rank: n/an/a
3350 Mills Civic Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5071
Grades: PK
| 23 students

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to West Des Moines Comm School District?
West Des Moines Comm School District manages 14 public schools serving 9,047 students.
What is the rank of West Des Moines Comm School District?
West Des Moines Comm School District is ranked #187 out of 325 school districts in Iowa (bottom 50%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2021-2022 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Iowa school districts for: Most diverse schools (Top 1%) and Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in West Des Moines Comm School District?
55% of West Des Moines Comm School District students are White, 20% of students are Hispanic, 12% of students are Black, 7% of students are Two or more races, and 6% of students are Asian.
What is the student/teacher ratio of West Des Moines Comm School District?
West Des Moines Comm School District has a student/teacher ratio of 15:1, which is higher than the Iowa state average of 14:1.
What is West Des Moines Comm School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $15,953 is less than the state median of $16,042. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 14 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 9,047 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 15:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 45%
  • : 93% (Top 30% in IA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 66% (Top 50%)
  • : 71% (Btm 50%)
  • : 61% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), IA Dept. of Education

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