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 8 public preschools serving 4,191 students in West Des Moines Comm School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public pre schools in Iowa.
Public Preschools in West Des Moines Comm School District have an average math proficiency score of 68% (versus the Iowa public pre school average of 70%), and reading proficiency score of 67% (versus the 69% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 47% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Iowa public preschool average of 27% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (IA)
# Schools
14 Schools
474 Schools
# Students
9,047 Students
151,894 Students
# Teachers
619 Teachers
11,053 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.
Overall District Rank
#184 out of 327 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
66%
64%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
71%
70%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
61%
63%
Graduation Rate
93%
90%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.64
0.45
# American Indian Students
16 Students
532 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
530 Students
2,925 Students
% Asian Students
6%
2%
# Hispanic Students
1,797 Students
18,818 Students
% Hispanic Students
20%
13%
# Black Students
1,059 Students
9,688 Students
% Black Students
12%
6%
# White Students
4,992 Students
111,231 Students
% White Students
55%
73%
# Hawaiian Students
1 Student
1,189 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
1%
# Two or more races Students
650 Students
7,501 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
5%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
309
23,036
# Students in K Grade:
590
25,738
# Students in 1st Grade:
632
22,613
# Students in 2nd Grade:
662
21,812
# Students in 3rd Grade:
589
20,001
# Students in 4th Grade:
627
18,600
# Students in 5th Grade:
669
14,277
# Students in 6th Grade:
652
5,389
# Students in 7th Grade:
636
67
# Students in 8th Grade:
661
108
# Students in 9th Grade:
747
31
# Students in 10th Grade:
748
54
# Students in 11th Grade:
795
71
# Students in 12th Grade:
730
97
# 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.
Total Revenue
$153 MM
$8,262 MM
Spending
$144 MM
$8,048 MM
Revenue / Student
$16,892
$16,468
Spending / Student
$15,953
$16,042
Best West Des Moines Comm School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Westridge Elementary School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 75%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
5500 E P True Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 633-5400
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 633-5400
Grades: PK-6
| 775 students
Rank: #22.
Jordan Creek Elementary School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 76%)
Rank:
Rank:
8/
Top 30%10
4105 Fuller Rd
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5200
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5200
Grades: PK-6
| 646 students
Rank: #33.
Fairmeadows Elementary School
(Math: 75% | Reading: 71%)
Rank:
Rank:
6/
Top 50%10
807 23rd St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6500
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6500
Grades: PK-6
| 545 students
Rank: #44.
Hillside Elementary School
(Math: 63% | Reading: 65%)
Rank:
Rank:
4/
Bottom 50%10
713 8th St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6200
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-6200
Grades: PK-6
| 581 students
Rank: #55.
Western Hills Elementary School
(Math: 62% | Reading: 61%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
600 39th St
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5900
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5900
Grades: PK-6
| 560 students
Rank: #66.
Clive Learning Academy
(Math: 61% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
1600 73rd Street
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 633-5800
Windsor Heights, IA 50324
(515) 633-5800
Grades: PK-6
| 512 students
Rank: #77.
Crestview School Of Inquiry
(Math: 50% | Reading: 52%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
8355 Franklin Avenue
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 633-5700
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 633-5700
Grades: PK-6
| 549 students
Rank: n/an/a
3350 Mills Civic Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5071
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-5071
Grades: PK
| 23 students
Recent Articles
Year-Round Or Traditional Schedule?
Which is more appropriate for your child? A year-round attendance schedule or traditional schedule? We look at the pros and cons.
Why You Should Encourage Your Child to Join a Sports Team
Participating in team sports has a great many benefits for children, there is no doubt. In this article you will learn what those benefits are.
White Students are Now the Minority in U.S. Public Schools
Increasing birth rates among immigrant families from Asia and Central and South America, combined with lower birth rates among white families, means that for the first time in history, public school students in the United States are majority-minority. This shift in demographics poses difficulties for schools as they work to accommodate children of varying language abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.
