Public schools in West Des Moines, IA
West Des Moines has 14 public schools with a 2024-25 address in the city: 3 high, 1 middle, 9 elementary, 1 other, enrolling 9,015 students. They are run by 2 districts and agencies; West Des Moines Community Schools runs 11 of them.
NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: schools open that year with enrollment · method
The 2 districts and agencies that run West Des Moines's public schools
Each district decides who can enroll where; its page holds its schools, spending and teachers.
| District | Schools in West Des Moines | District students, fall 2022 | Spending per student, FY23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Des Moines Community Schools | 11 | 9,225 | $13,914 |
| Waukee Community School District | 3 | 13,082 | $11,927 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: school location city and operating agency; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: district fall membership and current spending per student. Schools on a city's edge can serve students from outside it.
3 high schools in West Des Moines, 3,008 students
| School | Students 2024‑25 | Per teacher | Free lunch | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley High School | 2,178 | 18.3 | 56.3% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
| Valley Southwoods | 678 | 13.9 | 37.2% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
| Walnut Creek Campus | 152 | 10.8 | 63.2% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch); level from the directory. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count.
One middle school in West Des Moines, 645 students
| School | Students 2024‑25 | Per teacher | Free lunch | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stilwell Junior High School | 645 | 13.4 | 38.1% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch); level from the directory. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count.
9 elementary schools in West Des Moines, 5,333 students
| School | Students 2024‑25 | Per teacher | Free lunch | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westridge Elementary | 744 | 16.1 | 30.4% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
| Jordan Creek Elementary School | 652 | 16.9 | 26.5% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
| Brookview Elementary School | 592 | 14.3 | 16.7% | Waukee Community |
| Woodland Hills Elementary School | 578 | 15.2 | 18.7% | Waukee Community |
| Maple Grove Elementary School | 577 | 13.1 | 28.1% | Waukee Community |
| Western Hills Elementary School | 570 | 14.9 | 36.3% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
| Hillside Elementary School | 548 | 11.7 | 60.6% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
| Fairmeadows Elementary School | 542 | 15.9 | 32.8% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
| Crossroads Park Elementary School | 530 | 14.7 | 40.0% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch); level from the directory. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count.
One other school in West Des Moines, 29 students
| School | Students 2024‑25 | Per teacher | Free lunch | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Resource Center | 29 | not reported | 10.3% | West Des Moines Community Schools |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch); level from the directory. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count.
How West Des Moines's public schools compare with Iowa's
The median West Des Moines school has 14.7 students per full-time teacher, more than the Iowa median of 13.7. 7.1% of its schools ran a schoolwide Title I program in 2021-22, against 19% across the state. Its median school enrolls 578 students (state 312).
| West Des Moines | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|
| Median students per teacher | 14.7 | 13.7 |
| Median school size (students) | 578 | 312 |
| Schools with a schoolwide Title I program (2021-22) | 7.1% | 19% |
| Schools where every student eats free (CEP) | 43% | 19% |
| Charter schools | 0% | 0.3% |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (membership, staff, lunch program, charter status; the 14 West Des Moines schools and the 1,290 Iowa schools open that year with students); Title I status CCD 2021-22. Students per teacher counts 2024-25 teachers and ratios from 3 to 99.
What to look at next in West Des Moines
- West Des Moines Community SchoolsRuns 11 of West Des Moines's 14 public schools and spent $13,914 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$13,914
- Valley High School, the largest high school in West Des Moines2,178 students in 2024-25, 18.3 per teacher.2,178
- Compare West Des Moines Community Schools with Waukee Community School DistrictWest Des Moines's two largest operators side by side: enrollment, spending and schools.
- The largest public schools in IowaIowa's 50 largest schools open in 2024-25, by enrollment.
- Find the school district for a West Des Moines addressA home's district, not its city, decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools and their operating agencies); NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student).
Choosing among them: how to choose a school district with the federal data, and what a Title I school is.
Other cities in Iowa
- Des Moines64 schools
- Cedar Rapids38 schools
- Davenport23 schools
- Sioux City21 schools
- Dubuque18 schools
- Ankeny17 schools
- Council Bluffs17 schools
- Iowa City17 schools
Questions about schools in West Des Moines
How many public schools are in West Des Moines, IA?
14 public schools with an address in West Des Moines were open in 2024-25: 3 high, 1 middle, 9 elementary, 1 other, enrolling 9,015 students.What is the largest high school in West Des Moines?
Valley High School, with 2,178 students in 2024-25 (West Des Moines Community Schools).Which districts run West Des Moines's schools?
West Des Moines Community Schools (11 schools), Waukee Community School District (3 schools). A school's district, not its city, decides who can enroll.
These figures are for information and are not a substitute for the district's enrollment office, which confirms the school a home is assigned to.
Sources
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25
Source: NCES Common Core of Data Public school search (the official record of each school) · 2024-25