Des Moines Independent Comm School District operates 59 public schools serving 30,739 students, placing it among the larger districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 33 elementary, 11 other, 10 middle, 5 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 29,676 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Polk County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,255 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 29.4% local, 56.2% state, and 14.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $79,892 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 71/100, ranked #44 of 303 in Iowa against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 5 of 59 schools offering Advanced Placement (54 AP courses district-wide), a 319.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 43.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 32.2% White, 31.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% African American across the district's schools.
Des Moines Independent Comm School District school enrollment varies 22× across entities
Des Moines Independent Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 109 students (lowest) to 2,364 students (highest), a spread of 2,255 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Des Moines Independent Comm School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 70.4% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Des Moines Independent Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 319:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Des Moines Independent Comm School District is typically wider than the Des Moines Independent Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Des Moines Independent Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 43.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
How many schools are in Des Moines Independent Comm School District?
Des Moines Independent Comm School District has 59 schools, including 5 high, 10 middle, 33 elementary, 11 other. Total enrollment is 30,739 students.
How much does Des Moines Independent Comm School District spend per student?
Des Moines Independent Comm School District spends $16,255 per student. The district has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #44 in Iowa.
What is the average teacher salary in Des Moines Independent Comm School District?
The average teacher salary in Des Moines Independent Comm School District is $79,892 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Des Moines Independent Comm School District?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Polk County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Des Moines Independent Comm School District?
Des Moines Independent Comm School District students are 32.2% White, 31.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% African American, 7.2% Asian, averaged across 59 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Des Moines Independent Comm School District?
Des Moines Independent Comm School District has an equity score of 71/100, ranking #44 out of 303 districts in Iowa. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.