West Des Moines Comm School District operates 14 public schools serving 9,225 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 other, 3 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 9,038 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 $17,877 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 51.0% local, 39.7% state, and 9.2% 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 $86,246 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 54/100, ranked #137 of 303 in Iowa against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 2 of 14 schools offering Advanced Placement (13 AP courses district-wide), a 479.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 22.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 51.8% White, 22.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% African American across the district's schools.
Valley High School accounts for 24.1% of all West Des Moines Comm School District student enrollment
That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means West Des Moines Comm School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
West Des Moines Comm School District school enrollment varies 75× across entities
West Des Moines Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 29 students (lowest) to 2,178 students (highest), a spread of 2,149 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
West Des Moines Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 480:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)
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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
West Des Moines Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 22.6% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
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 Variation between sub-units within West Des Moines Comm School District is typically wider than the West Des Moines Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in West Des Moines Comm School District?
West Des Moines Comm School District has 14 schools, including 3 high, 8 other, 2 middle, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 9,225 students.
How much does West Des Moines Comm School District spend per student?
West Des Moines Comm School District spends $17,877 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #137 in Iowa.
What is the average teacher salary in West Des Moines Comm School District?
The average teacher salary in West Des Moines Comm School District is $86,246 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines Comm School District?
West Des Moines Comm School District students are 51.8% White, 22.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% African American, 5.5% Asian, averaged across 14 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for West Des Moines Comm School District?
West Des Moines Comm School District has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #137 out of 303 districts in Iowa. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.